The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has presented a pastoral aid or kit on Magnifica Humanitas with the aim of making the new encyclical by Pope Leo XIV more easily understood.

On May 27, the dicastery explained on social media how the pastoral kit is structured and provided a link to it. The material includes summaries of key themes, biblical texts and citations, questions for reflection, concrete cases, and prayers. Additionally, it features activities designed for children and young people.

In the introduction to the document, the Vatican notes that it seeks to “accompany individuals, groups, and communities in a simple yet profound reflection on the relationship between faith, human dignity, and technological innovation.”

“Digital technologies and artificial intelligence are changing the way we work, communicate, learn, build relationships, and even understand ourselves,” the text notes.

In the face of this new paradigm, the dicastery recognizes that many may feel “excited, fearful, curious, or confused.” Nevertheless, it advocates for navigating these changes “with discernment, hope, and responsibility.”

The material was designed for parish groups, catechesis, pastoral councils, as well as for one’s personal spiritual life.

The underlying theme of the encyclical consists of two biblical images that feature prominently in the accompanying resource: the Tower of Babel and the rebuilding of Jerusalem. According to the text, these two images represent opposing paths in today’s world.

“On the one hand, there is the risk of building a world dominated by power, individualism, and dehumanization; on the other, there is the possibility of building together a ‘city' founded on listening, fraternity, justice, and mutual care,” the introduction explains.

The document expresses the Holy See’s hope that this material will enable the faithful to “rediscover our ‘magnificent humanity,’ so that every innovation may be illuminated by the Gospel and oriented toward the common good.”

To download this pastoral aid from the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, click here.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday created a commission to identify solutions for long-term sustainability at the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, a major hospital complex founded by St. Pio of Pietrelcina and directly overseen by the Vatican Secretariat of State.

The Catholic hospital — which is located in the southern Italian region of Puglia — is facing a debt crisis from which “we will emerge together,” Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said during a May 5 visit to the facility.

The hospital in San Giovanni Rotondo, where the saint known as Padre Pio lived for most of his life, has debts estimated to run between 250 million to 300 million euros (about $290 million to $350 million).

The hospital is currently in a dispute with officials from the Puglia region over reimbursements — the regional authority claims it is owed 32 million euros ($37 million) — and is also involved in a conflict over new labor contracts.

The new commission now aims to resolve what is a highly complex situation.

The papal chirograph (a kind of decree) establishing the commission states that the pope’s decision arises from the Apostolic See’s love for works of charity and from the awareness that large institutions, in order to remain faithful to their mission, must be capable of facing the challenges of change.

“The evolution of the times, technology, law, and economics places the mission of the Church before the challenge of continuous renewal,” particularly in sectors such as healthcare that require vision, investment, and prudent management, the chirograph says.

Among these institutions is Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, founded “with the aim of providing hospitality, assistance, and care to the sick, pilgrims, and their families, inspired by the spirituality and the figure of its saintly founder.”

The guidance and oversight commission has the task of analyzing the hospital foundation’s “current situation, identifying the best solutions for ever-greater efficiency, effectiveness, and long-term sustainability of its work and mission, and ensuring the concrete implementation of those solutions.”

The commission will operate on all fronts — financial, patrimonial, and operational — with full authority to carry out the necessary acts of both ordinary and extraordinary administration. It will report directly to the pope before any decision of particular significance and before adopting measures of special importance or those that would have a decisive and substantial impact on the foundation’s assets or modify its statutes.

The commission represents a combined effort by Vatican economic bodies and the Secretariat of State. Maximino Caballero Ledo, prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, will serve as president. The coordinator is Fabio Gasperini, secretary-general of the Governorate. Archbishop Giordano Piccinotti, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, is a member together with Archbishop Paolo Rudelli, undersecretary for general affairs of the Secretariat of State. The technical committee includes Benjamín Estévez de Cominges, Gino Gumirato, and attorney Alessandro Ela Oyana.

Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza was born from Padre Pio’s concrete faith, rooted in the conviction that caring for the body is an integral part of the Christian mission.

The decision to establish an ad hoc commission is a sign of Leo’s interest in the hospital but also unusual, given that Pope Francis already established a Vatican commission for Catholic healthcare.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

At the general audience on May 27, Pope Leo XIV urged priests to respect the “norms of the liturgy” and not to make changes to the Mass “on their own initiative,” in order to avoid confusing the faithful.

“I encourage all priests to respect the texts and norms of the liturgy with openness, humility, trust in God’s greatness and with sincere fidelity to ecclesial communion,” the pope said in remarks in St. Peterʼs Square.

Pope Leo XIV waves to pilgrims in St. Peterʼs Square during the general audience on May 27, 2026. The pope spoke about the Second Vatican Council and the need for priests to follow liturgical norms. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

The Second Vatican Council “affirmed that legitimate progress in the liturgy must also preserve sound tradition, and that certain elements of the liturgy can never change because they are divinely instituted,” he said.

Vatican II’s reform of the Mass

Leo’s catechesis on Wednesday continued his reflections on the magisterium of the Second Vatican Council, focusing on the constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, promulgated by St. Pope Paul VI on Dec. 4, 1963. It is one of the most important documents to emerge from the council, since it transformed the way Catholics celebrate the Mass.

The pope offered a historical overview of the context in which Vatican II was convened, noting: “At that moment in history, there was a strong sense of the need for a renewal of the ritual forms through which, for centuries, the Church had glorified God and sanctified the Christian people.”

Pope Leo XIV blesses a baby in St. Peterʼs Square during the general audience on May 27, 2026. The pope spoke about the Second Vatican Council and the need for priests to follow liturgical norms. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

He also underscored that, thanks to the liturgical movement, the conviction had developed — later expressed by St. John Paul II — that “‘a very close and organic bond exists between the renewal of the liturgy and the renewal of the whole life of the Church. The Church not only acts but also expresses herself in the liturgy, lives by the liturgy and draws from the liturgy the strength for her life.’ (Letter Dominicae Cenae, 13)”

The pontiff reflected on Sacrosanctum Concilium, which he said sought “to encourage the access of the faithful to the richness of the gifts of grace dispensed by the sacred liturgy.” The pope highlighted the formula adopted by the council fathers: “That sound tradition may be retained, and yet the way remain open to legitimate progress.”

To deepen this idea, the pope quoted Pope Benedict XVI, who explained that the Council Fathers’ “reform program” sought “a balance between the great liturgical tradition of the past and that of the future."

Pilgrims stand in St. Peterʼs Square during Pope Leo XIVʼs general audience on May 27, 2026. The pope spoke about the Second Vatican Council and the need for priests to follow liturgical norms. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

Benedict XVI said that “tradition and progress are often clumsily opposed,” but the late pope noted that “actually, the two concepts merge: tradition is a living reality, which therefore includes in itself the principle of development, of progress.”

Leo XIV said that the progress referred to by Sacrosanctum Concilium “in no way compromises ecclesial communion: rather, it seeks to confirm and foster it.”

He emphasized that “changes of this type have taken place constantly over the centuries in order to enable the faithful to participate fruitfully, through ritual actions, in the Paschal Mystery of Christ, the foundation of the Christian faith.”

“For the good of the entire Church, every reform must always be preceded by careful ‘theological, historical and pastoral’ investigation,” the Holy Father said. “The Council Magisterium, in this way, thus calls for the avoidance of confusion amongst the faithful, discouraging anyone from adding, removing or altering anything in liturgical matters on their own initiative.”

The Church’s worship, he added, has been “embodied” in the cultural forms of each age and has been able to influence them and even transform them.

“The liturgy has thus been, for centuries, a driving force for evangelization. Today, this energy must be renewed in continuity with the authentic and living Catholic tradition, that is, in accordance with a dynamic aimed at introducing believers to the fullness of the truth,” he said.

War in Ukraine

In an appeal at the end of the audience, Leo expressed his concern over a recent intensification of the war in Ukraine. The Holy Father said he was entrusting everyone affected by war to the protection of Mary, Queen of Peace.

