The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Tracy Cabrera
VATICAN CITY, Rome — Meeting with the pontifical foundation known as the Fondazione Centesimus Annus–Pro Pontifice that is tasked to promote the goals of the Apostolic See, Pope Leo XIV has issued the challenge on helping develop the Church’s Social Doctrine with the “people of God, in this time of great social upheaval.”
The Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation commemorated its 2025 General Assembly and International Conference in Rome in the past three days and during final part, a private audience with the former American cardinal was initiated with the theme ‘Overcoming Polarization and Rebuilding Global Governance: The Ethical Foundations.’
The newly elected leader of the Roman Catholic Church focused his message on the theme’s connection to the heart of the Church’s Social Doctrine, challenging the Foundation members to help each other in the mission he spoke about on the night he was elected: “Build bridges—through dialogue, through encounter—all people to be one people, always in peace.”
Pope Leo reminded foundation members that (it) is not something spontaneous or improvised . . . (but) rather, it requires a combination of both grace and freedom.
In stressing his message, the 69-year-old pontiff recalled his predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, who “sought to contribute to peace by promoting social dialogue” in the midst of the struggles of his time in history.
Pope Leo XIII is often called the father of social doctrine with his encyclical Rerum novarum or Rights and Duties of Capital and Labor, which tried to address the condition of the working class and discusses the relationships and mutual duties between labor and capital, as well as government and its citizens.
“Modern times are no different. It as a & ‘polycrisis’ filled with war, climate crises, growing inequality, forced migration, poverty and lessened rights,” he described while citing Pope Leo XIII’s primary concern on the need for poverty amelioration of the working class, supporting the rights of labor to form trade unions and rejecting both socialism and unrestricted capitalism and affirming the right to private property
“In the midst of these societal. environmental and social challenges, the Church’s Social Doctrine offers interpretative keys that bring science and conscience into dialogue,” he added even as he reminded the Foundation’s members that what matters more than the problems is how people respond to them—using ethical principles, sound criteria for evaluation and openness to God’s grace.
Furthermore, Pope Leo emphasized the need in today’s ongoing digital revolution to “rediscover, articulate, and cultivate the mission of educating in critical thinking,” warning against letting dialogue decline and allowing irrational voices to spread fake news and dogmatic claims.
To do this, he said, “study and thoughtful reflection are essential—as are encounters with and listening to the poor.”
“The poor are a treasure both of the Church and of humanity because they offer perspectives, which are often dismissed, yet crucial for seeing the world through God’s eyes,” he argued.
In ending, the pontiff’s spelled out the importance of “giving voice to the poor.”
“The Centesimus Annus Foundation must participate actively and creatively in helping develop the Church’s Social Doctrine together with the people of God through attentive listening and open dialogue to all,” he ended saying.