“Charity, the backbone of Christian life, must not remain theoretical, but must be expressed in action, which becomes service.” The words of the Papal Almoner, Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, shine light on the significance of a new initiative of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, which carries out its mission on behalf of the Pope.

On 28 April, the Prefect of the Dicastery personally handed over the keys of a Popemobile to Michele Sagarino, President of the U.S.-based charitable organization “Cross Catholic Outreach.”

On Wednesday, April 29,  at the conclusion of the General Audience, Sagarino was able to greet Pope Leo XIV, to whom he illustrated the work of the organization, which in the past has also assisted the Diocese of Chiclayo.

The moment marked the official launch of “American Catholic Heroes: The Road Trip for Hope,” a journey across the United States of approximately 3,700 miles from New York to California, aiming to support children and vulnerable people who bear in the consequences of war in their lives, as well as to create opportunities for prayer.

The charity will also organize, promote, and manage a major charity auction in the United States, with proceeds dedicated to the charitable works of the Dicastery.

Solidarity and evangelization

According to Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, the handover of the Popemobile carries a social value in terms of solidarity with those most in need and also serves to “strengthen ties with the Holy Father and promote evangelization.”

“I am grateful to Cross Catholic Outreach,” the Almoner stated, “which has long collaborated with the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, supporting it generously.”

Founded nearly 25 years ago, the organization’s activities extend across various parts of the world. In 2024 alone, it operated in 32 countries—including Malawi, Zambia, and Haiti—supporting 279 projects and investing in programs for health, agriculture, food provision, access to clean water, education, and above all spiritual assistance.

The “Hopemobile”

The organizers of this special “road trip” explain that the Popemobile will thus become a “Hopemobile” on the roads of the United States—a vehicle of hope, as it goes forth to those who suffer.

The initiative, scheduled for June and July 2026, coincides with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776. It will visit 13 cities, including New York and Washington, and will stop at locations such as Notre Dame and St. Louis, extending as far as the southwest and California.

The initiative was originally desired and authorized by Pope Francis, with the aim of directing the proceeds to the poor, and in a particular way to children who are victims of wars throughout the world.

“Christian holiness,” Pope Leo XIV wrote in Dilexi te, his Apostolic Exhortation on love for the poor, “often flourishes in the most forgotten and wounded places of humanity. The poorest of the poor have a special place in God’s heart. They are the beloved of the Gospel, the heirs to the Kingdom. It is in them that Christ continues to suffer and rise again. It is in them that the Church rediscovers her call to show her most authentic self.”

This is the mission which the Dicastery for the Service of Charity continues to carry forward with great dedication.