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POPE LEO XIV

Pope Leo XIV
A warm welcome to Pope Leo XIV from the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, its members, their families and their stakeholders. We look forward to sharing Pope Leo XIV's contributions to Catholic social teaching.
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POPE LEO XIV'S FIRST ADDRESS TO CAPP
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Catholic Social Teaching and the Sacrifice of Service

 

by CAPP-USA

What is the Ultimate Sacrifice?


To define sacrifice, the Church looks no further than the Cross of Christ. “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

On May 15, we honor those in law enforcement who have given their lives in the line of duty. Their sacrifice embodies the highest form of love, as recognized by Christ himself. Catholic Social Teaching reminds us that such self-giving is at the heart of a just society.

Sacrifice is at the heart of the Christian faith.

Police, firefighters, veterans, nurses, teachers, moms, dads… so many follow Christ’s example of sacrifice.

Order and the Common Good


“[A] just society needs order and a respect for the rule of law to achieve a peaceful and tranquil coexistence in society”. (Pope Benedict XVI)

“Saint John XXIII used to say that the work of the forces of order is a burdensome task, that requires high moral qualities and above all dedication and sacrifice for the attainment of the common good.” (Pope Francis)

Law enforcement officers serve the common good by protecting the peace and upholding justice. Their role is not merely functional; it is moral. In preserving public order, they support the conditions for human dignity and social harmony to flourish.

The Vocation of Sacrificial Service


“The work and sacrifice of all of you help to ensure the peace and security of individuals and societies.” (Pope St. John Paul II)

“I know that some of you at times carry out your work in extremely dangerous conditions, and that you risk your lives to protect the lives of others and to facilitate the construction of a peaceful society.” (Pope Benedict XVI)

“I am grateful for the beautiful example given to me by so many Christians who joyfully sacrifice their lives and their time.” (Pope Francis, 76)

To serve and protect is not just a job—it is a vocation. The daily risks and responsibilities carried by law enforcement professionals demand courage, virtue, and often personal sacrifice. Catholic teaching elevates such service as a concrete expression of love for neighbor.

In Grateful Remembrance for their Sacrifice


“I would like to raise my prayer to the Lord for your many colleagues who have died in these years during various missions of peace and in the defence of law and order. May their sacrifice not have been in vain!” (Pope St. John Paul II)

As we remember the fallen, we are called not only to mourn but to give thanks. Their lives were given not in vain, but in witness to the dignity of every person and the peace of every community.

May our gratitude be shown in prayer, in honor, and in renewed commitment to justice and solidarity.

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Three circles containing symbols of the three principles of catholic social teaching: human dignity, subsidiarity, and solidarity.

Three Key Principles

Catholic social teaching is built on three foundational principles - Human Dignity, Solidarity and Subsidiarity. Human Dignity, embodied in a correct understanding of the human person, is the greatest. The others flow from it. Good governments and good economic systems find ways of fostering the three principles.

Human Dignity

This means a correct understanding of the human person and of each person’s unique value. All Catholic social teaching flows from this: the inherent dignity of every person that comes from being made in God’s image. 

Solidarity

Solidarity is not “a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of others. It is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good”. (Pope St. John Paul II, 38) Love of God and love of neighbor are, in fact, linked and form one, single commandment.

Subsidiarity

Subsidiarity “is a fundamental principle of social philosophy, fixed and unchangeable, that one should not withdraw from individuals and commit to the community what they can accomplish by their own enterprise and industry. So, too, it is an injustice and at the same time a grave evil and a disturbance of right order to transfer to the larger and higher collectivity functions which can be performed and provided for by the lesser and subordinate bodies”. (Pope Pius XI)

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