New Citizens UK documentary: UK students and community leaders meet Pope Leo XIV
New Citizens UK documentary: UK students and community leaders meet Pope Leo XIV
Citizens UK debuts ‘Faith in Action’, a short documentary on a recent visit to Pope Leo XIV and the rich history of Catholic organising that led up to this moment.
In June 2025, a delegation of Citizens UK community leaders from across the UK, including London, Tyne and Wear, and Brighton, met Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican City to discuss their faith and organising.
Many of those in the delegation were young students. They’ve had their hand in winning local changes for their communities, such as commitments from major businesses to pay the Living Wage; winning thousands of pounds in reduced transport fares; preventing the deportation of vulnerable families at risk, and helping to secure over half a million pounds in mental health support for students in schools.
The documentary also delves into the powerful legacy of Catholic social teaching and organising, through the lens of one of Citizens UK’s biggest campaigns – the Living Wage Movement.
Citizens UK has over 50 Catholic member institutions in membership, including churches and schools.
Caroline Verdant, Community Organiser at Citizens UK, said: “It was a humbling experience to be recognised by Pope Leo XIV and speak to him about the work Citizens UK does. We also felt incredibly honoured that Citizens UK was mentioned specifically in the Pope’s welcoming speech. The history of Catholic organising is a rich one and we hope to continue that work.”
"Being in the presence of the Pope was such an out-of-body experience. It was unbelievable and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And I think going forward from here, just continuing to do the work that we're doing, now that it's going to be more well-known because of this experience. We’ll continue to spread the message." - Lily, a Citizens UK leader and student North Tyneside
Many churches, mosques, synagogues, temples and other religious organisations choose to become members of Citizens UK to build a better, fairer society.