When Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost was elected Pope in May 2025, he chose the regnal name Leo XIV – a deliberate echo of Pope Leo XIII, whose groundbreaking encyclical Rerum Novarum laid the foundations of Catholic Social Teaching. Pope Leo XIV has spoken movingly about how this document shaped his understanding of the Church’s mission in the world, especially in light of today’s rapid technological and economic changes.

First published in 1891, Rerum Novarum was the Church’s bold response to the upheaval caused by the Industrial Revolution. Pope Leo XIII addressed the worsening conditions faced by workers, the threats to family life, and the dangers posed by both unrestrained capitalism and socialist ideologies. In their place, he set out a clear and compassionate vision of society rooted in the dignity of the human person.

This landmark document defends the right to private property, the need for just wages, and the importance of rest and religious freedom. It upholds the family as the cornerstone of society and denounces child labour and exploitation. Crucially, it insists that economic life must serve the good of the person, not the other way around.

Now reprinted by CTS in honour of the election of Pope Leo XIV, Rerum Novarum offers timeless wisdom for anyone concerned with justice, work, and the role of faith in public life.