Pope Leo XIV has released his first Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi te, (“I have loved you”) which describes prejudice against the poor as an “inescapable challenge”.
Pope Francis had begun writing the document in his final months of life however Pope Leo decided to make it his own with the addition of some reflections on the theme of love for the poor.
“Not infrequently, our prosperity can make us blind to the needs of others and even make us think that our happiness and fulfilment depend on ourselves alone, apart from others," he wrote.
“In such cases, the poor can act as silent teachers for us, making us conscious of our presumption and instilling within us a rightful spirit of humility."
The document was intended to signal continuity with his predecessor and focus on the needs of the world's poor, a key focus of Pope Francis' pontificate.
The exhortation focuses on poverty as a structural and universal issue affecting all societies. It also emphasised the need for a concrete commitment to the poor, accompanied by a change in mentality to impact on a cultural level.
Bishop Anthony Randazzo welcomed the exhortation and encouraged all the faithful to prayerfully read the document and consider how they can apply its words to acts of mercy and service in their everyday lives.
A full copy of the document can be found here.