Pope Leo XIV

From FCAPP President, Paulo Garonna

A warm welcome to Pope Leo XIV from the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, its members, their families and their stakeholders.

A Pope who knows well the whole world, Old and New, North and South, and the situation of the Church in this world.

With His strong background in hard and social sciences, His orientation to missionary activities and pastoral care, His experience in interreligious dialogue, His many languages and canon law knowledge, Pope Leo XIV is in the best position to continue and further develop the Magisterium of Pope Francis, with Whom He worked closely. As an Augustinian, Pope Leo will be committed to the pursuit of truth through learning and love through engagement in the community.

His chosen name puts Him in a particularly close relationship with the Social Doctrine of the Church and our Foundation’s activities at a time when the Church is called upon to provide hope and moral leadership in a world of divisions, conflicts and disorder.

Let us pray for Him and with Him, asking Our Lady of Good Counsel to guide and support us acting at His service (Pro Pontifice).

Paolo Garonna, President, FCAPP

The Name “Leo”

Pope Leo XIII was integral to Catholic social teaching origins and addressing socialism.

On May 8, 2025, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a native of Chicago, Illinois, was elected the 267th Pontiff, and successor of St. Peter. He is the first American Pope in history.

His choice of the name, “Leo XIV”, is very exciting for CAPP-USA, as it demonstrates a love of the previous Leo, Leo XIII, who ushered Catholic social teaching into the modern age with the ever new encyclical, Rerum Novarum.

We encourage you to learn about this great encyclical, and to dive deeper into Catholic social teaching. As the new Holy Father begins his Petrine ministry, we will update this page.

First Address as Pope Leo XIV

Peace be with you all!

Dearest brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the risen Christ, the good shepherd who laid down his life for the flock of God.

I too would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families, to all people, wherever they may be, to all nations, to the whole earth.

Peace be with you!

This is the peace of the risen Christ—a disarmed peace and a disarming peace, humble and persevering. It comes from God, God who loves us all, unconditionally.

We still keep in our ears that weak, but always courageous voice of Pope Francis, who blessed Rome. The Pope who blessed Rome gave his blessing to the world, to the whole world, that morning of Easter Sunday.

Allow me to continue that same blessing.

God loves us. God loves you all. And evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God.

Therefore, without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, let us go forward.

We are disciples of Christ. Christ precedes us. The world needs his light. Humanity needs him as the bridge to be reached by God and his love.

Help us too, then, each other, to build bridges—with dialogue, with encounter—uniting all of us to be one people, always in peace.

Thank you to Pope Francis.

I also want to thank all my brother cardinals who have chosen me to be the successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a united Church, always seeking peace, justice, always trying to work as men and women faithful to Jesus Christ, without fear, to proclaim the Gospel, to be missionaries.

I am a son of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian, who said: With you I am a Christian, and for you a bishop. In this sense, we can all walk together toward that homeland which God has prepared for us.

To the Church of Rome—a special greeting. We must seek together how to be a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges, dialogue, always open to receive—like this square with open arms—everyone, all those who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love.

And allow me also a word, a greeting to all those, in a particular way, to my beloved Diocese of Chiclayo:

To all those and in a particular way to my beloved diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, where a faithful people has accompanied their bishop, has shared their faith. So much, so much to continue being a faithful church of Jesus Christ. To all of you, brothers and sisters of Rome, of Italy, of all the world, we want to be a synodal church, a church that walks together, a church that always seeks peace, always seeks charity, always seeks to be close especially to those who suffer.

Today is the day of supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii. Our Mother Mary always wants to walk with us, to be close, to help us with her intercession and her love. So I would like to pray together with you. Let us pray together for this new mission, for the whole Church, for peace in the world, and let us ask for this special grace from Mary, our Mother.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Pope Leo XIV, Delivered in St. Peter’s Basilica, 8 May 2025, the Feast of the Apparition of St. Michael

Catholic Social Teaching and Other Issues

Transgenderism

We are facing a crisis in human sexuality caused by a representation of human anthropology that cancels out differences between men and women.

CLICK to read more.

Abortion

One of the most divisive issues during the past 50 years! Why is the Church so one-sided (and must always be so)?

CLICK to read more.

Racism is contrary to Christ and the teachings of the Gospel

Racism in the United States

The belief humanity can be divided into separate and exclusive biological entities with some races innately superior to others. This leads to personal and societal prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against other people because they are of a different race or ethnicity. What does Catholic social teaching have to say about such an insidious “ism”? CLICK to read more.

The Church has consistently spoken out against socialism in all its forms, most recently, democratic socialism

Democratic Socialism

Candidates for President of the United States and many in congress espouse this as an alternative model for our country. What, exactly, is it? What does the Catholic Church say?

CLICK to read more.

Climate Change is a real issue and must be met with dialog, faith, and science, ordered toward the common good.

Climate Change

One political party committed the US to the Paris Agreement and proposes a “Green New Deal”. Another party withdrew from the Paris Agreement and inimically opposes the other’s proposal. What does Catholic social teaching say?