“I wish to express my solidarity with all those suffering as a result of the recent attacks, which have also targeted civilians,” he said.

“War does not solve problems; it exacerbates them,“ he said. ”It does not build security; it multiplies suffering and hatred. Where missiles and drones fall, hopes are crushed, homes and places of worship are destroyed, and innocent lives are cut short.”

This story was originally published by ACI Prensa, EWTN News’ Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

During the presentation of Pope Leo XIVʼs first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, the co-founder of Anthropic, Christopher Olah, pointed to three major ethical challenges posed by the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and called for a profound discernment regarding its future.

On May 25, addressing representatives from the realms of academia, diplomacy, and religion gathered in the Vatican’s Synod Hall, Olah stated that the questions raised by AI “are larger than the research community” and cannot be left solely in the hands of scientists or technology companies.

“We need more of the world — religious communities, civil society, scholars, governments, and indeed all people of goodwill — to do what His Holiness has done here: to take this seriously, to look closely, and to push events in a better direction,” he stated.

Pope Leo XIV listens to Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah, far right, during the presentation of the pope’s first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas: On the Safeguarding of the Human Person in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” at the Vatican’s Synod Hall on May 25, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

Olah began his remarks by acknowledging that even the most advanced AI laboratories, including Anthropic, operate under economic, geopolitical, and personal incentives that can come into tension with the common good.

“The pressure to stay commercially viable and to stay at the research frontier; geopolitical pressure and the older, plainer pressures of pride and ambition” inevitably influence those who develop this technology, he noted.

Consequently, he underscored the importance of having outside voices capable of questioning and overseeing the development of AI.

“If we want this technology to go well, it is enormously important that there be people outside those incentives — people who care about things going well and insist on safety, who are paying close attention, who are willing to say hard things,” he noted.

In this context, Olah deemed the discernment called for by Pope Leo XIV to be “profoundly timely” and outlined three major issues where the voice of the Church is necessary.

During the presentation of the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas on May 25, 2026, Christopher Olah, co-founder of Anthropic, pointed to the ethical challenges posed by the development of AI. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News 1. Duty to the global poor

The first major concern raised by Olah was the impact of AI on work and global inequalities.

“AI development is concentrated in a handful of wealthy nations. How can we ensure the gains of AI are shared globally?” he asked.

He warned of the “real possibility” that AI could “displace human labor on a very large scale,” which would make supporting affected workers “a moral imperative of historic proportions.”

However, Olah noted that there exists an even more complex challenge: the absence of mechanisms capable of fairly distributing economic benefits.

“We do not have a mechanism for this. It is an unsolved problem, and it is the kind of problem the Church has historically refused to let the world ignore,” he said.

2. Rediscovering and rethinking what it means to flourish as a human being

The second consideration presented by the co-founder of Anthropic was the need to approach technological development from the perspective of human and familial flourishing.

“If AI models are going to be widespread, what does it look like for humans, families, and the world to flourish?” he asked.

“These are not questions that a lab can answer,” he continued.

Olah noted that many parents are already concerned about the impact of technology on their children’s minds, while numerous people feel uncertain regarding the future of their jobs.

In this regard, he highlighted the role of the Church, which he said has spent millennia reflecting on human dignity and the meaning of life. Olah emphasized the need for the Church to continue doing so “into this new moment in history.”

Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah speaks during the presentation of the encyclical Magnifca Humanitas on May 25, 2026, in the Synod Hall at the Vatican. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News 3. The need for discernment on the part of AI model developers

The third concern raised by Olah related to the very nature of AI systems, an aspect he said remains mysterious, even to those involved in developing them.

“I am a scientist. I lead a research team that studies the internal structure of these models — what is actually happening inside them. And I will be honest: We keep finding things that are mysterious, even unsettling,” he stated.

Among these findings, he cited internal structures that “mirror results from human neuroscience” as well as evidence of introspection and internal states that “functionally mirror joy, satisfaction, fear, grief, and unease.”

“I don’t know what that means, but I think it warrants ongoing discernment,” he pointed out.

He even compared the phenomenon to “bringing a fictional character to life,” noting that “we’re entering an extraordinary world where those fictional characters speak to us, do work, have jobs.”

In concluding his remarks, Olah called upon more sectors of society to follow the example set by Pope Leo XIV in seriously addressing the phenomenon of artificial intelligence.

“We need moral voices that the incentives cannot bend. Today is just the beginning — the start of a long collaboration between those of us who are building this and those who can see what we, from inside, cannot,” he noted.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) announced the names of four priests to be consecrated as bishops on July 1 without the permission of Pope Leo XIV.

The general house of the society published the announcement on May 26 after being warned by the Vatican on May 13 that its plan to consecrate bishops without a papal mandate would constitute “a schismatic act” and carry the penalty of excommunication. The consecrations will take place at its seminary in Écône, Switzerland.

The four priests announced are Fathers Pascal Schreiber (Switzerland), Michael Goldade (United States), Michel Poinsinet de Sivry (France), and Marc Hanappier (France).

The statement from the SSPX general house declared that the decision to move on with the consecrations was made “in a spirit of respect toward the supreme authority of the universal Church” and would be “a service rendered to souls and to the Church amid this unprecedented crisis of the faith.”

The SSPX, which exclusively celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass, maintains doctrinal differences with certain teachings and reforms of the Second Vatican Council, particularly regarding religious freedom and the Church’s approach to other faiths.

The decision to proceed with the consecrations without papal approval was confirmed in a Feb. 18 letter from SSPX superior general Father Davide Pagliarani, following talks with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith that had broken down earlier that month.

The Holy See Press Office did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

Pope Leo XIV decried a rejection of Christian values in European institutions, leading to what he characterized as “a time of drastic sterility” and “purportedly family-friendly policies” that also support abortion.

In a May 25 audience with members of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Demography, the pope underscored the central place of the family — founded on marriage between a man and a woman — as a pillar for avoiding both excessive state intervention and the advance of individualism.

The Holy Father denounced what he described as a “rejection of the Christian inspiration of the founding fathers of the EU institutions,” which in his view has led “to a time of drastic sterility, not only because too many have been deprived of the right to be born, but also because there has been a failure to pass on the material and cultural tools that young people need to face the future.”

“As a result, we are not infrequently faced with the contradictory claims of purportedly family-friendly policies, which simultaneously promote discrimination against motherhood, exalt abortion as a right, and undermine the very foundation of the desire to start a family,” Leo warned.

He insisted on the need to study these issues within academic, political, and social bodies, affirming that the demographic challenge “stands as a crucial juncture for the anthropological, social, and economic future of Europe."

'Pandemic of loneliness’

In his speech the pope also described Europe’s demographic decline as “an urgent challenge,” one that encompasses not only the problems arising from an aging population but also what he called “the pandemic of loneliness.”

According to Eurostat’s latest report on demographics in Europe, all European Union countries have recorded declining birth rates since 2004. In 2024, the rate stood at 7.9 live births per 1,000 inhabitants, and in 2025 the EU’s median age reached 44.9 years.

The pontiff emphasized that demographic data “are not merely statistics but speak of fatherhood, motherhood, and children. And children are the future!” He also stressed that “solidarity between generations,” currently lacking in Europe, is essential for achieving integral and sustainable development.

The vital role of the family in society

According to the Holy Father, the key to finding solutions to demographic challenges lies in “the fundamental dignity of all persons” and in the role of the family in society. He recalled that the family is “the first and irreplaceable school of social life” and is “founded on marriage between a man and a woman.”

For this reason, he urged the parliamentarians to promote shared responsibility and the active role of families in social, political, and cultural life, because, he said, “only by respecting and promoting this central place of the family, and applying the principle of subsidiarity, is it possible to avoid the two extremes of excessive state intervention and individualism.”

This approach, he noted, provides the “unchanging principles that can surely guide” society in answering fundamental questions: “What is the meaning and value of human life; what is an authentic human society; and what kind of world do we want to hand on to future generations.”

