Pope Leo XIV calls for placing human dignity at the center of society

Published at: 12/11/2026 05:33 PM

At a meeting with parishioners in Lima's Plaza Mayor, Pope Leo XIV reflected on poverty, insecurity and political instability in Peru, while calling for placing the human person and the family at the center of every social organization.

“Challenges cannot be faced in isolation, because the family, cultural diversity, the world of work and the condition of women are part of the same human reality, in deep interdependence,” she said.

He also emphasized that “at the center of every social, economic and political organization must be the human person, created in the image and likeness of God, endowed with infinite dignity and called to live in relationship with others”.

From this premise, Pope Leo indicated that personal, family and social good are articulated, guided by essential principles such as the common good, solidarity and subsidiarity.

After sending a message of encouragement to families hit by poverty and addictions, he warned of the digital impact, noting that “current technology risks supplanting real coexistence, exposing family members to distraction and sometimes harmful content.”

The Catholic leader arrived in Peru last Wednesday, November 11, after having visited Uruguay and Argentina on his tour of Latin America. This trip represents his reunion with the nation that adopted him and where he resided for more than two decades serving as a missionary and bishop.

Mazo News Team