Wisdom Wednesday | October 22nd

Welcome to Wisdom Wednesday, where the significance of Pope Leo’s apostolic exhortation, Dilexi Te, is sinking in. It “is a profound and yet deeply disturbing document.”

It is “an indictment of corruption, inequality, and moral indifference. Also this week, some provocative reports on social issues, and mixed hagiography — studies of saints including Perpetua and Roberto Clemente.

Pope Leo XIV: Dilexi Te

EDITORIAL from National Catholic Reporter Editorial staff: Dilexi Te is an uncompromising assessment of how wealth and faith in contemporary economic ideologies and markets have misshapen Christianity. They have, Leo asserts, turned it away from the mission to the poor that has been at its core since Jesus walked the earth. Dilexi Te (“I Have Loved You”) is a profound and yet deeply disturbing document.

Dilexi Te

USCCB: Dilexi Te “is an invitation to contemplate Christ’s love, that we may be inspired to become attentive to the suffering and needs of others, and to share in the work of liberation that flows from his love.”

‘Dilexi Te’: The Franciscan Framework of Pope Leo’s First Document

COMMENTARY from National Catholic Register: The challenge of using the Franciscan framework is that many audiences take Brother Sun and Mother Earth and leave aside Sister Death and the danger of mortal sin.

Pope Leo’s ‘Dilexi Te’ challenges the Church in Asia

ANALYSIS Pope Leo’s ‘Dilexi Te’ challenges the Church in Asia. Pope Leo’s first major text offers more than theology — it’s an indictment of corruption, inequality, and moral indifference, reports the Union of Catholic News (UCAN).

The Pope, the media, and the “normalization” of Trump

OPINION by Robert Mickens: Why Pope Leo must shun Trump. Mickens writes about the pope, the media, and the “normalization” of Trump. “As world media and leaders normalize US President Donald Trump’s erratic behavior, Pope Leo XIV must resist and keep his distance.” From UCANews.

Leo XIV Apostolic Exhortations

TEXT: APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION You have seen the reports and the commentaries. Here is the text, from Vatican News.

Dilexi te: Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Leo XIV on Love for the Poor

RESOURCES for teaching Dilexi Te, from the Vatican. The press conference for the presentation of Pope Leo XIV’s document was held in the Holy See Press Office on October 9. The Vatican provided a synthesis of the document and graphic resources.

From Francis to Leo

Dilexit Nos was Pope Francis’ fourth and final encyclical – a reflection on our closeness to the heart of Christ. This encyclical teaches us that devotion to the heart of Jesus can open our own hearts to renewed ways we can love God and our neighbor.

Justice Bulletin Board

Our new Pope Leo XIV reaffirms that “in our world bearing deep scars of conflict, inequality, environmental degradation, and a growing sense of spiritual disconnection,” it is crucial for Christians to continue working and praying together.

Pope Leo and King Charles

For the first time since the Protestant Reformation, a reigning British monarch and a pope will pray together publicly during a royal state visit to the Vatican. King Charles III will join in ecumenical prayer presided over by Pope Leo XIV for the care of creation inside the Sistine Chapel on Oct. 23, beneath Michelangelo’s frescoed ceiling, during the king’s first state visit to the Vatican with Queen Camila. From National Catholic Register.

Five Traditional Pontifical Liturgies to Be Celebrated

Five liturgies are being celebrated over the next month at a time when Pope Leo XIV is weighing up whether to continue restrictions imposed by Pope Francis’ 2021 apostolic letter ‘Traditionis Custodes.’ One liturgy will have Cardinal Raymond Burke who will celebrate a special Traditional Latin Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Oct. 25 in a return to a prior custom, suspended since 2022, of an annual pilgrimage of Catholics devoted to the Latin Mass.

BOOK REVIEW: The Lost Mary

A new book demythologizes Mary, emphasizes her political and ecclesial role. Mary is arguably the most notable woman in history, says National Catholic Reporter. Billions of Christians and Muslims alike honor her memory. Yet there is little information about her in the New Testament, and what is there has been shaped for a story about Jesus, the apostles and the early church. So who is this woman revered by half the world? Read The Lost Mary: Rediscovering the Mother of Jesus, by James D. Tabor.

Jelly Roll’s music message at the Vatican

Jelly Roll’s Vatican performance offers hope to those impacted by addiction, says NCR. Jelly Roll’s growing, worldwide fanbase is populated with people like me: ordinary, struggling people whose lives have been impacted by addiction. We hear in Jelly Roll’s music something unique and distinct; not pretty, but beautiful — because it holds something true.

The power of religion: Is is back?

Is religion’s power on its way back in the USA? A growing number of Americans say yes, according to a report from Religion News Service. The new study found that about a third of Americans say religion’s influence in society is growing — up more than 10 percentage points from a year earlier.

