Pope Leo XIV warns of false gods of consumerism, power and self-sufficiency

Pope Leo

The Holy Father made these considerations when receiving the superiors of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in the Vatican, whom he asked to remain faithful to their missionary charisma in the most challenging contexts of contemporary society.

Father General Arturo Sosa led the group of 100 Jesuits, among whom were Provincials and Regional Superiors, Presidents of the Conferences, General Councilors, Secretaries and translators, according to the own order.

“On all continents, even in secularized societies, many search for meaning, often without realizing it (…) Find people in that restlessness, communicate the joy of the Gospel with humility and conviction,” the Pope exclaimed before the Jesuit superiors gathered in the Vatican.

The Pope stressed that, in the midst of these transformations, “Christ continues to send his disciples” and that the Society of Jesus is called to be where the needs of humanity “meet the saving love of God.”

Recalling the testimony of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and his first companions, Leo XIV stated that the Jesuits “did not fear uncertainty or difficulties; they headed to the margins, where faith and reason intersected with new cultures and great challenges.”

Thus, he invited the Jesuits to go to “places of risk, where known maps are no longer enough.” “Today I repeat,” added Pope Leo XIV, “: the Church needs you on the frontiers, whether geographical, cultural, intellectual or spiritual.”

“At the crossroads of ideologies, there have been and are Jesuits”

The Pope cited Saint Paul VI, who in 1974 recognized that “anywhere in the Church, even in the most difficult and extreme fields, at the crossroads of ideologies, there have been and there are Jesuits.”

He also evoked the words of Benedict XVI, who asked for men “with a deep faith, a solid culture and a genuine human and social sensitivity” capable of showing “the harmony between faith and reason and of revealing the face of Christ to those who do not yet know him.”

In his speech to the Jesuits, Leo XIV identified some current border areas. The Pontiff highlighted, for example, the path of synodality as a particularly significant frontier within current ecclesial life. “The synodal path,” he said, “calls us all to listen more deeply to the Holy Spirit and to others, so that our structures and ministries are more agile, more transparent and more sensitive to the Gospel.”

Another area of ​​mission that the Pope defined as an essential frontier is that of reconciliation and justice. Leo XIV denounced “the conflicts, inequality and abuses” that tear the world apart.

“We must oppose the globalization of powerlessness with a culture of reconciliation,” he stated, “finding each other in truth, forgiveness and healing.” Thus, he called on the Jesuits to become “experts in reconciliation, trusting that good is stronger than evil.”

The Pope also dedicated a substantial part of his speech to reflecting on technology and artificial intelligence. He recognized their potential for human flourishing, but warned of the dangers of “isolation,” “job loss,” and “manipulation.”

“The Church must help guide these advances from an ethical point of view,” he said, “defending human dignity and promoting the common good. We have to discern how to use digital platforms to evangelize, form communities and challenge the false gods of consumerism, power and self-sufficiency.”

He also called to “walk with the poor” and denounced the consequences of an economic system “driven by profit over the dignity of the person.”

“We live under the dictatorship of an economy that kills”

“We live under the dictatorship of an economy that kills,” he recalled, citing his exhortation I loved you—, in which the wealth of a few grows exponentially while the majority is left behind.”

And he added: “True discipleship requires both the denunciation of injustice and the proposal of new models based on solidarity and the common good.”

On the other hand, he urged the Jesuits to “accompany the young people.” The Pope recognized their diversity and their desire for authenticity: “Young people are on the move, they search for meaning and justice. The Church needs to speak their language not only with words, but with presence and coherence. Spaces must be created where they can find Christ, discover their vocation and work for the Kingdom.”

Finally, when referring to the care of the common home, Leo XIV took up the words of Laudato Si’: “Young people demand change. They wonder how they can hope to build a better future without thinking about the environmental crisis.”

The Pontiff insisted that ecological conversion “is deeply spiritual” and asked Jesuit communities to be “examples of sustainability, simplicity and gratitude for the gifts of God.”