Praying with the Popes: Words of Hope and Peace from Leo XIII to Leo XIV

by Ave Maria Press, Shannon Wimp Schmidt (Compiler), Eileen M. Ponder (Compiler)

In this unique collection, the timeless teachings from twelve modern popes are gathered into one powerful prayer book. Praying with the Popes invites you to journey through a century and a half of papal wisdom—from Leo XIII to Leo XIV—and discover a unified witness to hope, justice, and peace, offering a window into the heart of the Vatican and the soul of the Church.Catholic speaker and author Katie McGrady writes in the introduction “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.”Praying with the Words of Hope and Peace from Leo XIII to Leo XIV gathers powerful quotes from the writings of these successors of Peter. Their words are offered as a source of reflection and prayer—inviting readers to grow in hope, to deepen their understanding of the Church’s vision of peace, and to foster a Christ-centered love that moves us to daily action on behalf of justice.At once a spiritual, theological, and doctrinal introduction to Catholic social teaching, Praying with the Popes also serves as a practical guide for living it out in our world today. When Robert Francis Prevost, the first American pope, was elected to the papacy in May 2025 and took the name Leo XIV, many recognized in his choice a clear alignment with the legacy of Leo XIII, the final pope of the nineteenth century. The twelve popes from Leo XIII to Leo XIV guided the Church through tremendous economic, political, and social upheaval. In doing so, they consistently encouraged the faithful to engage more deeply with the Church’s social teachings—teachings that equip believers to live out Christ’s commandment to love as he loves and to help bring about God’s kingdom of peace on earth.Each chapter begins with a short profile of the featured pope, followed by six brief excerpts from his writings. Quotes are paired with prompts for personal reflection, prayer, and sometimes concrete actions that embody the message of justice and love.The popes featured in this book served the Church from 1878 to 2025:Leo XIIIPius XBenedict XVPius XIPius XIIJohn XXIIIPaul VIJohn Paul IJohn Paul IIBenedict XVIFrancisLeo XIV
 Before they were bishops of Rome, the popes of the Catholic Church were first sons of God and men of prayer. Each was uniquely gifted in mind and heart and, through those graces, led the Church—and each soul within it—closer to Christ. Let their voices guide you into deeper prayer and greater commitment to the Gospel call to champion justice, peace, and the dignity of every human person.

192 pages, Paperback

Published October 17, 2025

Reviews

[Carol A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Praying with the Popes invites readers to reflect on the treasure of Catholic social teaching in Church history. Beginning with Pope Leo XIII, Wimp Schmidt and Ponder guide us through the past 150 years of papal calls to action on behalf of the least among us. They offer a brief context for each of the 12 popes from Pope Leo XIII to Pope Leo XIV before encouraging the reader to pray and reflect on ways that Pope calls each of us to actively love Christ who makes Himself present to us in the poor, hungry, and thirsty. Their reminder to care for the strangers among us is a most needed reminder to act with love and compassion, particularly in these times of division and animosity.

[Kelly O’Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. It gives a short biography of each pope from Pope Leo XIII to Pope Leo XIV. Then it provides brief passages from each of them - from their writings or talks. What sets it apart from other similar books, is the prayers following the Pope’s words that then ask you to invite the Holy Spirit to reflect on whatever the topic is and what God is calling you to do. Feel like I could reread this many times and be touched and inspired by something new each time.