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Pope Francis has called on Catholics globally to join him in prayer throughout January, focusing on the educational rights of migrants, refugees, and victims of war. He emphasized the importance of education as a fundamental right necessary for building a better world.
“Let us pray for migrants, refugees and those affected by war, that their right to an education, which is necessary to build a better world, might always be respected,” Pope Francis stated as his prayer intention for the New Year.
The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, previously known as the Apostleship of Prayer, is a Jesuit-led initiative providing Catholics with the pope's monthly prayer intentions since 1890. Pope Francis released his first video reflection for 2025 on January 2.
Highlighting the global issue, he noted that “some 250 million boys and girls lack education” due to factors such as war, migration, or poverty. He stressed that “all children and youth have the right to go to school, regardless of their immigration status.”
According to Pope Francis, respecting this right benefits both migrants and society at large. “Education is a hope for everyone,” he said. “It can save migrants and refugees from discrimination, criminal networks and exploitation — so many minors are exploited!”
He also mentioned that education aids integration and equips individuals to contribute positively to society in their host countries or upon returning home if they choose.
In his message, Pope Francis reminded people that “whoever welcomes the foreigner, welcomes Jesus Christ.”
The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network reported that 128 million boys and 122 million girls worldwide are not attending school. It identified poverty, geographical location, immigration status, gender, language barriers, disability, and ethnicity as primary obstacles to education access.
The network warned that migrant and refugee children without education face challenges such as poverty and inequality, social marginalization, exploitation, and psychological impacts like feelings of inferiority or hopelessness.