‘A fresh springtide for the family’

On this basis, he emphasized that national and European Union policies “need to be developed and formulated in partnership with civil society” so that “policies look to human persons in their entirety and always promote the dignity of human beings.”

“In this way, a genuinely human path can be opened for resolving the demographic crisis, oriented toward the common good and the well-being of future generations,” he said.

In conclusion, the pope stressed that “only a fresh springtide for the family can transform the winter chill of our aging populations!”

The meeting at the Vatican took place on the occasion of the Conference on the Family and Demography held in Rome, which was also attended by the European commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica; Italy’s minister for family, natality, and equal opportunities, Eugenia Roccella; and the OSCE special representative on demographic change and security, Gudrun Kugler.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The Vatican Museums and the Archdiocese of Sydney have launched an immersive experience of the Sistine Chapel in Sydney, Australia.

The exhibit will enable visitors to experience Michelangeloʼs world-famous Renaissance frescoes beyond the Vatican ahead of the International Eucharistic Congress in Sydney in 2028.

A conference was held in Rome on May 22 to celebrate the initiative “Sistine Chapel Revelations: An Immersive Exhibition.”

Barbara Jatta, director of the Vatican Museums; Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP, of Sydney; and Australian Ambassador to the Holy See Keith Pitt, among others, attended the conference.

Human capability at its best

Fisher called the Sydney exhibit a valuable chance for visitors to see one of the Churchʼs masterpieces of art without traveling to Rome. He praised the exhibitʼs evangelizing power and ability to help visitors understand the artʼs mysteries in ways “even the most devoted pilgrim to the Vatican Museums may not always manage.”

"Until you have seen the Sistine Chapel, you can have no adequate conception of what man is capable of,” Fisher said, referring to a famous quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. "Not that any virtual reality experience can substitute for visiting the Sistine itself! [But] in Sydney ... we have seen how beauty and transcendence can mesmerize the senses and speak to the heart, as the painted stories have revealed themselves anew."

The Sistine Chapel is widely regarded as the site of some of the greatest artworks of the High Renaissance. It is the main chapel of the Apostolic Palace, the popeʼs official residence in Vatican City. It was built from 1473 to 1481 under Pope Sixtus IV and has hosted papal conclaves since 1492.

Its famous artworks are by some of the periodʼs most celebrated artists, such as Michelangelo Buonarotti, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Sandro Botticelli.

Michelangeloʼs frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, including the ceiling and the “Last Judgment” behind the high altar, are among the most renowned in art history.

Australia hopeful for a papal visit in 2028

There is hope that the Sydney exhibition will be a precursor to a future visit by Pope Leo XIV to Australia. The last pope to visit the country was Pope Benedict XVI, for World Youth Day, in 2008.

Pitt praised the immersive Sistine Chapel project as an “extraordinary opportunity for Australia” and expressed his hope that it would lead to Leoʼs future visit to the country for the 54th International Eucharistic Congress in 2028.

The International Eucharistic Congress is a gathering of Catholics from around the world to celebrate the central doctrine of the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

Held about once every four years, the congress is often attended by a papal representative and, at times, the pope himself goes to celebrate the closing Mass. The last time a pope attended the Eucharistic congress was in 2021, when Pope Francis celebrated the closing Mass in Budapest, Hungary.

“We are very hopeful that the pope will attend. He has been invited by the government, the prime minister, and, of course, the embassy. We are working closely with the Holy See,” Pitt said. “It would be almost exactly 20 years since the last papal visit to Australia, and he would be very warmly received.”

The Sistine Chapel exhibition will run from May 15 to July 19 at St. Maryʼs Cathedral in Sydney.

Pope Leo XIV devotes a substantial portion of his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, to the impact of the digital revolution on education and family life.

The pontiff acknowledges that “rapid technological transformations reveal just how unprepared we are on the educational level.” He warns that “the pervasiveness of digital media fosters a culture of immediacy and hyper-stimulation, which gives rise to fatigue, boredom, and apathy concerning the effort required for seeking the truth.”

In response, he emphasizes that education “is a long journey requiring patience and therefore needs time for development and for engagement with reality beyond appearances,” something he considers “fundamental,” because — as he recalls — every technology “shapes those who use it.”

The risk of extinguishing the desire to ask questions

In the encyclical, Leo XIV does not offer ready-made answers or an easy list of tips. Rather, he issues a broad call to rethink what it means to educate people in the use of artificial intelligence and its implications. Ultimately, as he himself states, it is a matter of educating people “to decide when and for what purpose it ought not to be used.”

“The speed and ease with which answers or summaries can be obtained risk extinguishing the desire to ask questions, which is a process that bears fruit only over time,” the pope writes. To illustrate this point, he turns to the Seventh Letter of the Greek philosopher Plato, from 353 B.C., a cornerstone of Western thought.

“We must learn, then, how to exercise restraint in the use of AI and to protect our young people from the promise of the perfect machine, from that subtle temptation which renders human thought seemingly superfluous precisely when it is most needed,” he suggests, recalling that, as Plato said, the deepest and most important realities are learned only with great time and effort.

‘Early and unsupervised exposure’

The pope also warns about the negative impact on sleep, attention, and emotional regulation caused by “early and unsupervised exposure to digital devices and social media.”

This is compounded, he continues, “by easy access to violent or degrading content that offends sensibility, to pornographic and hypersexualized material, to messages that trivialize the body and emotions, and to proposals that normalize risky behavior.”

“Having a personal mobile device at too early an age and using it without adult supervision can exacerbate young people’s vulnerabilities, foster addiction, and expose them to isolation, bullying, and cyberbullying, as well as to pressures to share intimate images or sensitive information,” he warns.

In this regard, the pontiff acknowledges that it is difficult for parents to resist on their own the “influence of business models that monetize attention and time.” Hence his call for “an alliance among policymakers, educational institutions, and families that is capable of concretely supporting adults in this task.”

“Farsighted public policies are needed,” he insists, “to oppose the immediate interests of platforms, concentrated in a few hands, when they conflict with the well-being of minors.”

Along these lines, without pointing to any specific government, he speaks positively of legislative initiatives promoted in countries such as Australia, France, and Spain, and urges the promotion of “setting age limits, holding service providers accountable rather than shifting the whole burden of control onto families, and for providing specific protections against all forms of online sexual exploitation and violence. Thus can children and adolescents, who are entrusted to our care, be genuinely protected as a precious treasure.”

Leo also identifies several pressing challenges within education in the face of the emergence of artificial intelligence.

“Many educational systems struggle to keep pace with change and to support the integral development of students,” he notes.

The development of information technologies and AI is causing curricula designed for another era to be obsolete, while school organization, spaces, assessment methods, and the very role of the teacher must be rethought “in order to promote an authentically integral education that addresses every dimension of the person.”

“It is necessary to support the ongoing formation of teachers throughout their professional lives, so that they can engage positively with new technologies, helping students to use them responsibly, critically, and creatively rather than passively succumbing to their influence,” he says.

The Holy Father also identifies a challenge of an intellectual and wisdom-based nature. “Without careful attention, an educational system lacking in a love for truth may emerge, in which an incessant flow of information replaces the essential exercise of research, reflection, and discernment,” he laments.

A healthy attitude of attention

In this context, he warns of the proliferation of a fragmented knowledge, while “it becomes difficult to grasp reality as a whole, to ask profound questions about meaning, or to develop authentic, critical, and creative thought.”

“A genuinely healthy attitude is needed, requiring rhythms that incorporate silence, in-depth study, reading, and judicious analysis, for without these elements inner freedom may be compromised,” he proposes.

The Church’s social doctrine, the pope says, calls for a renewed educational alliance among families, schools, Christian communities, and public institutions. This takes concrete form when principles are translated into educational goals: educating in sobriety and a sense of limits; in recognizing the right of others and of future generations to enjoy the goods received or created by human ingenuity; in freedom and responsibility; and in a sense of transcendence and the common good.

