What did Leo XIV remind Spanish parliamentarians?

Pope Leo XIV made history as the first pontiff to deliver an address to Spain's Congress of Deputies, continuing a tradition of papal engagement with political bodies that includes his predecessors.

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Can participatory political systems survive if they lose sight of truth and a shared sense of morality?

His address focused on the moral responsibilities of governing and the importance of unity, themes previously explored by Pope John Paul II. Leo XIV underscored that the human person and their inherent dignity are the core of modern political communities. He stated that governments are established to protect life, from conception to natural death, and to ensure the freedom of every citizen. The Pope also stressed the necessity of clearly defined governmental powers to prevent authorities from infringing upon citizens' liberties, including religious freedom.

A key point of his speech was the moral obligation of legislators and majority coalitions to consider the impact of their public policies on all constituents. Pope Leo XIV drew a historical parallel to the School of Salamanca, a group of 16th and 17th-century theologians and jurists. He credited them with articulating, with "singular lucidity," principles supporting social, political, and economic liberty. These scholars, he noted, established a legal and moral framework for governance and courageously urged kings to limit their powers out of respect for individual worth and truth.

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The person and their inherent dignity is the central axis of modern political communities.

Leo XIV's discourse also touched upon the concept of "moral reason," asserting that ethical principles derived from a Christian theological and philosophical perspective are compatible with truth and reason, contrasting them with arbitrary and irrational "imposition of force." He highlighted the contributions of these scholastics in shaping Western institutions during the Age of Discovery, noting their recognition of the equal rights of indigenous peoples in the Americas, as articulated by figures like Francisco de Vitoria.

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The priests associated with the School of Salamanca... formulated, 'with singular lucidity,' defenses of the social, political, and economic order of liberty.