Pope Leo XIV Issues First Apostolic Exhortation ‘Dilexi te’ Highlighting Poverty

Vatican city: Pope Leo XIV on Thursday issued his first official dogma document, the Apostolic Exhortation “Dilexi te” (He Loved You), a call to address poverty in all its forms that continues a project initiated by Pope Francis. “I am convinced that the priority option for the poor generates extraordinary renewal both in the Church and in society, when we are capable of freeing ourselves from self-absorption and are able to listen to their cry,” writes Leo in the foreword.

According to Ansa News Agency, the document addresses various forms of poverty, including economic, educational, health-related, and those affecting prisoners, thereby encompassing all vulnerable groups in society. In the document, Pope Leo XIV stresses that the cry of the poor challenges everyone and highlights that responses remain insufficient, with many inequalities persisting.

“The plight of the poor represents a cry that, throughout human history, constantly challenges our lives, our societies, our political and economic systems, and, not least, the Church,” says the American pontiff. He emphasizes that poverty manifests in material, moral, and cultural dimensions, and calls for increased commitment to addressing these issues.

Pope Leo XIV notes that political criteria are marked by numerous inequalities, with new, sometimes more subtle and dangerous forms of poverty emerging alongside older ones. The document serves as a call to action for the Church and society to renew their commitment to the poor.