13 hours ago
In a letter signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, Pope Leo XIV has addressed a message of encouragement and guidance to the Christian Business and Executives Movement (EDC), which is celebrating its centenary. The text, written in French, expresses the Pope’s spiritual closeness to these professionals at a time of great social and economic transformation, where fragility and inequality are becoming increasingly evident.
The Holy Father emphasizes the valuable contribution that the Christian faith can offer to the business world. In his words, this faith fosters greater responsibility, creativity, and a profound respect for the dignity of every person. In particular, he notes that today’s major challenges—such as decent work, peacebuilding, the pursuit of social justice, and environmental stewardship—are deeply interconnected. Therefore, he urges the adoption of a holistic vision that enables truly humane decision-making.
“The challenges of work, peace, social justice and the safeguarding of creation are closely related and require a perspective capable of grasping their unity, in order to guide and make authentically human decisions,” the Pope states in the message.
Leo XIV evokes the legacy of Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum novarum , which marked the beginning of the Church’s modern social doctrine. This teaching calls on employers to safeguard the dignity of every worker and to provide special protection for the most vulnerable. The Pope emphasizes that the EDC Movement, born in an ecumenical spirit, demonstrates how the Gospel can act as a force for unity and reconciliation, even in the world of economics.
The message emphasizes that Christian leaders should not reduce business to a mere production or capital accumulation mechanism. On the contrary, they should understand it as a community of people oriented toward collective growth. The social role of business lies in its capacity to promote human development, strengthen social bonds, and responsibly care for the natural environment.
In this regard, the Pope calls on Christian leaders to promote “an economy that knows how to combine efficiency and humanity.” He especially emphasizes the importance of offering new generations not only jobs, but also opportunities for education, personal growth, and active and responsible participation. In this way, authentic development is fostered, exclusion is prevented, and hope for the future is built.
Finally, Leo XIV expresses his gratitude to the EDC Movement for its commitment and encourages it to continue being a leaven of the Gospel in the economic and business world, thus contributing to building the Kingdom of God in the midst of the daily realities of work and production.
Full text of the message:
MESSAGE OF POPE LEO XIV
FOR THE 50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
OF THE FADICA–CATHOLIC PHILANTHROPY NETWORK
________________________________________
To Mrs Alexia Kelley
President and CEO
FADICA-Catholic Philanthropy Network
I send cordial good wishes to you and to all those who are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the FADICA-Catholic Philanthropy Network. s you mark five decades of working together, I express my gratitude for your generous support of various Dicasteries of the Roman Curia as well as Catholic initiatives in the United States of America and throughout the world.
Your gathering takes place during the holy season of Lent, a time when, in addition to prayer and fasting, the Church invites all Catholics to practice works of mercy with greater fervor. Jesus taught us that in discerning how to help our neighbor, we must imitate the example of the Good Samaritan, who selflessly gave of his time and resources to someone whom he had never previously met (cf. Lk 10:25-37). This parable shows us, as Pope Francis often said, God’s style of closeness, compassion and tender love. When we help those in need, especially those who cannot repay us, we become the Lord’s instruments, for “every act of love for one’s neighbor is in some way a reflection of divine charity” (Dilexi Te, 26). In this regard, your contributions to supporting programs that promote social justice, strengthen Catholic education, defend human dignity and care for the most vulnerable are truly a manifestation of divine charity. It is my hope that your work will likewise inspire others to a renewed encounter with Christ through service to the least of his brothers and sisters, and to an ever more conscious participation in the Church’s mission.
With these sentiments, I encourage you to continue in your worthy mission, confident in the knowledge that “the Almighty will not be outdone in generosity to those who serve the people most in need” (ibid., 45). While assuring you of my prayers, I entrust all members of the FADICA-Catholic Philanthropy Network to the loving intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, and I willingly impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of peace and joy in the Lord.
From the Vatican, 27 February 2026
LEO PP. XIV
