On Magnifica Humanitas, the Encyclical Letter by Pope Leo XIV

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the world around us. Its presence is being felt across all aspects of daily life from the news we read, the jobs we work, the entertainment we consume, the education our children receive, and even the relationships we form. While some uses of AI are being celebrated, other uses are being scrutinized for how they potentially diminish or even replace essential parts of human life.

Pope Leo XIV has rightly chosen AI as the subject for his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”). Much like his namesake Pope Leo XIII, who wrote the historic encyclical Rerum Novarum that addressed the upheaval of the Industrial Revolution, Pope Leo XIV now addresses the moral, spiritual, and social challenges of the technological revolution unfolding before us.

At the heart of the encyclical is a simple but profound truth: human beings are made in the image and likeness of God. Technology is meant to serve the human person but to never replace or diminish human dignity. Machines may process information, but they cannot love, sacrifice, worship, forgive, or possess an immortal soul.

Over the next six weeks, our parish bulletin series will explore key themes from Magnifica Humanitas:

• Human dignity in a technological age
• AI and the meaning of work
• Truth, misinformation, and digital culture
• Children, families, and formation
• Technology and the spiritual life
• Christian hope and the future of humanity

This will be posted on along with other curated resources and commentary for engaging with the content of the encyclical.

The Church does not reject technology. In fact, the Church has often embraced scientific advancement when it genuinely serves the common good. But Pope Leo XIV reminds us that every generation must ask not only what can we do but what should we do? As Catholics, we are called to approach this new era neither with fear nor blind enthusiasm, but with wisdom, courage, prudence, and faith in Jesus Christ, who reveals the true greatness of the human person.

Read the full text of Magnifica Humanitas.

Read the extended Summary from the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

Disclaimer: This text is a human-edited version of a summary generated by a subscription version of ChatGPT in accordance with the Archdiocese of Seattle’s AI Policy which states: “All content generated by AI platforms—whether text, images, data summaries, or other outputs—must be reviewed and approved by a human prior to distribution, publication, or use in decision-making. This ensures: • Accuracy and appropriateness of content • Alignment with organizational values and Catholic teaching • Prevention of misinformation, bias, or unintended harm.”