Lima, Peru: Addressing the Church in Peru’s annual Social Week (August 14–16), Pope Leo XIV urged Catholics engaged in social justice to remain firmly anchored in the Gospel and warned against resorting to violence or abandoning charity in the pursuit of justice.
In a message read aloud in Spanish during the gathering, the Pope reflected on Peru’s spiritual legacy and its saints St. Rose of Lima, St. Martin de Porres, St. John Macías, and St. Turibius of Mogrovejo who modeled compassion, justice, and tireless service to the poor. Citing Pope St. Paul VI’s words at the canonization of St. John Macías, he reminded participants that true love for the marginalized flows from recognizing the image of God in every person.
“We must never break the law of charity, nor seek justice through violence,” Pope Leo said, stressing that genuine transformation begins within people and extends to their social structures.
Recalling the missionary zeal of St. Turibius, who established parishes, convened a Pan-American Council, and reached the peripheries of society, the Pope emphasized that his strength came not from activism alone but from prayerful union with God.
Turning to the current challenges in Peru economic inequality, political instability, and cultural tensions the Pope called the faithful to respond from the heart of the Gospel. “The pain caused by exclusion and injustice demands a Christian response in step with the signs of the times,” he affirmed.
Concluding, Pope Leo reminded the Church that all social action must keep Christ at its center. “Without neglecting immediate needs,” he said, “we must always remember that our ultimate goal is the proclamation of the Gospel.” He encouraged the faithful to share both material bread and the Bread of God’s Word, so that every heart may awaken with hunger for eternal life.