“Schools are not called to follow the pace of the digital world but to offer that which the digital sphere by itself cannot provide, namely a shared time for learning and developing trustworthy relationships,” he concludes.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV just released his first encyclical — and it may be the most important Church document of our lifetime. Called Magnifica Humanitas, it covers artificial intelligence, human dignity, childrenʼs phones, autonomous weapons, doomscrolling, the mystery of the human soul, and why no machine will ever have the final word on what it means to be a person made in the image of God.

The full document is available to download here — and worth a read. But for a quick taste of whatʼs inside, here are 15 powerful quotes from the encyclical:

“Never has humanity had such power over itself” (No. 4).

"In practice, however, technology is never neutral, because it takes on the characteristics of those who devise, finance, regulate, and use it. Therefore, the primary choice is not between a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to technology, but rather between constructing Babel or rebuilding Jerusalem; between a power that claims to dominate the heavens and a people who work together in the presence of God to rebuild the walls of fraternal coexistence” (No. 9).

“In the era of artificial intelligence, when human dignity is threatened by new forms of dehumanization, ours is the pressing duty to remain profoundly human. We must lovingly safeguard the grandeur of humanity bestowed upon us and revealed in its fullness in Christ, the splendor of which no machine can ever replace” (No. 15).

“Thus, the ‘rejected stones’ — the poor, the sick, the migrants, and the least among us — will become the cornerstone, and a solid, welcoming common home will emerge on the earth, where love and faithfulness will finally meet, and righteousness and peace will embrace (cf. Ps 85:10)” (No. 16).

“Human dignity does not depend on a person’s abilities, wealth, or position in life, nor on the right or wrong choices made; instead, it is a gift that precedes and transcends each person, endowed by God as an expression of his unfailing love” (No. 50).

“Among these ideologies, I consider particularly insidious the one that suggests that every person must earn or justify his or her own worth, to the point of attributing greater value to those who are more efficient or effective” (No. 51).

“No sin, failure, humiliation, or exclusion can diminish the profound value of a human life that God has willed and called into being” (No. 52).

“Solidarity demands that decisions regarding data, algorithms, platforms, and artificial intelligence take into account not only the immediate benefit for a few, but also the impact on all peoples and on future generations” (No. 76).

“For an algorithm, an error is a flaw to be corrected; for a person, however, an error can be a catalyst for profound change. A person’s future is not calculable, but depends on one’s freedom — elevated by the inexhaustible grace of God — and on the relationships cultivated” (No. 128).

“Having a personal mobile device at too early an age and using it without adult supervision can exacerbate young people’s vulnerabilities, foster addiction, and expose them to isolation, bullying, and cyberbullying, as well as to pressures to share intimate images or sensitive information” (No. 141).

“Even in the darkest nights, the Lord raises up men and women who refuse to give up, who persevere in doing good, who protect the vulnerable and open pathways to reconciliation. The memory of the saints, righteous people, and the oft-forgotten peacemakers, show us that grace does not magically eliminate conflict, but instead it inspires active resistance to evil and an astonishing creativity in doing good” (No. 211).

“The civilization of love will not arise from a single or spectacular gesture but from the sum total of small and steadfast acts of fidelity that serve as a bulwark against dehumanization” (No. 213).

“‘Let us disarm words and we will help to disarm the world.’ Words have enormous power, something we experience in our daily interactions; for example, spoken words can change our mood for better or for worse" (No. 214).

“No computational system, however sophisticated, can create a heart that gives itself, or a conscience that discerns good from evil. Even when machines excel in efficiency, a human face that asks to be gazed upon remains the center of our history. This human face is the fullness toward which history is moving” (No. 233).

“Let us remain faithful to the truth! Living amid incessant flows of information, opinions, and images, we know how easy it can be to influence decisions and preferences through increasingly sophisticated algorithms. In this context, it is imperative to cultivate hearts that love the truth, prefer what is right despite the most appealing content, and pursue wisdom rather than immediate results” (No. 237).

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Monday personally attended the presentation of his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, in an uncustomary gesture. Upon his arrival at the event, held in the Vaticanʼs Synod Hall, he was greeted with sustained applause from an audience made up of members of the Roman Curia, representatives of academia, and the diplomatic corps.

Among the speakers was Canadian Christopher Olah, co-founder of Anthropic, one of the leading artificial intelligence (AI) companies. The firm has recently had tensions with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump after prohibiting the U.S. Department of Defense from using its software for military purposes.

Some observers had raised concerns about including a representative of a major tech company like Anthropic in an event of this kind. The Holy Father himself dispelled any hesitation by thanking Olah for his presence: “What a great sign of hope it is that with our differences we can listen to one another,” he said in his remarks.

“This interchange clearly bespeaks the gravity of the moment, as well as confidence that together we can discern the major questions of our time, and so the future of humanity,” he added.

In his remarks prior to the pope’s address, Olah echoed the same idea: "That is why, if we want this technology to go well, it is enormously important that there be people outside those incentives — people who care about things going well and insist on safety, who are paying close attention, who are willing to say hard things, who are willing to be our earnest, thoughtful, critics. It is through dialogue and mutual effort, through the push and pull, that humanity will achieve great things. That is what I see in Magnifica Humanitas, and it is why I am grateful to His Holiness and the Church for taking up this work of discernment.”

Christopher Olah, co-founder of AI company Anthropic, says he is grateful to Pope Leo XIV and the Church for “taking up this work of discernment” on artificial intelligence, during his address at the presentation of the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas on May 25, 2026, in the Synod Hall of the Vatican. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News/Vatican Pool

Olah, who is not a believer, also issued a call to various sectors — religious communities, civil society, academics, and governments — to follow the pope’s example with this document: “to take this seriously, to look closely, and to push events in a better direction. We need informed critics who will tell the labs when we are failing. We need moral voices that the incentives cannot bend.”

It is no coincidence that Leo XIV signed his first encyclical on May 15, the same date on which his predecessor Leo XIII promulgated Rerum Novarum (“On New Things”) in 1891 in response to the dehumanization brought about by the Industrial Revolution. As the pope explained, the world today faces a transformation of perhaps even greater scope.

“Today we find ourselves facing a transformation of similar magnitude, with perhaps even greater consequences. Artificial intelligence already touches many areas of our lives and affects decisions that shape human coexistence,” he said.

The pope expressed particular concern about the impact of new technologies on the conduct of war, which, he warned, is changing dramatically.

“Like the earlier Leo, I feel entrusted to look upon another huge transformation with eyes of faith, with lucidity of reason, with openness to mystery, and with cries of the poor and the earth resounding in my heart,” he said.

The Holy Father also described the method behind the drafting of this magisterial document, which began in July 2025 at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo. In it, he seeks to reaffirm what makes us human in a society shaped by technology.

He emphasized that Magnifica Humanitas was born from listening: “I have listened to scientists and engineers who work with sincere enthusiasm on technologies capable of alleviating immense suffering, to political leaders and public officials who have perseveringly sought just rules, to parents and teachers who are deeply concerned for the future of younger generations,” he said, without naming individuals.

At the same time, he acknowledged hearing “Other very troubling voices have also reached me about increasingly autonomous weapons systems practically beyond any human reach to govern them effectively.”

“I hear very troubling accounts of algorithms that can block access to healthcare, employment, and security on the basis of data tainted by prejudice and injustice. And Iʼve heard the silence of those who have no voice when decisions are made — decisions likely to generate new forms of exclusion and suffering,” he lamented.

In line with the document — which states that artificial intelligence is not morally neutral — the pope called for AI to be “disarmed.”

“The word is strong, I know, but deliberately chosen because this moment needs words capable of attracting attention, awakening consciences, and indicating paths forward for humanity,” he warned.

“The Church has long been working for nuclear disarmament, aware that every great technical power can affect peopleʼs lives, and so must be accompanied by adequate moral discernment and public control. Nuclear disarmament remains a service to peace and the dignity of the human family,” he added.

