Pope Leo XIV calls for religious and social unity in Argentina

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Pope Leo XIV has made it clear since the start of his pontificate that he seeks to be a pope of unity. On Monday, Nov. 9, he brought that message to Argentina, in speeches on economic relations, interfaith dialogue and leadership of the Church itself.

Speaking to an audience at the Catholic University of Argentina that included business leaders, trade unionists and grass-roots social activists, the pope encouraged groups with apparently conflicting interests to join together in embracing the fundamental principles of Catholic Social Teaching.

Leo made his talk a mini-tutorial in the subject, offering brief definitions of the dignity of the human person, the common good, the universal destination of goods, solidarity and subsidiarity. By acting in accordance with these, he said, society could “build the civilization of love.”

The pope offered a concrete example of someone who lived by the principles in the Venerable Enrique Shaw, an Argentine businessman “who underwent a conversion after discovering the beauty of the Gospel as expressed in the Church’s Social Doctrine.”

Leo said the entrepreneur “understood that industry was not just a productive…