Pope Leo Meets With Catholic Lawmakers From Across the Globe

Vatican City, August 23, 2025: Pope Leo XIV on Saturday urged Catholic lawmakers worldwide to build societies founded on justice, moral conscience, and love of God, as he addressed participants of the Sixteenth Annual Meeting of the International Catholic Legislators Network (ICLN) at the Vatican.

Welcoming all the participants, the Pope reflected on the theme of the meeting, The New World Order: Major Power Politics, Corporate Dominions and the Future of Human Flourishing.

“In these words. I sense both a concern and a longing. We are concerned about the direction our world is taking, and yet, we long for authentic human flourishing, a world where every person can live in peace, freedom and fulfilment according to God’s plan,” he said.

Drawing on the writings of Saint Augustine, Pope Leo spoke about the “two cities” that define human history: the City of Man, marked by pride and self-interest, and the City of God, grounded in love, justice, and humility. He also warned against reducing human flourishing to material wealth or unrestrained autonomy, noting the rise of loneliness and despair even in affluent societies.

“Authentic human flourishing”, he said, “stems from integral human development, which encompasses physical, social, cultural, moral, and spiritual dimensions, all rooted in natural law and illuminated by the Gospel.” He added that this vision ensures the freedom to seek the truth, to worship God, and to raise families in peace and also includes a harmony with creation and a sense of solidarity across social classes and nations. 

The Pope stressed that the future of human flourishing is dependent on which 'love' we choose to organise our society – “the love of self or the love of God and neighbour”. He also urged lawmakers to embrace their political vocation as a mission of hope and bridge-building between the earthly and divine order. 

“Work for a world where power is tamed by conscience, and law is at the service of human dignity,” he said, while rejecting the notion that meaningful change is impossible. He also emphasised the need for a “politics of hope” and an “economics of hope”, sustained by the grace of Christ.

Concluding his address, Pope Leo expressed gratitude for the legislators’ efforts to infuse Gospel values into public life. He offered his prayers and blessings, encouraging them to persevere in shaping a future where peace, solidarity, and human dignity prevail.

Courtesy: Vatican News

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