Also speaking at the presentation were three cardinals of the Roman Curia: Secretary of State Pietro Parolin; Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith; and Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

Two theologians also took the floor: Anna Rowlands, a specialist in Catholic social teaching and migration ethics at Durham University, and Leocadie Lushombo, an expert in political theology and Catholic social thought at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in California.

This story was originally published by ACI Prensa, EWTN News' Spanish-language news service. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

As the first encyclical of his pontificate, Magnifica Humanitas, published Monday, can be regarded as an indication of Pope Leo XIVʼs doctrinal approach.

One of the most significant aspects of magisterial documents like encyclicals is the sources of inspiration the pope draws upon beyond the strictly ecclesial sphere — that is, not only citations from great theologians, Church Fathers, or pontiffs but also references from traditions and disciplines outside the Church.

For example, Leo XIV cites Viktor Frankl, the physician and survivor of four Nazi concentration camps, including Auschwitz, between 1942 and 1945. From that extreme experience — marked by the total destruction of his surroundings and the extermination of his loved ones — emerged his universal work “Man’s Search for Meaning,” in which Frankl argues that, despite suffering, life remains worth living.

The pope also points to the “almost prophetic significance” of various cultural expressions: Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, which he describes as a “desire for unity”; Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica,” “as a denunciation of dehumanization”; and Steven Spielberg’s film “Schindler’s List,” “as a call not to consign the past to oblivion.”

In the encyclical, the pontiff warns of the risks facing democratic life in a context in which “the question of what is true loses interest,” giving way to a pragmatism satisfied with “what seems useful or effective.”

To illustrate the consequences of this indifference to truth — which, according to the pope, “leads slowly but inexorably toward totalitarianism” — he turns to the German-American philosopher and political theorist Hannah Arendt.

In “The Origins of Totalitarianism,” published in 1951, Arendt maintains that the ideal subjects of such regimes are not necessarily those who are ideologically convinced but rather “people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction (i.e., the reality of experience) and the distinction between true and false (i.e, the standards of thought) no longer exist,” as quoted in Magnifica Humanitas.

The pontiff also cites 20th-century Catholic writer J.R.R. Tolkien, specifically “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” the epic conclusion of his famous trilogy. Through the wizard Gandalf, the pope recalls the moral responsibility of each generation: “It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succor of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till.”

Alongside these references, the pontiff evokes the civil rights movement in the United States, associated with the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr., as well as the end of apartheid in South Africa following Nelson Mandela’s release and his decision not to “surrender the future to hatred.”

The magisterial text also recognizes the witness of “courageous and generous” women such as St. Laura Montoya, St. Teresa of Calcutta, Dorothy Day, and Elisabeth Elliot (1926–2015), an influential American Christian missionary, writer, and speaker.

Alongside them, Leo mentions prominent figures from various fields of knowledge and social action who are not necessarily Catholic. Among them are Marie Curie (1867–1934), a pioneer in the study of radioactivity and the first person to receive two Nobel Prizes in different fields (physics and chemistry); Maria Montessori, the Italian physician, educator, and philosopher who revolutionized education by placing the child at the center of learning; and Wangari Maathai (1940–2011), the Kenyan activist, founder of the Green Belt Movement, and the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy, and peace.

He also refers to Benazir Bhutto (1953–2007), a prominent Pakistani political leader and the first woman elected to govern a Muslim-majority country, serving as prime minister on two occasions, from 1988–1990 and 1993–1996.

All of them, together with many other women from different continents, Leo XIV notes, have contributed through their efforts to “making history more humane.”

In addition, in the section addressing education, the pontiff cites Plato — specifically his Seventh Letter, dating to 353 B.C. — in which, while recounting his stay in Syracuse under the tyrants Dionysius the Elder and Dionysius the Younger, the Greek philosopher sets forth part of his political and ethical doctrine.

The encyclical also highlights religious communities that choose to live in poor and dangerous places. The pope calls them “martyrs of fraternity and justice,” such as St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, St. Óscar Romero, and Blessed Enrique Angelelli; as well as other witnesses who, under harsh and often inhuman conditions, have embodied the hope of the Gospel and the dignity of the human person, such as the Venerable François-Xavier Nguyễn Văn Thuận.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV signed Magnifica Humanitas, the first encyclical of his pontificate, on May 15, 2026. The document was released by the Holy See on May 25, 2026.

The encyclical develops the Churchʼs social teaching in light of artificial intelligence, situating new questions of human dignity, labor, and the common good within the tradition that runs from Rerum Novarum through Centesimus Annus and Laudato Si'.

Download and read the full encyclical as a PDF below.

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In his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, published Monday, Pope Leo XIV calls on society and AI developers to implement “shared standards of social justice” in order for artificial intelligence to respect human dignity and serve the common good.

AI is not a morally neutral tool; It matters not only how it is used, but how it is designed, Leo writes in “Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence,” published May 25. Magnifica Humanitas means “Magnificent Humanity” in Latin.

He also warns that “a more moral AI is not enough if that morality is determined by a few … In fact, as with every major technological shift, AI tends to amplify the power of those who already possess economic resources, expertise and access to data.”

The first encyclical letter of Leo XIV covers a wide range of social issues, focusing heavily on the impacts of AI in the areas of education, the economy, unemployment, work, the development of young people, human trafficking and war.

He proposes the principles of Catholic Social Doctrine — the dignity of the person, the common good, the universal destination of goods, subsidiarity, solidarity and justice — as guidelines for decision-making and the “criteria for judging whether technologies truly serve humanity or are subjugating it.”

While rejecting dichotomous thinking that pits the opportunities of AI against its risks, or enthusiasm against fear, Leo offers a stark assessment of the technological paradigm the world finds itself in today and describes a path of progress that serves people “or a progress that subjects them to the mentality of power.”

“The risk extends beyond the misuse of certain technologies. More gravely, the pervasive technocratic paradigm in which we are immersed, and that is amplified by the digital revolution and AI, threatens to normalize an anti-human vision,” he writes.

Leo borrows the term, “technocratic paradigm,” from Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato Si', in which, Leo writes, Francis critiqued a paradigm “that seeks to reduce everything to an object to be dominated.”

In that anti-human vision, he continues, “the fullness of life is equated with having more, reducing weakness, eliminating uncertainty and exerting total control. When efficiency becomes the ultimate measure of value, human beings are tempted to see themselves as a project to be optimized rather than as persons called to relationship and communion.”

According to Pope Leo, the central question — safeguarding our humanity — is something everyone should have a role in answering.

He invokes one of his spiritual guides, St. Augustine of Hippo, quoting from “De Civitate Dei” (“The City of God”): “‘Two loves have built two cities: the earthly city, the love of self even to the contempt of God; the heavenly city, the love of God even to the contempt of self.’ As throughout history, these two loves continue to contend for dominance in our hearts today.”

Pope Leo XIV signed his first encyclical, ‘Magnifica Humanitas:’ On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence, on May 15, 2026, the 135th anniversary of the encyclical ‘Rerum Novarum’ by Pope Leo XIII. ‘Magnifica Humanitas’ was released on May 25, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media. Image composition: EWTN News From Catholic Social Doctrine to the fight for power

The encyclical’s 245 paragraphs are broken down into an introduction and five chapters, with the first two dedicated to an explanation of the development of the Church’s Social Doctrine from Pope Leo XIII to today, the main principles of that doctrine, and how they can be applied to the current technological age.

Chapter three introduces “the technocratic paradigm” of artificial intelligence and the imbalance of digital power.

Chapter four turns to the importance of safeguarding truth, democracy, work, education, and human freedom in the age of AI, while the fifth chapter is dedicated to an analysis of the normalization of war, the fight for power, and how everyone has a responsibility to help build a civilization of love through the cultivation of peace and justice.

