“The poor are not there by chance or by a blind and bitter destiny,” states the first great Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Leo XIV. Robert Francis Prevost, who is about to complete six months as Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, calls for a more determined approach to poverty, fighting including the political structures that foster it. He affirms in his exhortation that poverty is not a free choice for the majority of those who suffer from it, "and yet there are still people who affirm this, thus revealing their blindness and cruelty." Leon laments that poverty affects so many people, and that the number continues to grow while a few become richer. In a world where there are increasingly more poor people, "paradoxically, we also see the growth of some wealthy elites, who live in a very comfortable and luxurious bubble, almost in another world compared to ordinary people." Leon laments that poverty affects so many people, and that the number of poor people continues to grow while a few become richer. ...But in an interview published in September, he expressly criticized excessive salaries, even mentioning Tesla CEO Elon Musk. “Wealth has increased, but with inequality,” he now states in the document. These types of writings are usually addressed to the faithful, that is, to an internal audience within the Church. In them, the pope expounds his doctrine on important issues of faith, morals, or society. Its official title is Apostolic Exhortation. In hierarchy, it ranks below the encyclical addressed to all people, regardless of their religion. The document, about 50 pages long, is entitled Dilexi Te, Latin for “I have loved you.” The subtitle is: “On love for the poor.” The papal document of Leo XIV is the continuation of a work begun by his predecessor, Pope Francis. It takes up the theme of service to the poor, one of the greatest and most controversial statements of the late Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

Leo XIV emphasizes the need to continue denouncing “the dictatorship of an economy that kills.” In this context, he highlights the imbalance of wealth: “While the profits of a few grow exponentially,those of the majority fall further and further away from the well-being of that happy minority. This imbalance is based on ideologies that defend the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation.”

Women among the poor and excluded

Furthermore, he laments “growing inequalities even in generally well-off contexts.” And he recalls the fate of women who are “doubly poor” because “they suffer situations of exclusion, abuse, and violence.” However, he emphasizes that, “among them, we constantly find the most admirable gestures of everyday heroism in defending and caring for the fragility of their families.”

“The heart of the Church, by its very nature, is in solidarity with those who are poor, excluded, and marginalized, with those who are considered 'discarded' by society. The poor are at the heart of the Church,” Leon warns.

“Basis for political commitment”

The Augsburg-based church historian Jorg Ernesti, an expert on the papacy, explains in an interview with DW that Pope Leo XIV, following the same path as Pope Francis, makes it clear that “one cannot be a Christian without feeling responsible for the world and, specifically, for the oppressed and the poor.” Thus, the document establishes the basis “for a political commitment on the part of Catholic Christians.”

At the same time, the document is “very spiritual, even meditative in places.” Leo discusses the history of the Church at length, only adopting a more political tone in the final section. There, according to Ernesti, the text recalls the tradition of Catholic social doctrine and also speaks of the "preference for the poor." As a historian, Ernesti notes that he is somewhat surprised by "the very positive, almost idealized vision of history" that is presented. There are undoubtedly many examples of the Church's excessive wealth, and the poor have not always been at the center of it as they were under Pope Francis, the theologian explains, referring to the luxurious monasteries of the Middle Ages or the popes of the Renaissance. “Surely at that time it was not primarily about caring for the poor,” he recalls.

However, Ernesti does not consider this writing to be a “programmatic document” or a “government program,” as they were, for example, the first encyclicals of Paul VI in 1964, John Paul II in 1979, or Francis in 2013. “Without a doubt, it is not yet the inaugural encyclical, which some speculate will arrive in the spring."

New phase of the pontificate

Anyway, This Apostolic Exhortation clearly marks a new phase of his pontificate. The months of orientation seem to be over, and Leo XIV is making his first important decisions and speaking out more frequently on political issues.

In recent weeks,the Pope has repeatedly expressed criticism of developments in his native United States. His first forceful statement on the treatment of migrants even prompted a response from the US government, which rejected the criticism.

But Pope Leo XIV persisted, urging the American Church to more firmly defend the human dignity of migrants, for they are “living witnesses of hope.”

This new phase of his pontificate is also reflected in the announcement a few days ago of his first trip abroad. From November 27 to December 2, His Holiness will visit Turkey and Lebanon.