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Pope Leo: Faith cannot be separated from love for the poor

Pope Leo XIV released his first Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi te (“I have loved you”), on October 9.

It sees the love of Christ incarnated in love for the poor, in caring for the sick, opposing slavery, defending women who experience exclusion and violence, making education available to all, accompanying migrants, charitable giving, working for equality and more.

Here are some highlights as provided by the Vatican Press Office.

“On the wounded faces of the poor, we see the suffering of the innocent and, therefore,
the suffering of Christ Himself” (9).

“I can only state once more that inequality ‘is the root of social ills’” (94).
“Indeed, ‘it frequently becomes clear that, in practice, human rights are not equal for
all’” (94).

“The dignity of every human person must be respected today, not tomorrow” (92).

“The Church, like a mother, accompanies those who are walking. Where the world sees threats, she sees children; where walls are built, she builds bridges. She knows that her proclamation of the Gospel is credible only when it is translated into gestures of closeness and welcome. And she knows that in every rejected migrant, it is Christ himself who knocks at the door of the community” (75).

“Serving the poor is not a gesture to be made ‘from above’, but an encounter between equals, where Christ is revealed and adored… Therefore, when the Church bends down to care for the poor, she assumes her highest posture” (79).

“There are those who say: ‘Our task is to pray and teach sound doctrine’. Separating this religious aspect from integral development, they even say that it is the government’s job to care for them, or that it would be better not to lift them out of their poverty but simply to teach them to work” (114).

“We Christians must not abandon almsgiving. It can be done in different ways, and surely more effectively, but it must continue to be done. It is always better at least to do something rather than nothing. Whatever form it may take, almsgiving will touch and soften our hardened hearts. It will not solve the problem of world poverty, yet it must still be carried out, with intelligence, diligence and social responsibility. For our part, we need to give alms as a way of reaching out and touching the suffering flesh of the poor” (119).

“We have to state, without mincing words, that there is an inseparable bond between our faith and the poor” (36).

“Unjust structures need to be recognized and eradicated by the force of good, by changing mindsets but also, with the help of science and technology, by developing effective policies for societal change” (97).

“The poor are at the heart of the Church” (111).


To see more go to: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-10/pope-leo-faith-cannot-beseparated-
from-love-for-the-poor.html