(RNS) — Pope Leo XIV is evident in his first formal doc: The love of cash actually is the foundation of all evils.
At a press convention on Thursday (Oct. 9), the Vatican offered his apostolic exhortation, “Dilexi Te” (“I’ve cherished you”). Extra a pastoral presentation than an expansive theological treatise, it criticizes the growth of wealth to the detriment of the poor of the world.
Now a part of the church’s official magisterium, “Dilexi Te” is frank in its view of world economics. It singles out the “rich elite, dwelling in a bubble of consolation and luxurious, virtually in one other world in comparison with unusual individuals.”
That would come with Elon Musk, whose potential trillion-dollar pay bundle Leo criticized beforehand. The issue, Leo stated then, is that priorities are reversed. CEOs earn 600 occasions what staff do. Worse, wealth is offered because the objective of each human individual.
At Thursday’s press convention, Vatican reporters requested whether or not the doc was aimed on the remedy of immigrants in the USA and liberation theology.
Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Human Growth, the Vatican division involved with immigration and human rights, fielded most of those questions. Responding in English, he defined that it will be a mistake to learn the doc in political phrases, however fairly must be acquired as it’s — an apostolic exhortation geared toward serving to the church perceive the gospel in gentle of world occasions.
Cardinal Michael Czerny attends a press convention on the Vatican to current Pope Leo XIV’s exhortation “Dilexi te” about love for the poor, Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photograph/Domenico Stinellis)
Czerny was particularly clear in describing the issue of “structural sin,” evils for which everybody in society shares some duty. He offered the worldwide drug commerce for instance of the way it has seeped into each space of non-public and political life, weighing a “crushing burden of crime and evil” on the planet.
Neglected within the press convention was Leo’s recognition in his exhortation that ladies bear the brunt of each blow slammed upon the poor. Largely quoting Pope Francis, the exhortation reads:
Allow us to not neglect that “doubly poor are these ladies who endure conditions of exclusion, mistreatment, and violence, since they’re continuously much less in a position to defend their rights. Even so, we always witness amongst them spectacular examples of every day heroism in defending and defending their susceptible households.” Whereas important adjustments are underway in some nations, “the group of societies worldwide remains to be removed from reflecting clearly that ladies possess the identical dignity and similar rights as males. We are saying one factor with our phrases, however our choices and actuality inform one other story.”
However as Leo strives to convey the gospel to the world, can he not see that the world questions the best way the church regards ladies?
Czerny affirmed that “Dilexi Te” is “the magisterium of the church,” or official church instructing. However the place does the church affirm ladies, besides with phrases and managerial appointments? Does Leo communicate concerning the church when he repeats Francis’ affirmation, “We are saying one factor with our phrases, however our choices and actuality inform one other story.”
Czerny stated, “The world is badly organized.” One may add the best way the church is so organized as nicely.
As Czerny additionally stated, “Let him (or her) who has ears, hear.”
