The publication of Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi Te is a source of profound joy for the entire Church. We join in the joy of the People of God at this text, which inaugurates a pontificate and, at the same time, prolongs the voice of Pope Francis. There is a living continuity in this document, the same breath of the Spirit that passes from one pontificate to the next. Francis opened the heart of the Church to the merciful love of Christ; Leo XIV now goes a step further and shows how that love is translated into commitment, structures, culture, education, and concrete service to the poor.

The Holy Father reminds us that the poor are not an accident or a social problem, among others. Their presence permeates history like a constant call. They are a living memory of Christ, a mirror of his face. That is why the Pope says that “the condition of the poor represents a cry that, throughout the history of humanity, constantly challenges our lives, our societies, political and economic systems, and especially the Church” (Dilexi Te, § 9).  This is not a pious phrase; it is an affirmation that touches the heart of faith. God Himself becomes poor, and from that poverty, teaches us how to love. In the Gospel, compassion is not an emotion, but a decision; those who follow Christ approach the poor, not to help them from above, but to walk with them and learn from their hope.

Pope Leo XIV presents a long and luminous history. He shows that the Church has always cared for the weakest: from the Church Fathers and the first communities to the religious orders that healed the sick, freed captives, and educated the children of the humble. This continuity reveals the deepest soul of Christianity. Every time the Church forgets the poor, she loses her resemblance to Jesus; every time she bows before them, she is reborn.

There is a passage that resonates particularly with our mission:  “For the Christian faith, the education of the poor is not a favor, but a duty” (Dilexi Te, § 72).  These words summarize centuries of experience and witness. To educate is to serve. To teach is to open paths to freedom. Poverty is not fought with bread or shelter alone, but with knowledge, dignity, and opportunity. The International Academy of Catholic Leaders recognizes in this teaching a direct call. Our task is not to form self-enclosed elites, but rather leaders who know how to put their intelligence, their words, and their influence at the service of those most in need. The Exhortation also reminds us that the option for the poor is not a political idea or a moral gesture. It is a choice of faith. It is the response to a God who chose to make himself small. Christian authority is born from this logic: power becomes service, and greatness is measured by the ability to bend. From this emerges a model of leadership that does not seek to dominate, but to accompany. Pope Leo XIV invites us to rediscover that Christian leadership is not defined by efficiency, but by compassion.

Dilexi Te traces the history of the Church’s Social Doctrine and presents it as a continuous line of intelligent love. From Rerum Novarum  to Fratelli tutti, the message is the same: no society can call itself just if it excludes the poor, and no Church can be faithful to the Gospel if it forgets its face. The structures of sin that generate inequality are not dismantled with speeches alone. They require a conversion of heart and also a cultural transformation. The Pope calls for a Church that thinks, that teaches, that commits itself; a Church capable of illuminating public life with the spirit of the Gospel.

The text takes a very concrete look at the contemporary world. It speaks of work, migration, caring for the sick, education, and the new forms of poverty that are increasing even in wealthy societies. But above all, it speaks of the soul. It reminds us that indifference is a form of spiritual poverty, and that no one can say they love God if they do not love their fellow human beings. Christianity is not an abstract idea; it is a practice of closeness. The Pope restores to us the simplicity of the Gospel: to recognize in every wounded face the living presence of Christ.

This exhortation comes at a decisive time. We live in a world tired of grand words and empty projects. With this document, the Church returns to her source. She invites us to look at history from below, to listen to the cry of those who don’t count, and to discover in them the voice of God. Against this backdrop, the mission of our Academy takes on an even clearer meaning. Training leaders is not about preparing leaders to occupy positions of power. It is about accompanying vocations of service. It is about teaching how to think deeply, to decide with justice, and to love with deeds. Likewise, it is about educating so that the Gospel becomes culture.

That’s why we welcome Dilexi Te with gratitude and hope. We are pleased by this word, which confirms us on our journey and demands fidelity. It teaches us that there is no true Christian formation without social commitment, nor authentic leadership without humility. And it reminds us that holiness begins when we allow ourselves to be touched by the pain of others and respond with tenderness and truth.

We wish, together with the Holy Father, to renew our commitment to a Church that serves, to an education that liberates, and to a leadership that places the human person at its center. Our Academy, now spread across so many countries and cultures, is born precisely from this intuition: the Gospel is a transformative force that can reshape politics, economics, culture, and public life, if we Christians learn to live it consistently.

The Pope concludes his exhortation by recalling the words of Revelation: “I have loved you.” All others fit into that phrase. God does not approach us with theory, but with love. The Church, if it wants to be credible, must speak the same language. And the Academy, in communion with the Pope and the entire Church, wishes to translate that love into action, thought, and presence alongside those who suffer most.

Dilexi Te becomes a call to action, to awaken our vocation to form servant leaders. It teaches us to look at history through the eyes of the poor, to teach with the patience of a master, and to serve with the joy of a disciple. It asks us to ensure that our programs, projects, and decisions reflect what the Holy Father has so forcefully emphasized: poverty is not a given, it is a call, and responding to that call is the highest form of love.