Pope Leo XIV’s first major papal document, Dilexi te (“I Have Loved You”), has ignited a wave of reaction across the Catholic world — particularly from conservatives in the United States — for its strong call to defend the poor and migrants, and for its critique of global market systems that deepen inequality.
The 104-page exhortation, completed from a draft begun by the late Pope Francis, calls for what Leo describes as a “Church that walks with the poor,” echoing the continuity between the two pontificates. “I am happy to make this document my own,” Pope Leo writes, “adding some reflections — and to issue it at the beginning of my own pontificate” (Reuters).
A Continuation of Francis’s Social Vision
The document’s release comes just six months after Pope Francis’s death. It carries his unmistakable imprint — including Francis’s oft-quoted call to “welcome, protect, promote and integrate migrants” (Washington Post).
Yet Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pontiff, adds his own pastoral tone, linking social injustice to moral decay:
“Either we regain our moral and spiritual dignity,” he writes, “or we fall into a cesspool.” (Reuters)
According to the Washington Post, Leo denounces what he calls “the dictatorship of an economy that kills,” and warns against the “illusion of happiness derived from a comfortable life,” which leads many to pursue “social success at all costs, even at the expense of others.”
The document criticizes what it calls “pseudo-scientific data” used to justify global poverty statistics and attacks “ideologies that defend the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation” — which, it says, favor “a wealthy elite, living in a bubble of luxury, while migrants die crossing the Mediterranean.”
Taking on Trump’s Immigration Policies
Much of the conservative backlash stems from Pope Leo’s direct references to U.S. immigration policy. Citing his predecessor’s famous rebuke of former President Donald Trump’s border-wall proposal, Leo writes:
“Where the world sees threats, the Church sees children; where walls are built, she builds bridges.” (Reuters)
He adds, “In every rejected migrant, it is Christ himself who knocks at the door of the community.”
The Washington Post notes that Leo’s stance “invoked one of Pope Francis’s strongest criticisms” of Trump’s policies, which were centered on mass deportations and border restrictions. The White House has since defended those measures as efforts to remove “criminal illegal aliens.”
Backlash from Conservative Catholics
Leo’s message has not gone unnoticed — or unchallenged. Prominent conservative Catholics have accused the new pope of continuing what they call “Francis-style liberalism.”
John-Henry Westen of Sign of the Cross Media called Leo’s remarks “scandalous,” claiming the pope “actually says if you call yourself pro-life and you’re in favor of the death penalty you’re not really pro-life” (Washington Post).
Others, like the Rev. Gerald Murray of New York, warned that Leo’s tone resembles that of Pope Francis, particularly in his outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics and his emphasis on social and environmental justice. “This is how Francis did things,” Murray said. “And I think we’re seeing more of that.”
Yet even some critics acknowledged Leo’s pastoral style is different — more restrained, yet equally challenging. Luigi Casalini, a traditionalist commentator, suggested that Dilexi te “feels like a debt paid to his predecessor,” rather than a definitive statement of Leo’s own direction.
A Pope Between Two Worlds
Leo’s background — both American and Latin American — adds nuance to his worldview. Having served as a missionary in Peru, he credits “the Church in South America” with shaping his understanding of poverty and migration. His dual citizenship, as the Washington Post observed, “means that those who thought they were getting the first American pope are actually getting the second Latin American one.”
His critics may see continuity with Francis as a liability, but supporters argue it is a sign of moral clarity. Austen Ivereigh, papal biographer and confidant of Francis, told the Washington Post:
“Pope Leo has a very different style from Francis, but in terms of direction and priorities, they are cut from the same cloth… Care for creation as God’s gift, welcoming migrants, and attending to the cry of the poor — this is the launch of the Leo priorities.”
While a Pew Research Center poll taken before the exhortation showed that 84% of U.S. Catholics viewed Pope Leo favorably, the weeks ahead will test whether his message of mercy and justice can unify a Church often divided by politics.
In his exhortation, Leo offers a clear warning for the faithful:
“The number of people living in poverty should constantly weigh upon our consciences.” (Reuters)
As the world reacts, one truth emerges from his first major teaching: Pope Leo XIV intends to follow the Gospel road — even if it leads through political storms.
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