From Leo to Leo: Learning hope and peace from the popes

“As you pray with our popes from Leo XIII to Leo XIV, may you discover anew the hope and peace of Christ, which compels us all to engage the social ills of our day and move forward in making the world a better place for all people now — and for generations to come,” writes Catholic speaker and author Katie McGrady in the introduction to Praying with the Popes: Words of Hope and Peace from Leo XIII to Leo XIV.

McGrady’s invitation is both simple and profound. It reminds us that the wisdom of the popes isn’t meant to remain confined to dusty shelves or theological journals — it’s meant to shape how we live, love, and serve right where we are.

The words of these Shepherds of the Church, when prayed with and reflected upon, can inspire an active hope, deepen our understanding of true peace, and transform our daily lives into expressions of Christ’s love.

Here are a few ways to let their teachings come alive in the ordinary rhythms of our days.

“No one is so rich that he does not need another’s help; no one so poor as not to be useful in some way to his fellow man ...”

Pope Leo XIII, who wrote passionately about the dignity of labor and the mutual responsibility between rich and poor, reminds us that hope begins in relationship. In a culture that prizes independence and self-sufficiency, his words are a gentle correction: We need each other.

Reflect and Pray:

We all have moments when we need help or when we’re in a position to help someone else. How can we give and receive in ways that draw us closer to one another? Ask God to show you one way to give and one way to receive selflessly this week.

“Christian charity ought not to be content with not hating our enemies ... it also demands that we treat them with kindness ...”

Pope Benedict XV wrote during the chaos of World War I, yet his message is timeless. True peace is not simply the absence of conflict; it’s the presence of love in action.

Reflect and Pray:

How can you move beyond tolerance into genuine kindness? Ask God for the grace to love others selflessly — even those who frustrate or oppose you—and to work actively for their good.

“The obligation of Christian love ... is not an empty word, but a living reality.”

Pope Pius XII spoke into a world wounded by war, calling Christians to show that love is not abstract — it’s visible, lived, and incarnate.

Reflect and Pray:

Thank God for those who have embodied Christian love in your life. Ask how you might make that love visible to others today — in your family, at work, or among friends.

“We are called brothers. We actually are brothers ... Why, then, do we act as though we are foes and enemies?”

Pope John XXIII reminds us that peace begins with how we see one another. Division and resentment fade when we remember that each person shares our same human dignity and eternal destiny.

Reflect and Pray:

Examine your day: have you treated others as brothers and sisters, or as obstacles? Pray for the grace to see Christ in everyone you encounter.

“Charity is the soul of justice ... I always recommend not only great acts of charity, but little ones.”

Pope John Paul I — known for his warmth and humility — calls us to live charity not only in grand gestures, but in small daily acts: a kind word, a patient response, a simple prayer for someone in need.

Reflect and Pray:

What small act of love can you commit to this week? Remember, holiness grows in the ordinary.

“Every person sincerely open to truth and goodness can ... recognize the sacred value of human life ...”

Pope John Paul II’s defense of life calls us to gratitude for the gift of our own and every person’s existence. To live as people of hope means to cherish life in all its forms.

Reflect and Pray:

Name five things you’re grateful for this week. Let your gratitude become praise for the Creator who sustains all life.

“Each of us is truly called ... to be bread broken for the life of the world.”

Pope Benedict XVI reminds us that every Mass sends us forth to live Eucharistically — to give ourselves in love as Christ gives himself to us.

Reflect and Pray:

How are you being called to become “bread broken” for others? Perhaps through forgiveness, generosity, or service. Ask Christ in the Eucharist to strengthen you for this mission.

“The earth is essentially a shared inheritance ... every ecological approach needs to incorporate a social perspective.”

Pope Francis connects care for creation with care for the poor. Our stewardship of the earth is a matter of justice, a reflection of how we love our neighbors.

Reflect and Pray:

Try an “ecological fast” one day this week — using fewer resources and creating less waste. Let it remind you that creation is God’s gift meant for all.

“Our personal life has greater value than any algorithm ... artificial intelligence remains equipped with a ‘static memory’ [incomparable to] human beings.”

Pope Leo XIV’s message is both timely and prophetic: no machine can replicate the soul. The relationships, memories, and love that make us human are gifts from God.

Reflect and Pray:

Think of the people whose presence enriches your life. Offer a prayer of thanksgiving for them—and for the irreplaceable gift of your own humanity.

Praying with the Popes introduces readers to 9 leaders who have shaped the Church’s vision of hope and peace. Their words span more than a century, yet they speak into the same human struggles we face today — loneliness, division, injustice, and distraction.

It’s valuable to study the lives and teachings of these popes. But as McGrady reminds us, it’s even more powerful to pray with them. When we do, we begin to hear the heartbeat of the universal Church — and more importantly, the voice of Christ calling us to love the world into holiness.

Because when we pray, we don’t just learn what the Church teaches. We begin to live it.

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Want to read more? Check out Praying with the Popes: Words of Hope and Peace from Leo XIII to Leo XIV from Ave Maria Press.