Bishop Earl Fernandes | Diocese of Columbus website

Bishop Earl K. Fernandes and the Diocese of Columbus have expressed their appreciation for Pope Leo XIV's first exhortation, DILEXI TE.

DILEXI TE was composed as a continuation of the Encyclical DILEXIT NOS, which was initiated by the late Pope Francis toward the end of his life. The Encyclical centers on the Church’s responsibility to care for those living in poverty and was completed by Pope Leo XIV, who added his own reflections.

The document encourages members of the Church to reflect on their approach to helping those in need and calls for self-examination regarding attitudes that may lead to indifference toward suffering.

“As we contemplate Christ’s love, ‘we too are inspired to be more attentive to the sufferings and needs of others and confirmed in our efforts to share in his work of liberation as instruments for the spread of his love,’” Bishop Fernandes stated.