Vatican City: In his first major document since assuming the papacy, Pope Leo urged the world’s Catholics to extend compassion and tangible support to migrants and the poor, continuing the legacy of Pope Francis and echoing his criticism of anti-immigration policies, including those of U.S. President Donald Trump.
The 104-page apostolic exhortation, titled “Dilexi te” (Latin for “I have loved you”), focuses on tackling global inequality and the struggles of people living paycheck-to-paycheck. The document began as a draft by Pope Francis, who passed away in April after leading the Church for 12 years. Pope Leo, the first American Pope, completed and released the work on Thursday, noting, “I am happy to make this document my own — adding some reflections — and to issue it at the beginning of my pontificate.”
In the exhortation, Pope Leo underscores the Church’s moral duty toward migrants and the marginalized. “The Church, like a mother, accompanies those who are walking,” he writes. “She knows that in every rejected migrant, it is Christ himself who knocks at the door of the community.” Citing Pope Francis’ earlier remarks, Leo adds, “Where the world sees threats, she sees children; where walls are built, she builds bridges.”
The comments directly reference Francis’ 2016 criticism of Trump’s plan to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, which he had described as “not Christian.” Although Leo has maintained a more reserved tone than his predecessor, recent weeks have seen him adopt a firmer stance against exclusionary policies, drawing pushback from conservative Catholic groups.
The document also delivers a forceful critique of global capitalism, warning against moral decay and unchecked greed. “The number of people living in poverty should constantly weigh upon our consciences,” Leo writes, rejecting the belief that “invisible market forces” can resolve inequality. “The poor are promised only a few ‘drops’ that trickle down until the next global crisis brings things back to where they were,” it continues.
Pope Leo warns of a moral crisis, describing a world “falling into a cesspool” without dignity and empathy. “The illusion of happiness derived from a comfortable life pushes many toward a vision centered on the accumulation of wealth and success at all costs,” the text cautions.
By aligning his first exhortation with Francis’ message of humility, inclusion, and justice, Pope Leo signals a strong continuity of the Church’s focus on social and moral responsibility in an increasingly divided world.
