Our delegation of Catholic leaders will journey to Rome for an audience with Pope Leo XIV,
encounters with the universal Church and a shared mission to restore human dignity and relationships at the heart of homelessness and poverty.
NOVEMBER 15, 2026
World Day of the Poor
Established by Pope Francis, the World Day of the Poor calls the universal Church to recognize Christ in those experiencing poverty and to respond with more than material assistance. It is an invitation to encounter, relationship and a renewed commitment to the dignity of every human person.
Beginning on the 2026 World Day of the Poor, our delegates will be in Rome on pilgrimage to unite, share and learn from the very heart of the Church!
Rooted in the mission of Authentic Response, this pilgrimage offers an opportunity to reflect on how the Church in the United States can more fully live her call to love and care for the poor.
An Audience
with Pope Leo XIV
NOVEMBER 18, 2026
Our delegation will participate in the General Audience with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.
In addition, our delegation has been granted a separate audience with the Holy Father for a group photograph. This encounter holds particular significance for Authentic Response as we seek to deepen our mission in communion with the universal Church and receive the Holy Father’s prayers and blessing to love and serve the poor.
At the Heart of the Church
Our pilgrimage will include meetings with Vatican dicasteries, a visit to the Tomb of St. Peter, connections with local organizations serving the homeless surrounding Vatican City, media interviews and participation in the Church's liturgical life in Rome.
On November 18, the Church also commemorates the Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul. Our delegation plans to celebrate Mass on this occasion with His Holiness, joining our pilgrimage of prayer with the apostolic heritage of the Church.
These experiences invite us to consider how the Church's teachings on human dignity, solidarity, and charity can inform and strengthen our response to homelessness.
Encountering Christ in the Poor
An important part of our pilgrimage will be learning from those who are responding to poverty and homelessness in Rome.
We hope to meet with the Archbishop involved in the Vatican's observance of World Day of the Poor and connect with Catholic organizations and ministries accompanying people experiencing homelessness throughout the city. Through these encounters, we hope to exchange experiences, better understand the challenges facing those living in poverty in different parts of the world and discover how a shared Catholic vision of human dignity can strengthen our respective missions.
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Sharing the Mission
While in Rome, our delegation plans to participate in media interviews with EWTN Rome and others, sharing the vision behind Authentic Response and the work of Catholic ministries accompanying those experiencing homelessness across the United States.
These conversations offer an opportunity to bring greater awareness to the Church's call to respond to poverty through authentic encounter, human dignity and the restoration of relationships. Our hope is that the experiences and conversations in Rome will contribute to the growing movement to form US Catholics in a deeper understanding of homelessness and our shared responsibility to love for the poor.