CLICK to read more.

Climate Change is a real issue and must be met with dialog, faith, and science, ordered toward the common good.

Immigration

The Church recognizes the rights of nations to govern and protect themselves in the interests of the Common Good and “…the right of all men to migrate to other countries and to seek conditions worthy of human life for themselves and for their families.” (Gaudium et Spes)

CLICK to read more.

national health care

Universal Healthcare

US health care is, in many ways, the envy of the world. Would universal, or national, healthcare improve it? See how Catholic social teaching can inform the discussion!

CLICK to read more.

Euthanasia

Without a Christian perspective, the world often seeks to avoid suffering at all costs and strives to make death as painless as possible. It is then that “[w]e must accompany people towards death, but not provoke death or facilitate any form of suicide.” (Pope Francis)

CLICK to read more.

The Family is the answer to the poisons destroying our society.

The Family

The answer to the dangers to our society.

“The future of humanity passes by way of the family.” (Pope St. John Paul II, 86)​

CLICK to read more.

marriage

Marriage

The foundation of the family.

"[T]ranscends the feelings and momentary needs of the couple”. It is born “from the depth of the obligation assumed by the spouses". (Pope Francis, 66)

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Climate Change is a real issue and must be met with dialog, faith, and science, ordered toward the common good.

Dignity of Work

"We were created with a vocation to work."

CLICK to read more.

Gun Control

It is one of the most divisive and painful issues in the United States. Gun ownership is an issue where there is legitimate diversity of opinion. How does the Church reconcile self-defense with the sacredness of human life?

CLICK to read more.

Climate Change is a real issue and must be met with dialog, faith, and science, ordered toward the common good.

The Death Penalty

The Church's historical teaching, the changes Pope Francis made, and what the Church teaches now.

CLICK to read more.

Covid-19 is tearing families, communities, and nations apart. Catholic social teaching can guide us through it.

COVID-19

The Crisis and the Cure: How does Catholic social teaching evaluate governments’ response?

CLICK to read more.

The Family is the answer to the poisons destroying our society.

The Common Good

The Common Good is not a principle, but an aspirational result: “the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily”. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1906)

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God has called us to be stewards of this world, our physical environment and common home.

Physical Environment

This is about more than ‘just’ protecting the environment. There are profound spiritual dimensions involved.

CLICK to read more.

Physical and human environments are linked and only integral ecology can care or them both.

Integral Ecology

The solution to all our environmental problems!

CLICK to read more.

How many talk about the serious destruction of our human environment where we grow, live, and work?

Human Environment

“[W]e must also mention the more serious destruction of the human environment, something which is by no means receiving the attention it deserves.” (Pope St. John Paul II, 38)

CLICK to read more.

The Church has identified four dangers to society, pathologies, eating away at our culture.

The Four Dangers to Society

The Church identifies the major ‘risks and problems’ eating away at our cultural, economic and political systems. What are they?

CLICK to read more.

Consumerism is a terrible affliction of the developed world and an affront to human dignity.

Consumerism

Having and wanting a lot of ‘stuff’ is at the heart of several of society’s ills. Which ones? Why does this limit our freedom?

CLICK to read more.

Our environments, both our physical and human (moral), are in peril, in more ways than you likely realize

Environmental Degradation

Yes! The environment is in danger. But, it is actually worse (and, more complicated) than you think.

CLICK to read more.

alienation

Alienation

Society and individuals are alienated! We are “marked by a ‘globalization of indifference’ that makes us…closed in on ourselves.” (Pope Francis, 1)  The consequences are devastating!

CLICK to read more.

Radical Secularism

[COMING SOON]

“The greatest challenge of our time”! (Pope Benedict XVI, 3) Why? Radical secularism holds that there is no such thing as an objective truth. But, “Without truth, without trust and love for what is true...social action ends up serving private interests and the logic of power.” (Pope Benedict XVI, 5) Sound familiar?

Why These Issues Matter

Catholic social teaching informs our consciences and requires action from us, the lay faithful. “Working for a just distribution of the fruits of the earth and human labor is not mere philanthropy. It is a moral obligation.
For Christians, the responsibility is even greater: it is a commandment.

Three Key Principles

Catholic social teaching is built on three foundational principles – Human DignitySolidarity 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: “The State must contribute to the achievement of these goals both directly and indirectly. Indirectly and according to the principle of subsidiarityby creating favorable conditions for the free exercise of economic activity, which will lead to abundant opportunities for employment and sources of wealth. Directly and according to the principle of solidarityby defending the weakest” (Pope St. John Paul II, 15)

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. This is “the basis not only of the unity of the human family but also of our inviolable human dignity” (Pope Benedict XVI) and it is in this beginning that human rights are grounded.

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. “We cannot believe in God the Father without seeing a brother or sister in every person, and we cannot follow Jesus without giving our lives for those for whom he died on the cross.” (Pope Francis)

Subsidiarity

Subsidiarity identifies how decisions in society need to be taken at the lowest competent level. “It 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, 79)

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