Pope Leo XIV warns of Western 'paradox' on individual freedom

Pope Leo XIV told bishops from the Focolare Movement on Wednesday that Western societies face a paradox where increasing individual freedom coexists with a widespread fear of being judged. Speaking to bishops who are friends of the movement, the pope said that while autonomy is often treated as absolute, people frequently feel less free to express their true selves or follow their ideals because they fear not fitting in.

The pope noted that individualism in the West is causing the fragmentation of once stable networks of family, friendship, and community. He referenced his recent encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, to explain that freedom is increasingly viewed as the ability to pursue happiness without moral, natural, or human limits.

To address modern polarization, the pope called for a renewed commitment to unity. He highlighted the work of Chiara Lubich, the founder of the Focolare Movement, stating that her witness to unity is even more urgent for current generations facing difficult social divisions and circumstances in their own countries.