Pope Leo XIV highlights Catholic Social Teaching as a path to respect, truth, and peace in Europe amid growing moral relativism.
Newsroom (23/01/2026 Gaudium Press ) In a message to the 2026 European Conference organized by the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed the importance of Catholic Social Teaching as a guide for societies seeking authentic respect and peaceful coexistence.
The conference, taking place on Friday, January 23 in Luxembourg, focuses on the theme “Peace Building in Europe: What Role for Catholic Social Thought and Universal Values?” In a message signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, Pope Leo expressed strong support for the initiative and its timeliness in the context of modern Europe’s moral and cultural challenges.
The Pope warned that contemporary societies increasingly resist engaging with universal values grounded in religion, dismissing their potential contribution to the common good. “While this resistance arises for various reasons, the underlying crisis is the spread of relativism and the reduction of truth to opinion,” the message stated. According to Pope Leo, such relativism weakens the shared moral foundations that allow communities to coexist peacefully. “No continent or community can live in peace and thrive without commonly held truths that inform its norms and values,” he added.
Recalling the core of Christian anthropology, the Pope reiterated that every human person is created in the image and likeness of God — a truth that underpins all authentic social order. He drew upon the words of Pope St. John Paul II in Centesimus Annus, emphasizing that “no authentic progress is possible without respect for the natural and fundamental right to know the truth and live according to that truth.”
Pope Leo XIV described Catholic Social Teaching as rooted in the life and message of Jesus Christ, “who revealed Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” He underlined that the Church’s Social Magisterium transcends borders, offering a framework for solidarity and mutual respect beyond national or cultural differences. In this sense, he said, it “provides a platform for collective interests and a shared way of living, making peaceful coexistence possible.”
The Pope concluded his message by voicing hope that the Luxembourg conference would inspire Europe to rediscover its Christian heritage. He encouraged participants to promote Catholic values as instruments for justice and peace, reaffirming their relevance in shaping a more united and humane continent.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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