Leone XIV Study Center holds inaugural poverty workshop in Rome

The Centro Studi Internazionale Leone XIV, established by the Augustinian Community of Santo Spirito, held its inaugural international workshop in Rome on September 16 and 17, 2026. Held at the Pontifical Augustinianum Institute, the workshop, titled ‘Let everything be yours in common. The Frontiers of Poverty’, explored contemporary dimensions of poverty through the lens of Saint Augustine’s teachings on the sharing of goods.

The event was organized in collaboration with the Pontifical Augustinianum Institute and the Faculty of Theology of Central Italy. It served as a tribute to Father Severino Bussino, OSA, who was instrumental in its conception. Following the workshop, Pope Leo XIV granted an audience to the participants on September 18.

During the audience, the Pope expressed gratitude for the Center’s mission to promote the teachings of Leo XIV and foster critical thinking for the common good. He emphasized the importance of dialogue with universities, academic institutions, and civil society, noting that the Social Doctrine of the Church plays a vital role in interpreting Christian revelation within modern social, economic, and cultural contexts.