New Papal Exhortation Calls for Global Social Justice
VATICAN CITY — In his first major document since ascending to the papacy, Pope Leo XIV placed the world’s poor and vulnerable at the center of his vision for the Catholic Church. The papal exhortation, titled Dilexi te (“I Have Loved You”), calls bishops and believers to embrace social justice, defend the marginalized, and welcome migrants with compassion. The document was signed on October 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, and released Thursday by the Vatican.
“The Church, like a mother, accompanies those who are walking,” Pope Leo wrote. “Where the world sees threats, she sees children; where walls are built, she builds bridges.” The pope emphasized that the Church’s credibility depends on turning faith into concrete acts of mercy and inclusion, especially toward migrants and the poor.
A Continuation of Francis’ Vision
The exhortation builds on the social teachings of Pope Francis, particularly his encyclical Dilexit Nos, which linked love of God with love for the poor. Pope Leo’s message echoes his predecessor’s call for a “poor church for the poor,” urging Christians to see the impoverished not as a burden, but as family. “No Christian can regard the poor simply as a societal problem,” Leo wrote. “They are one of us.”
While the document centers on economic and spiritual poverty, it devotes special attention to the plight of migrants and refugees. Leo praised organizations such as Caritas Internationalis and Catholic Charities for their work with displaced populations, even as funding freezes and political opposition threaten their efforts.
Condemnation of Inequality and Market Excess
In forceful language, Pope Leo condemned widening inequality and what he described as a “new tyranny” of unrestrained markets. He warned that economies driven by greed and speculation “demand sacrifices of the masses to serve the powerful,” leaving the poor with “only drops that trickle down.” The pontiff rejected the idea that free markets alone can solve poverty and denounced “prosperity theology,” which equates wealth with divine favor.
“Inequality is the root of all social ills,” Leo wrote, calling on Catholics to take moral responsibility for confronting structural injustice. While acknowledging that charity alone cannot eradicate global poverty, he affirmed its enduring importance as an expression of faith carried out “with intelligence, diligence, and social responsibility.”
Faith in Action and Moral Renewal
Pope Leo urged believers to join movements that “combat the empire of money” and to stand alongside — not above — the poor in the struggle for justice. “We must make their voices heard,” he said, even at the risk of appearing naïve. He warned that a church indifferent to the suffering of the marginalized risks “drifting into spiritual worldliness camouflaged by religious practices and empty talk.”
He also reminded Catholics that “God does not need golden vessels, but golden souls,” cautioning against opulence in a world where many still suffer. As technological change reshapes societies, Leo called for science and innovation to be used as forces for good, guided by compassion and moral purpose. Women, he noted, are often the “doubly poor,” losing both dignity and rights, and must be uplifted as central figures in building a more just world.
A Church for the Modern Age
The exhortation highlights the Church’s role in education and its historic mission to combat “modern forms of slavery,” including human trafficking and forced labor. Pope Leo praised the countless priests, nuns, and missionaries who continue this work across the globe, following in the footsteps of saints like Francis of Assisi and Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
As the world faces “an epochal change,” Pope Leo concluded that the path forward lies in solidarity with the poor: “Either we regain our moral and spiritual dignity, or we fall into a cesspool.” His words mark a powerful call for renewal — one rooted not in wealth or power, but in compassion, humility, and shared humanity.