In Christus Vivit, his exhortation to young people, Pope Francis described young people as the “living hope of a Church on the move”. He encouraged them to make their voices heard and reminded the wider Church of something important: “The Church needs your momentum, your intuitions, your faith.”
This invitation to listen and learn resonates deeply with our mission at JRS UK. Through our outreach in schools, parish communities, and youth groups, we work with young people to explore the experiences of people seeking asylum through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching, reflecting on human dignity, solidarity and our call to welcome. We’ve also been lucky enough to work with young people who volunteer here at the centre.
Here are some of their messages from our work over the last year.
A Church that listens
“We want to be able to welcome you all in our community! We are all human beings and should all be treated equally!” Trust in God, “When the time is right, God will make it happen” – Isaiah 60:22
Young people can challenge us to see familiar realities differently. Their example can challenge us to ensure that the faith we proclaim is reflected in the way we welcome and accompany others.
“I hope you’re doing well! I would like to give you a warm welcome to the UK! My dad was also in a detention centre. From what he would tell me, it was a very cold environment to be in. I hope you see some sort of light at the end of the tunnel.”
For the Church, listening to young people must be more than simply giving them a voice. It means recognising that they can actively contribute to the life of our communities. This includes young people whose experiences can too easily be overlooked, particularly those affected by conflict, displacement, and migration.
From welcome to belonging
“I want to let you know that people have got your back. It may not seem like it at times but everything is going to be okay. I hope you get everything you need and that it all works out eventually. I’m sorry for everything that you’ve had to go through. I hope you can recover, both physically and emotionally. You’re going to find your way one day, just believe in yourself. A support system is on its way to you.”
Perhaps this is one of the lessons young people can offer us: that belonging begins when we stop seeing another person simply as someone to help and begin seeing them as someone we must stand alongside, whose presence, story, and gifts matter.
Pope Leo XIV has continued to emphasise this importance of solidarity. For the upcoming 2026 World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Pope Leo has chosen the theme “Even just one of these children”, recalling Jesus’ words: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me” (Mt 18:5).
This verse has particular resonance for communities seeking to welcome refugees and people seeking asylum. Welcome is more than opening a door. It is creating the conditions in which someone can know: my life has value; my voice matters; there is a place for me here.
Learning from one another
“You are loved and important. You are welcome here any time. We can tell each other stories and talk about our feelings so we feel better.”
In their own words, young people remind us that belonging is not simply about being received into a community, but about being seen, valued and accompanied within it.
On International Youth Day, perhaps we can resist the temptation simply to tell young people what we hope they will become.
Instead, we can ask: what are they already showing us? And, what can we learn?
