Pope Leo XIV thanks Catholic Extension Society for its assistance to migrants and the poor

In an address to its board of governors, Pope Leo XIV thanked the Catholic Extension Society on May 18 for the assistance it provides to the poor.

The pontiff praised the organization’s founder, Father Francis Clement Kelley, who more than 120 years ago “sought to reach out to remote faith communities across the United States in order to bring to them the very life of Christ through the sacraments and the support of a larger Catholic community.”

“This missionary enthusiasm is still needed today, and so I would like to thank you for your continued efforts to minister to the needs of the poorer Catholic communities both in the United States and abroad,” the pope noted.

“In a particular way, I would like to commend your work in Cuba and in Puerto Rico. The support you provide to these communities is a beautiful expression of the universality of the Church and a living reminder that ‘love for our neighbor is tangible proof of the authenticity of our love for God,’” the pope emphasized, citing his apostolic exhortation Dilexi Te.

He praised the pastoral care the society offers to the most disadvantaged “as well as to the numerous immigrant families in the United States.”

“It is imperative that our brothers and sisters experience the warmth of a community which is marked by the presence of Christ,” he emphasized.

The Catholic Extension Society raises funds to support and strengthen under-resourced mission dioceses throughout the United States. Founded in 1905, it is headquartered in Chicago.

The pope, a native of the Chicago area, took this opportunity to make a joke: “When someone from Dolton, Illinois, comes, we have to open all the doors! There aren’t many of us around anymore,” he quipped.

As they continue their mission, he added, Catholic Extension Societyʼs dedication to not “only alleviate the temporal needs of those less fortunate” but also to “invest in building up vibrant Catholic communities is particularly necessary today.”

“Faith-filled communities provide an opportunity for individuals to experience the joy of new life in Christ lived out in a daily, ordinary fashion,” the Holy Father pointed out.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.