The Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales has responded to the release of the Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi te – "I have loved you" – the first document of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV.
Underpinned by Scripture, Catholic social teaching and the teaching of his predecessors, Pope Leo's Dilexi te focuses on the Church’s love for the poor and God’s special concern for those living in poverty, notes the bishops’ conference, adding that the document "affirms the ways in which the Magisterium should inform Catholic pastoral practice in accompanying the poor and vulnerable to serve the common good".
The bishops highlight how, in continuity with Pope Francis’s final encyclical Dilexit nos – on the human and divine love of the heart of Jesus Christ – Pope Leo makes a clear link between the former document and his new Exhortation when he writes in the opening paragraph: “I share the desire of my beloved predecessor that all Christians come to appreciate the close connection between Christ’s love and his summons to care for the poor. I too consider it essential to insist on this path.”
Given that Dilexi te comes from the first Augustinian Pope, it is perhaps unsurprising, says the bishops' conference, that reference is made to St Augustine in the Apostolic Exhortation and that a key teaching of the saint is also offered by Pope Leo.
He writes: “In a Church that recognises in the poor the face of Christ and in material goods the instrument of charity, Augustine’s thought remains a sure light.
"Today, fidelity to Augustine’s teachings requires not only the study of his works, but also a readiness to live radically his call to conversion, which necessarily includes the service of charity.”
Bishop Richard Moth, Chair of the Department for Social Justice of the bishops’ conference, says: “I welcome the publication of Dilexi te and, as with Pope Francis’s first encyclical Lumen fidei, the hands and hearts of two Popes can be seen in this document.
“As followers of Christ, Christian charity should animate our daily lives. Jesus told the early Christians, ‘I have loved you’ (Rev 3:9), and we are called to show the same love that God has for us in our love for others, especially the poor.
"Furthermore, as Dilexi te stresses, each of us has a social responsibility to consider how we behave when it comes to the acquisition and consumption of worldly goods: the world’s resources are meant for all. We cannot serve both God and money."
Bishop Moth continues: “I echo Pope Leo when he writes ‘Charity has the power to change reality; it is a genuine force for change in history.'"
Giving tangible examples of this charitable power in action, Bishop Moth says:"Catholic charities, such as CAFOD and those under the umbrella of the Caritas Social Action Network in England and Wales, have long exercised a preferential option for the poor.
"As many countries continue to face acute poverty, and with a continuing cost-of-living crisis domestically, this exhortation is a timely reminder to renew our efforts to stand in solidarity, in word and deed, with the poor and marginalised.
“We must not be indifferent to the suffering of others; we must work for the common good and to rebuild solidarity between people. Of course, not all poverty is material, and we must be equally mindful of the spiritual, moral and relational poverty that can afflict our society, even in times of material wealth.
Bishop Moth finishes by saying: “I look forward to reading Dilexi te in more detail in the weeks ahead to better consider how its teaching fortifies our work, and I urge the faithful of our countries to do the same.”
Visit this link to read Dilexi te in full.
Photo: A woman kisses the hand of Pope Leo XIV at the end of his first weekly general audience at St Peter's Square in the Vatican, 21 May 2025. (Photo by FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images.)
.jpg)
.jpg)
