By Fr. Anthony Adetayo

Pope Leo XIV today released his first major magisterial document, the Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi te (“I Have Loved You”), issuing a powerful and sweeping call to all Christians to place the love and service of the poor at the absolute center of their faith.

The document, which was signed on October 4th, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, is being viewed as a defining statement for the new pontificate and a clear continuation of the priorities set by the late Pope Francis.

The Apostolic Exhortation, whose title is drawn from the Book of Revelation (3:9), is seen by Vatican observers as an effort to unify the Church around a core Gospel message, setting the trajectory for the new Pope’s focus on service to the most vulnerable. Bishops’ conferences worldwide have already issued statements welcoming the document and encouraging the faithful to study and apply its teachings.

Dilexi te in Numbers:

The Apostolic Exhortation is a medium-length papal document, unfolding across five chapters and 121 numbered paragraphs.

The Francis Connection: The document is historically significant as work begun by the late Pope Francis. Pope Leo XIV finalized the text, ensuring his own first magisterial teaching preserved a direct link to his predecessor. This echoes the precedent set by Francis, who finished a document begun by Pope Benedict XVI.

Title’s Origin: The title, Dilexi te (Latin for “I have loved you”), is drawn directly from the Book of Revelation (Rev 3:9), a passage addressed to an early Christian community that was humble and persecuted.

Key Citations: The work heavily relies on the teachings of the last century, citing major documents of Catholic Social Teaching—from the foundational Rerum Novarum (1891) through to contemporary works. Notably, the writings of Pope Francis are the most frequently cited source, with 57 individual citations.

Key Takeaways from the Apostolic Exhortation

• Core Message: An Encounter with Christ: Dilexi te firmly states that the “preferential choice for the poor” is not merely social work, but a fundamental theological and spiritual necessity. “Contact with those who are lowly and powerless is a fundamental way of encountering the Lord of history,” the Pope writes.
• A Legacy of Two Popes: Pope Leo XIV revealed that the document was begun by Pope Francis in the final months of his life. Pope Leo adopted the work, adding his own reflections, to stress the “close connection between Christ’s love and his summons to care for the poor.”
• Condemnation of Indifference: The document issues a sharp rebuke to what the Pope describes as the “globalization of indifference” and the “dictatorship of an economy that kills.” It strongly warns against ideologies that justify inequality and those who try to reduce Christian charity to a “pet concern” rather than a requirement of true worship.
• A Broad View of Poverty: Dilexi te addresses the complex “faces of poverty” in the modern world, moving beyond material need to include those suffering from social marginalization, spiritual emptiness, moral deprivation, and a lack of rights and freedom. The Pope explicitly mentions migrants, refugees, and those affected by social injustice.
• Rooted in Tradition: The Exhortation extensively references Scripture, the Church Fathers, and the magisterium of previous popes, highlighting the call to care for the poor as an uninterrupted tradition throughout the Church’s two thousand-year history.

for full access to the papal document, read it here.