Throughout the encyclical, Leo draws on the image of construction to ask how humanity will respond to the new technological age. Humanity, he says, must choose between building the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9) and building a city where God and humanity can dwell together, as Nehemiah gathered together people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile (Nehemiah 2-6).

“In light of these two images, the Holy Spirit challenges us today regarding our relationship with technology and the ongoing digital revolution,” he writes. “Technology has the power to heal, connect, educate and protect our common home; but it can also divide, exclude and generate new forms of injustice.”

Pope Leo XIV draws on quotations from prominent 19th and 20th-century thinkers, both Catholic and Jewish, including St. John Paul II, Victor Frankl, Hannah Arendt, J.R.R. Tolkien, Giorgio La Pira, and Fr. Romano Guardini, to argue that while technology is not a solution in itself to humanity’s problems, nor is it inherently evil.

“In practice, however, technology is never neutral, because it takes on the characteristics of those who devise it, finance it, regulate it and use it,” he writes.

The choice, he continues, is not between a “yes” or “no” to technology, but “between constructing Babel or rebuilding Jerusalem; between a power that claims to dominate the heavens and a people who work together in the presence of God to rebuild the walls of fraternal coexistence.”

Frequently cited sources for the encyclical letter include Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical Caritas in Veritate and the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.

Writing that he does not wish to give a comprehensive overview of AI, the pope points readers to previous writings by the Church on AI, in particular, the 2025 note Antiqua et Nova by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Dicastery for Culture and Education and Quo Vadis, Humanitas? published earlier this year by the International Theological Commission — both of which are cited often in the footnotes of Magnifica Humanitas.

Christian humanism and the technocratic paradigm

The pope writes about the mindsets of transhumanism and posthumanism and how they are the ideological vision underlying technology.

He proposes a Christian humanism, where human beings “are not confined by the boundaries of their own nature; rather, they are called to self-transcendence, not through an escape from reality or a contempt for their limitations, but through their fulfillment in love.”

In Magnifica Humanitas, the Holy Father also expresses concern about the “new monopolies of AI.”

“To speak of the common good means exposing this new form of epistemic, economic, and political asymmetry,” he writes.

The key question, he says, is that posed by Saint John Paul II: Does AI “make human life on earth ‘more human’ in every aspect of that life? Does it make it more worthy of man?’”

Leo writes that “a decisive test for the ethical discernment of AI and digital transformation” is in the fight against new forms of slavery, such as human trafficking. The pontiff goes on to “sincerely ask for pardon,” in the name of the Church, for the “immense suffering and humiliation endured by so many” before slavery was unequivocally condemned in the 19th century.

“This development offers a clear example of the Church’s growth in understanding the perennial truths of Revelation that she safeguards. Although there was not always consistency in practice,” he writes, “there has been a continuous affirmation throughout history of the dignity of every human being, created in the image of God, even if it took eighteen centuries for its full incompatibility with slavery to be explicitly recognized.”

The memory of past blindness and complicity regarding the injustice of slavery is “a call to vigilance,” the pope says. “What we have learned must be translated into discernment and responsibility in the present.”

‘A violent culture of power’

A large section of the pope’s letter is devoted to what he writes is, “a troubling revival of war as an instrument of international politics,” AI use in warfare, a crisis in multilateralism, and the erosion of ethical principles that used to limit war.

“Humanity is slipping into a violent culture of power,” he warns. “Today, more than ever, without prejudice to the right to self-defense in the strictest sense, it is important to reaffirm that the ‘just war’ theory which has all too often been used to justify any kind of war, is now outdated. Humanity possesses far more effective and capable tools for promoting human life and resolving conflicts, such as dialogue, diplomacy and forgiveness.”

“The modern Babel can be seen not only in the globalized technocratic paradigm, but also in the remote clash between opposing imperialisms, between powers that wish to preserve their supremacy, and those that aspire to seize that supremacy, resulting in a multiplicity of local conflicts. Moreover, there seems to be no limit to the race — driven by a dehumanizing ambition — to develop evermore powerful technologies or to secure control over them,” Pope Leo writes.

But the pontiff does not conclude on a negative note. He adds that, “despite this downward spiral, we can also glimpse a great part of humanity that is striving to remain human and working to build the holy city of coexistence and peace.”

Concluding the document, he expresses the hope that, “In the humble fidelity of daily life, even the era of AI can become a time in which the Holy Spirit brings about the civilization of love in our lives.”

“Indeed, the Lord continues to make all things new and offers every era the possibility of becoming part of salvation history in the light of the Incarnation.”

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV marked Pentecost Sunday with a plea for peace, praying that the Holy Spirit would save the world “from the evil of war” and renew the Church in its mission to transform confusion into communion.

Celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on May 24, the pope centered his homily on the risen Christ’s appearance to the disciples in the Upper Room, where Jesus showed them “his hands and his side” and breathed the Holy Spirit upon them.

“The Lord reveals his glorious body, specifically his wounds, the marks of the crucifixion,” Pope Leo said. “These signs of the Passion, more eloquent than words, are now transfigured; he who was dead lives forever.”

The pope said the same Upper Room that had been marked by fear and betrayal became, through Christ’s gift of the Spirit, “for the entire Church, the womb of the Resurrection.”

“Pentecost is therefore a Paschal feast and a feast of the body of Christ, which by grace is all of us,” he said.

Leo framed his homily around three aspects of the Holy Spirit: peace, mission, and truth.

“First of all, the Spirit of the risen One is the Spirit of peace,” he said. “Indeed, through his Paschal Mystery, Christ restores peace between God and humanity, and the Holy Spirit pours this peace into our hearts and spreads it throughout the world.”

That peace, the pope said, “stems from forgiveness and leads us to forgiveness,” beginning with Christ’s forgiveness of humanity.

The pope then described the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of mission,” citing Christ’s words: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

“We are truly co-workers of the Gospel: the whole Church is its protagonist, not merely its guardian,” Leo said. “Through the power of the Spirit, our proclamation is filled with joy and hope, for we — yes, we ourselves — are the newness of the world, the light and the salt of the earth.”

The pope warned that some changes “do not bring new life to the world, but make it grow old through error and violence.” By contrast, he said, “the Holy Spirit enlightens minds and instils new vitality in our hearts.”

“This is how he transfigures history, opening it to salvation, which is the gift that the Lord offers to everyone,” he said. “The Church’s mission bears witness to this offer, thereby transforming the world’s confusion into communion with God and among ourselves.”

Finally, Leo said the Spirit is “the Spirit of truth,” who “always promotes unity in truth” and protects the Church from “partisanship, hypocrisy and fads that obscure the light of the Gospel.”

“The truth that God gives us thus stands as a liberating word for all peoples, a message that transforms every culture from within,” he said.

Concluding his homily, the pope offered a prayer for a world wounded by war, poverty, and sin.

“Dear friends, with fervent hearts, let us pray today that the Spirit of the risen One may save us from the evil of war, which is overcome not by a superpower, but by the omnipotence of love,” he said. “Let us pray that he free humanity from misery, which is redeemed not by immeasurable wealth, but by an inexhaustible gift. Let us pray that he heal us from the scourge of sin through the salvation proclaimed to all peoples in the name of Jesus.”

After the Mass, Pope Leo appeared from his study in the Apostolic Palace to pray the Regina Caeli, returning again to the theme of the Holy Spirit as the one who opens what fear and sin have closed.

The pope said the Spirit was poured out abundantly on the newborn Church and is given anew to the faithful today as “light and strength” in every circumstance of life.

“The Spirit opens doors,” he said, pointing to the image of Christ opening the doors of the Upper Room and to the Acts of the Apostles, where the Spirit comes “like a violent wind.”

Leo asked: “What doors does the Holy Spirit open?”

The first, he said, is “the door of God himself,” opening access to the mystery of God as revealed in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit, he said, helps believers encounter God personally in Jesus, recognize him within themselves, and discover the signs of his presence in daily life.

