Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Greetings from Malta. On Monday 25th May 2026, the first encyclical of Pope Leo XIV, (signed on the 15th of May), was released. Entitled Magnifica Humanitas, Magnificent Humanity, it addresses one of the defining questions of our age: how to safeguard human dignity in the era of artificial intelligence. The document explores technology, human identity, work, truth, and the Christian vision of authentic humanity.
During the coming weeks, with the help of Ascension Press, we will look at the key points and themes of Magnifica Humanitas. Read more from Pope Leo XIV Encyclical: Magnifica Humanitas – Ascension
Magnifica Humanitas acknowledges familiar concerns about AI, including job insecurity, manipulation of information, privacy violations, ideological bias, autonomous weapons, and a futuristic vision of an “enhanced human being.” Pope Leo identifies a deeper danger: that human beings may begin to see themselves and others as projects “to be optimized” (Magnifica Humanitas 112), to the extent that whoever is not perfect, is not worth having or protecting.
Against this, the encyclical teaches that human limits such as illness, aging, suffering, and vulnerability are not simply defects to be corrected; rather, human beings often flourish through their limitations, where they can discover wisdom, experience the closeness of others, and encounter the Lord (MH 118–119). Therefore, AI should serve humanity not by tempting us to escape limitation through optimization, but by supporting a life of “openness and communion” (MH 231).
Magnifica Humanitas is addressed “to all the Catholic faithful, to all Christians and to men and women of goodwill” (MH 16). Catholics are called to respond to the document with faith. All Christians are invited to receive it as a serious Christian reflection on what it means to remain human in the age of AI. Non-Christians are invited to receive it as a contribution to the shared moral conversation about humanity’s future.
For truly, the central questions raised by the Pope apply to all people: What is a human person? Should technology serve human dignity or reshape it? How do we protect truth, freedom, work, relationships, and especially those who are poor and vulnerable in an age of AI? (to be continued…)
God bless you.
Fr Silvio