The Preferential Option for the Poor as an Ecclesiological Principle in the Light of Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Exhortation "Dilexi Te"
Dariusz Gardocki
Akademia Katolicka w Warszawie - Collegium Bobolanum , Polandhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5541-9154
Abstract
This article examines the preferential option for the poor as an ecclesiological principle in the light of Pope Leo XIV’s exhortation Dilexi te. The analysis begins with the biblical witness to God’s particular concern for the marginalized, a theme that continues in the Church’s mission and evangelizing activity. Special attention is given to the Church’s commitment to those in need, presented as a key dimension of ecclesial renewal and a sign of fidelity to the Gospel amid contemporary social and spiritual challenges. Methodologically, this study employs a close theological reading of the exhortation, correlating its key themes with the broader biblical and magisterial tradition and interpreting them within an ecclesiological framework. This approach makes it possible to identify the internal coherence of the document and its implications for the Church’s self-understanding. The main conclusion of the analysis is that the preferential option for the poor is not merely an auxiliary pastoral guideline but a constitutive element of ecclesial identity, shaping the Church’s mission, spirituality, and structures in a way that reflects the very logic of God’s self-giving revealed in Christ.
Keywords:
the poor in Sacred Scripture, preferential option for the poor, Pope Francis, Church of the poor, Pope Leo XIVReferences
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Akademia Katolicka w Warszawie - Collegium Bobolanum
Dariusz Gardocki SJ, prof. dr hab. Wykłada teologię dogmatyczną na Akademii Katolickiej w Warszawie. Autor monografii "Jezus z Nazaretu - Mesjasz królestwa. Syn Boży i droga do Ojca. Studium analityczno-krytyczne chrystologii Jona Sobrino"; "Teologia wyzwolenia jako odpowiedź na epokowe wyzwania"; "Chrystologia integralna w ujęciu Olegario Gonzáleza de Cardedala". Specjalizuje się w teologii dogmatycznej i latynoamerykańskiej.
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