The second door is that of the Upper Room, “that is, of the Church.” Without the fire of the Spirit, the pope said, the Church “remains a prisoner of fear,” timid before the challenges of the world, closed in on itself, and unable to enter into dialogue with changing times.

The third door, Leo said, is “the door of our hearts.” The Spirit helps believers overcome resistance, selfishness, mistrust, and prejudice, making them capable of living as children of God and brothers and sisters to one another.

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, fraternity is born among persons, groups, and peoples of the earth,” he said, adding that all are called to speak “the one language of love, which unites and harmonizes differences.”

The pope also recalled the day of prayer for the Church in China, observed on the liturgical memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, who is venerated at the Shrine of Our Lady of Sheshan in Shanghai.

Leo invited the faithful to join in prayer with Chinese Catholics “as a sign of our affection for them and of their communion with the universal Church and with the successor of Peter.” He prayed that Mary’s intercession would obtain for the Church in China the grace of unity and the strength to witness to the Gospel in daily hardship, becoming a seed of hope and peace.

The pope also remembered victims of a recent mining accident in northern China and entrusted to Mary the Christian communities of the Holy Land, Lebanon, and the wider Middle East suffering because of war.

This story was first published in two parts by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

This week the Vatican announced the upcoming release of Pope Leo XIVʼs long-awaited first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas.

Amid anticipation of the encyclical there is renewed interest in what papal documents are. Understanding these documents has become important for Catholics as well, as they typically reveal the popeʼs pastoral and theological vision for the Church.

So, what are the different types of papal documents, and how should Catholics interpret them?

Papal bull

A papal bull is a formal papal letter authenticated by the popeʼs seal. The name “bull” derives from the Latin “bulla,” meaning seal.

Bulls have been used by popes since the early Middle Ages and have been a popular means of communicating their decisions outside Rome, including denouncing heresies, calling for crusades, establishing jubilee years, and issuing high-profile excommunications.

Since at least the 13th century, these documents have been authenticated by a lead seal with the popeʼs name on one side and the heads of Sts. Peter and Paul on the other. In some cases, they were also authenticated by the Ring of the Fisherman, the popeʼs ring.

In modern times, popes have used bulls to announce jubilee years, appoint bishops, and issue apostolic constitutions. They are typically written in Latin and are now authenticated with a red-ink stamp of the seal rather than the seal itself.

Bulls are the only formal document in which a pontiff will refer to himself as “servus servorum Dei” (“servant of the servants of God”).

Modern examples include the bull with which St. John XXIII opened the Second Vatican Council in 1962 and the bull with which Pope Francis proclaimed the Jubilee Year of Hope in 2025.

Apostolic constitutions

Apostolic constitutions are among the most authoritative documents a pope can issue.

According to canon law, the pope is the Churchʼs supreme legislator, possessing “full, immediate, and universal ordinary power in the Church.”

Apostolic constitutions are a means by which the pope establishes laws, defines doctrine (in rare cases), and makes institutional changes in the Church, such as erecting a diocese or reorganizing offices in the Roman Curia.

In rare instances, apostolic constitutions have been used to issue ex cathedra statements that define doctrine, which are regarded as infallible and obligatory for all Catholics to believe. Recent examples include the solemn declarations of the Immaculate Conception in 1854 and the Assumption in 1950.

Encyclicals

A papal encyclical is a letter written by the pope primarily to the bishops but also to Catholics and all people regarding certain social, moral, or theological questions.

According to the 1917 edition of the Catholic Encyclopedia, encyclicals were “letters sent to all the bishops of Christendom, or at least to all those in one particular country, and intended to guide them in their relations with their flocks.”

Encyclicals, along with his homilies and apostolic exhortations, are part of the pope’s everyday teaching authority, known as his “ordinary magisterium.” They are commonly used by popes to indicate pastoral priorities for the Church and the world.

Encyclicals are not merely letters or expressions of the popeʼs opinion. They carry significant doctrinal weight and are frequently cited as important sources of Catholic teaching.

According to Lumen Gentium (No. 25), Catholics are required to give “a religious submission of the mind and will” to these letters as the “authentic magisterium of the Roman pontiff, even when he is not speaking ‘ex cathedra.’”

So, while Pope Leoʼs Magnifica Humanitas may not rise to the level of an “ex cathedra” statement, it would still be part of his teaching that Catholics should treat with respect.

Apostolic exhortations

Apostolic exhortations are documents issued by the pope to encourage the faithful in matters of faith, particularly to promote certain devotions or to guide Catholics in responding to societal challenges.

A recent example is Pope Leoʼs apostolic exhortation Dilexit Te, in which he reminded the faithful of the inseparable nature of faith and service to the poor.

While exhortations are not infallible, they also indicate the popeʼs priorities. For example, Pope Francis' Laudate Deum, in which he emphasized the urgency of addressing ecological challenges, has prompted many Catholics to implement measures and found institutes dedicated to preserving the popeʼs ecological vision.

Popes also have regularly released post-synodal apostolic exhortations, responses by a pontiff to the work of a Synod of Bishops. Two well-known such post-synodal exhortations are St. John Paul II’s Christifideles Laici (1988) and Pope Francis’ controversial Amoris Laetitia (2016).

Motu proprios

While apostolic constitutions and other papal documents are usually issued in response to the faithful, a motu proprio is issued at the popeʼs own initiative. Its name, in fact, means “on his own impulse.”

A motu proprio is a common way for a pontiff to change Church law and the bureaucratic dimensions of the Roman Curia. For example, in November 2025, Pope Leo issued a motu proprio restructuring the Governorate of Vatican City State, allowing non-cardinals to serve as its presidents.

In modern times, motu proprios have also been used by popes to regulate the liturgy. Recent examples include Pope Benedict XVIʼs Summorum Pontificum in 2007, which allowed greater freedom for priests to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass, and Pope Francis' Traditionis Custodes in 2021, which imposed restrictions on its celebration.

Motu proprios and apostolic constitutions normally take effect when they are published in the official acts of the Holy See, the Acta Apostolicae Sedis.

Papal rescripts

Papal rescripts are the official responses of the pope or a dicastery to a petition. Under canon 59 of the Code of Canon Law, these documents can grant privileges and dispensations and clarify existing laws.

A recent example is the 2023 rescript from the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on the application of Traditionis Custodes, which clarifies the conditions under which permission would be granted for priests to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass.

Addresses

These are the most common kinds of papal documents, ranging from formal speeches (traditionally called allocutions), homilies, special messages, and weekly catecheses.

Papal addresses and speeches are also important indicators of the popeʼs pastoral priorities, and the catecheses during his general audiences each week are particularly notable expressions of his mind. For example, the catecheses delivered by Pope John Paul II from 1979 to 1984 during his general audiences on human sexuality and the human person formed the basis for what has been hailed as the theology of the body.

In the case of Leo XIV, many of his public addresses have been devoted to the theme of peace, the interpretation of the Second Vatican Council, and artificial intelligence.

Leoʼs first encyclical is expected to clarify the Churchʼs response to artificial intelligence and other developing technologies. But many of his addresses, including his first address to the cardinals after his election, have already indicated artificial intelligence as a central focus of his pontificate.

Chirographs

A seldomly used papal document, a chirograph is used by the pope only to reorganize the Roman Curia. It is also circulated only within the Roman Curia.

A recent example is the chirograph that Pope Francis issued in 2014 to establish the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.

Pope Leo XIV greeted residents and civic leaders in the southern Italian town of Acerra on May 23, a region marred by toxic wastes but possessing what the pope said was “beauty no injustice can ever erase.”

“In life, we come to understand that the more fragile a beauty is, the greater the care and responsibility it demands,” the pope told the crowd in Acerraʼs Piazza Calipari.

Pope Leo XIV addresses crowds in the Piazza Calipari in Acerra, Italy, May 23, 2026. The pope was visiting the “Land of Fires,” a region in southern Italy devastated by illegal waste dumping. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

The Holy Father arrived in the small town earlier in the day for a brief pastoral visit. Acerra is located about 130 miles southeast of Rome.

