Pope Leo XIV has spent his first full day in Argentina stressing the importance of family and human dignity, as he journeys through a country facing a sharp economic and social crunch.
After touching down in the country on Sunday, Pope Leo XIV spent Monday celebrating Mass and visiting people involved in social movements in the country.
During his homily at morning Mass, he preached on the importance of the family unit, particularly one that is united to Christ.
“Dear brothers and sisters, through his resurrection, Christ has already made room for us in his heart. Welcome this grace into your families,” he said.
“With him and in him, every family can become a seed of genuine renewal for this country. Throughout Argentina’s history, culture and society, the family has been a source of the fundamental values of its people. In this land, where different cultures and ethnic groups have come together, the family is the place where faith, human virtues, a culture of work, respect for the elderly, the defence of life and fidelity to one’s word are handed on.
“Do not give in to those who dismiss the Christian family as outdated. On the contrary, today more than ever, it remains a pillar amid the many insecurities of our time.”
Later in the day, during an address to social movements and the world of work at the Catholic University of Buenos Aires, he stressed the dignity of the human person.
He reflected on the principles of the Church’s Social Doctrine and emphasised the “first and most fundamental” of these was “the dignity of the human person.”
“Although the Church recognises and defends the right to private property, this right is always subject to a social mortgage: the earth and its fruits have been given by God for the sustenance of all humanity,” he added.
“Let us work perseveringly, placing God at the forefront of our actions and the human person at the centre of our choices.”
On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV touched down in Argentina after spending three days in Uruguay.
On Monday, he celebrated Mass at the Monumento de los Españoles before meeting with local leaders and communities through the afternoon. He concluded his day, celebrating vespers at the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity.
