Pope Leo XIV's first Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi te (I have loved you), speaks to all communities that choose to live alongside the poor. It helps us "to discover their richness and all that they have and can give to the world and to the Church today."

This is the view of Sr. Clémence, of the Little Sisters of Jesus, who presented the Pope's first document at the Holy See Press Office together with two Cardinals: Michael Czerny, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and Konrad Krajewski, Almoner of His Holiness.

When asked by the UISG about the importance of this Exhortation — which had been started by Pope Francis, who passed away in April 2025 — Sr. Clémence emphasized:
"It is a very beautiful exhortation, because it offers an overview of everything the Church has done, does, and should continue to do toward and with the world's poorest. It speaks forcefully to the Church today, at a time when many are excluded and marginalized. It is a document to be read, meditated upon, and above all put into practice."

The timing of its publication is also significant: Dilexi te was released on October 9, 2025, in the midst of the Jubilee of Consecrated Life. "The document recalls everything that religious communities have given and continue to offer in this area," added Sr. Clémence. "It is an invitation to commit ourselves even more, with hope and concreteness."

The Apostolic Exhortation deeply touched the Belgian religious woman:
"By encountering the poor, we encounter Christ. The Church walks with them—not for them, as if she already had all the answers—but listening to their desires, their dreams, and the beauty they hold within themselves. This repeats several times in the document: the encounter with others, especially those on the margins, is an encounter with Christ himself."

And in this way, I wish to continue walking, together with the entire Church, Sr. Clémence concluded.

Click here to read the Apostolic Exhortation "Dilexi te" by Pope Leo XIV.