'Christ is to be encountered among the poor'

By Cristina Cabrera Jarro -

MIAMI SHORES| The Vatican released Pope Leo XIV’s first papal exhortation, titled Dilexi te, Oct. 9, 2025. The document was signed Oct. 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi.

Dilexi te, which is Latin for “I have loved you,” is a renewed call to care for the poor. The 121-paragraph document, divided into five chapters, was initially written by Pope Francis as a follow-up to his encyclical Dilexit Nos (“He loved us”), which reflects on God’s love for humanity. After his death, the document remained incomplete, and Pope Leo took on the mission of completing it, adding his own insights and perspectives.

“It is significant because it sets forth the pope’s priorities as he begins his pontificate. It is certainly in continuity with Pope Francis,” said Archbishop Thomas Wenski during a press conference held at the Pastoral Center the same day the exhortation was released.

From the early days of the Catholic Church, there has always been a concern for the poor, and institutions like hospitals, orphanages, schools, and religious orders have emerged as missions to relieve the poor.

Dilexi te reminds us that we are called to love not just with words but in action.

“Pope Leo tells us that faith without compassion for the poor would be incomplete, and he reminds us that Christ is to be encountered among the poor. As Mother Teresa of Calcutta would say, ‘we must recognize Christ in the often disagreeable disguise of the poor,’” said Archbishop Wenski.

A portion of Dilexi Te also rejects the “prosperity Gospel,” which equates wealth and health as a signs of God’s favor, while blaming poverty on personal failure. Pope Leo affirms that poverty is often the result of structural injustice.

“He tells us that we are to love the poor, not to blame them for their poverty, but to assist them so that they can rediscover and own their dignity as human beings,” said Archbishop Wenski.

He explained that the document also addresses social justice, a term that in recent years has fallen into unfavorable political and ideological tendencies.

“Social justice, understood from the point of Catholic teachings, is not a bad word, but it is an obligation of Catholics and of people of goodwill everywhere,” said Archbishop Wenski.

Dilexi te also expresses that working for justice and dignity for all, especially the poor, is not a distraction from spiritual life but a necessary expression of it. “We have to work to create conditions worthy of human flourishing,” said Archbishop Wenski.

From its inception in 1958, the Archdiocese of Miami and its numerous churches and ministries have helped the community. Soon after its establishment, the Church in South Florida was called into action as it welcomed thousands of refugees from Cuba, made possible with programs like Operation Pedro Pan, that were organized by the Church. For decades, organizations like Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami have also assisted those in need, as well as Catholic Health Services, which supports the elderly and offers housing for the poor. Catholic Legal Services provides assistance to immigrants, and schools have educated underprivileged children. Camillus House, the Missionaries of Charity and other religious orders continue to serve the needy in South Florida.

“The exhortation embraces what we've been doing, and encourages us to continue even more,” said Archbishop Wenski.

South Florida also has groups like DART (Direct Action and Research Training Center) and PACT (People Acting for Community Together), diverse faith-based but non-denominational efforts that mobilize grassroots effort to bring about social change in communities.

“That is something that the Pope is very much endorsing here, and he is telling us that we should not be shy about getting involved in those efforts,” said Archbishop Wenski.

In this exhortation, Pope Leo XIV also calls for a “change in mentality” to free us from the illusion of happiness derived from a comfortable life that pushes many people towards a vision of life centered on the accumulation of wealth and social success. He also calls for opposing slavery, defending women who experience exclusion and violence, making education available to all, accompanying migrants, charitable giving, and working for equality and more.

To read Pope Leo XIV’s first papal exhortation, Dilexi te, click here.