Poll Finds Revival of Interest in Religion in Northern Ireland Among Young People

Poll Finds Revival of Interest in Religion in Northern Ireland Among Young People. The Iona Institute was keen to compare the findings in both the north and south of Ireland, especially given the higher percentage of Protestant churches in the north. From National Catholic Register.

Surveys and Research

Seven-in-ten Americans say the country’s higher education system is generally going in the wrong direction, up from 56% in 2020. Majorities across major demographic groups share this view. Additionally, many Americans give U.S. colleges poor marks in areas like affordability and preparing students for well-paying jobs.

How People Around the World View AI

How People Around the World View AI. More are concerned than excited about its use, and more trust their own country and the EU to regulate it than trust the U.S. or China. From Pew Research.

OPINION from New Ways Ministry

The National Catholic Reporter Newspaper Appoints Gay Man as Executive Editor, says an item from New Ways Ministtry. “The news that award-winning Catholic journalist Michael O’Loughlin will lead the NCR is great news for the church!”

Conversion Therapy

America Magazine examines Catholics and conversion therapy bans, and finds the problem with free speech objections. “Therapy is a professional practice with standards of care. To reframe it as a matter of ‘free speech’ is to miss the point entirely.”

About saints and sainthood

Pope Leo declares seven new saints, including first from Venezuela and Papua New Guinea, from America Magazine.

The hidden history of Black Catholic martyrs in America

The hidden history of Black Catholic martyrs in America. Nate Tinner-Williams, editor of the Black Catholic Messenger, explores a rarely discussed facet of American Catholic holiness, linking stories of sacrifice from across what is now the United States. The first candidate to consider is one Estevanico (“Little Esteban”), an enslaved Afro-Spanish Catholic who joined the conquistador Pánfilo de Narváez on an expedition in 1528, becoming the first Black person to set foot in mainland America.

The inverse wisdom of a second-century martyr

“Perpetua was a grandstander,” says Sarah Ruden. “She saw martyrdom—and that means testimony—as a personal glorification.” Sarah Ruden is a translator, a writer, and a scholar of the ancient world. In her new book, Perpetua (Yale University Press), Ruden offers both a portrait of the ancient martyr and a new translation of her diary.

‘Clemente’ review: A secular hagiography of a Black Catholic baseball star

Clemente’ review: A secular hagiography of a Black Catholic baseball star. Nate Tinner-Williams reviews a new documentary that gets religion wrong but impact right with its close-up lens on the MLB’s “Great One”.

How to convey the serenity of a martyr?

How to convey the serenity of a martyr? Catholic News Agency reports on the challenge of painting Peter To Rot’s portrait.

Hunger in America

Trump Administration’s Move to End Annual Hunger Report Meets Criticism. The last USDA food insecurity report, covering 2024 data, is set for release Oct. 22.

Is MAGA pro-slavery?

These far-right influencers are all-in on chattel slavery, says MSNBC. MAGA influencers and a GOP operative have been offering defenses and outright endorsements of slavery in recent weeks.

Care for Creation

The 2025 edition of the Fostering Effective Energy Transition report arrives amid growing geopolitical, technological and climate-related disruption. There is growing progress towards a secure, equitable and sustainable energy system, but momentum could stall amid financing and geopolitical challenges, according to the World Economic Forum.

CO2 levels in Earth’s atmosphere jumped by a record amount in 2024

The global average concentration of CO2 surged by 3.5 parts per million to reach 423.9 ppm last year, fuelling worries that the planet’s ability to soak up excess carbon is weakening. From New Scientist.

Is there a common source for the Ten Commandments bills?

A report from Baptist News Global looks into the sources of the legislation in several states.

VIEWPOINT: Conservatives should oppose capital punishment

The death penalty violates pro-life values and the principles of more transparent and limited government, death penalty abolitionists said during a recent panel discussion.“Do we trust the government to give us health insurance? Do we trust the government to tell us what’s in the Epstein files? And if the government can’t be trusted on those and other important issues, it should not be granted the power over life and death,

Condemnation of usury

Pope Leo XIV on Saturday condemned usury, a practice that is sometimes an extremely grave sin that speaks to the corruption of the heart of those who see others only as “objects of exploitation.” From Catholic News Agency.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/267281/pope-leo-xiv-condemns-usury-a-grave-sin-that-speaks-to-the-corruption-of-the-human-heart

The Chosen

About ‘The Chosen’ – it may be inspiring—but its theology isn’t inspired, says U.S.Catholic.

While the series on the life of Jesus has plenty of inspiring content, some of the details are theologically problematic. Writer John Christman says The Chosen portrays the apostles frantically writing down Jesus’ words in real time—despite no mention of such an intention in the gospels themselves.

Dinner with Pope Leo

“Four years ago, as I retired from 40 years in parish ministry, I informed the Holy Spirit I was available for a new assignment. Be careful what you ask for! Since then, my life has become a whirlwind of unexpected adventures.” The personal story is reported by Today’s American Catholic. “Hey Pat, I want to have dinner with the new American pope. Can you help me with that?”