In his first apostolic exhortation, Pope Leo XIV has taken up the call of Pope Francis for Christians to see in the poor the very face of Christ — and to be a church that “walks poor with the poor” in order to authentically live out the Gospel.

Many Christians “need to go back and re-read the Gospel” because they have forgotten that faith and love for the poor go hand in hand, Pope Leo XIV said in his first major papal document.

Described as an exercise in “continuity” with Pope Francis, the apostolic exhortation is an ode to the 265th Successor of Peter while at the same time a further indicator of the priorities of the 266th.

Pope Leo XIV’s first apostolic exhortation “Dilexi Te” (“I have loved you”), was promulgated Oct. 9, the feast day of St. John Henry Newman.

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem welcomed “with joy” the announcement of an initial agreement between Hamas and Israel in an Oct. 9 statement, but also stressed the “absolute urgency” for the “immediate” and “unconditional” entry of humanitarian relief and sufficient aid into Gaza.