After meeting with local Church leaders at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, the pope headed to the piazza, where he said he was “delighted” to spend the Saturday morning with the crowd of around 15,000.

A child smiles excitedly during Pope Leo XIVʼs address in the Piazza Calipari in Acerra, Italy, May 23, 2026. The pope was visiting the “Land of Fires,” a region in southern Italy devastated by illegal waste dumping. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

The popeʼs visit to the Land of Fires came on the 11th anniversary of the late Pope Francis' landmark environmental encyclical Laudato Si'. Acerra has for years suffered environmental fallout due to the dumping of waste materials in the region.

Yet “life is present here, and it stands in opposition to death; justice exists, and it will prevail,” the pope said. “We must, of course, choose life and break free from the bonds of death.”

“There is always a subtle convenience to be found in resignation, in compromise, and in postponing necessary and courageous decisions,” he continued. “Fatalism, complaining, and shifting the blame onto others serve as a breeding ground for lawlessness and mark the beginning of a desertification of consciences.”

“For this reason, I would like to say to you all: Let each of us shoulder our own responsibilities; let us choose justice; let us serve life!”

The pontiff further reminded the citizens of Acerra of the need to care for creation.

“I would like to thank those ‘pioneers’ who, through their courageous commitment, were the first to denounce the ills plaguing this land and to draw attention to the obscured and denied reality of its poisoning,” the pope said.

“I am thinking, in particular, of the members of environmental associations,” the pope said. “We all know that we must stand guard over the health of creation just as we stand guard over our own front door, and that we must resist the temptations of power and enrichment linked to practices that pollute the earth, the water, the air, and our shared life.”

Crowds hold up signs as Pope Leo XIV makes an address in the Piazza Calipari in Acerra, Italy, May 23, 2026. The pope was visiting the “Land of Fires,” a region in southern Italy devastated by illegal waste dumping. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

Acerra Mayor Tito dʼErrico expressed his gratitude to the pope for his presence, pointing to the significance of the Laudato Si' anniversary. “Integral ecology is not merely a label; it is a social and economic model that places the dignity of the human person at its very center,” dʼErrico said.

During the visit Acerra Bishop Antonio Di Donna presented the Holy Father with two precious mementos linked to St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, the patron saint of the diocese: a statue of the saint and an autograph letter.

Following the event in the piazza, the pope departed by helicopter to Rome.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV arrived in Italyʼs “Terra dei Fuochi,” or “Land of Fires,” for a one-day visit on May 23, the first pope in history to meet with this population amid a yearslong battle against illegal waste disposal.

The pope arrived in Acerra around 8:45 a.m., landing at the Arcoleo sports field, where he was immediately welcomed by Acerra Bishop Antonio Di Donna.

Numerous dignitaries were also present, including Tito d’Errico, the mayor of Acerra.

Pope Leo XIVʼs visit to the region also marks the 11th anniversary of the publication of the late Pope Francis’ landmark environmental encyclical Laudato Si'.

Pope Francis himself was originally scheduled to visit the area for the encyclical’s fifth anniversary, though the visit was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

From the sports field, Pope Leo XIV traveled immediately by car to the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in Acerra, where he met with bishops, clergy, members of religious orders, and the families of victims of environmental pollution. Approximately 12,000 faithful were present for the occasion.

Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful at the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Acerra, Italy, May 23, 2026. The pope was visiting the so-called “Land of Fires” near Naples where illegal waste dumping has created a yearslong health crisis. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

"Today we wish to fulfill Pope Francis’ desire, recognizing the great gift that the encyclical Laudato Si’ has represented for the Church’s mission in this land," the Holy Father said.

"Indeed, the cry of creation and of the poor among you has been felt most dramatically due to a deadly concentration of shadowy interests and indifference toward the common good — forces that have poisoned both the natural and social environments," he said, adding: "It is a cry that calls for conversion!”

Di Donna himself recounted the history of the region at the cathedral, stating that the “environmental tragedy” began in the 1980s, “when certain industrialists in the north needed to dispose of vast quantities of toxic waste.”

“Over the span of roughly 30 years, hundreds of thousands of tons of toxic waste arrived from numerous industries across northern Italy, only to be dumped in a specific part of this territory,” the bishop said.

The environmental crisis triggered “a collapse of the agricultural industry,” the bishop said, describing the “Terra dei Fuochi” label as “a mark of infamy for our region.”

Pope Leo XIV told the assembly he had come to listen to those in the region who have lost loved ones to the environmental devastation. The pope said he also wished to “thank those who have responded to evil with good.”

Pope Leo XIV greets crowds in Acerra, Italy, May 23, 2026. The pope was visiting the so-called “Land of Fires” near Naples where illegal waste dumping has created a yearslong health crisis. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

“We suffer because of the devastation that has compromised a marvelous ecosystem — places, histories, and memories,” the pope said.

“Faced with this reality, there are two possible attitudes: indifference or responsibility,” he continued. “You have chosen responsibility, and — with God’s help — you have embarked upon a path of commitment and the pursuit of justice.”

“Can these lands come back to life?” the pope continued. “Be the answer yourselves: a united community, in faith and in commitment. Then life will multiply.”

The pope was scheduled to return to Rome after his visit to Acerra, located a little over 130 miles southeast of Rome. The Holy Father also met with civic leaders and local residents of Acerra.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

In 2018, Pope Francis added the memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, to the Roman calendar. This memorial is celebrated each year on the Monday after Pentecost. This year it will be celebrated on May 25.

In the decree on the celebration, the then-head of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Cardinal Robert Sarah, wrote that the intention for the memorial was to help the faithful “remember that growth in the Christian life must be anchored to the mystery of the cross, to the oblation of Christ in the Eucharistic banquet, and to the mother of the redeemer and mother of the redeemed, the virgin who makes her offering to God.”

While this memorial honoring the Blessed Mother as the mother of the Church is relatively new, Mary’s title as mother of the Church has been associated with her for centuries.

The theological foundation for the title is often traced to the Gospel of John. As Jesus hangs on the cross, he says to his mother: “Woman, behold your son,” and to the apostle John: “Behold your mother.” Catholic tradition has long interpreted that moment as John representing all disciples, making Mary the spiritual mother of the entire Christian community.

The 2018 decree highlights this moment as well. It reads: “Indeed, the mother standing beneath the cross (cf. Jn 19:25) accepted her son’s testament of love and welcomed all people in the person of the beloved disciple as sons and daughters to be reborn unto life eternal. She thus became the tender mother of the Church, which Christ begot on the cross handing on the Spirit. Christ, in turn, in the beloved disciple, chose all disciples as ministers of his love towards his mother, entrusting her to them so that they might welcome her with filial affection.”

Over the centuries, Marian devotion expanded through prayers, feast days, art, and theology, but the specific title “mother of the Church” gained wider prominence during the 20th century.

During the Second Vatican Council, bishops debated how Mary should be presented within modern Church teaching. Some argued for a separate document dedicated entirely to Mary, while others believed she should be discussed within the Church’s broader mission and identity.

In 1964, Pope Paul VI formally proclaimed Mary as “mater Ecclesiae” — “mother of the Church” — calling her “mother of all the faithful and pastors.”

It was also added to the Roman Missal after the holy year of reconciliation in 1975. Subsequently, some countries, dioceses, and religious families were granted permission by the Holy See to add this celebration to their particular calendars. With its addition to the General Roman Calendar, it is now celebrated by the whole Roman Catholic Church.

Pope John Paul II strongly championed this Marian title and had a deep devotion to “mater Ecclesiae.” The pope’s papal motto was “Totus tuus” (“Totally yours”) and signified his total consecration to Jesus through Mary.

During his papacy he also had a mosaic commissioned facing St. Peter’s Square titled “Mater Ecclesiae.” This mosaic was done after the pope’s survival of a 1981 assassination attempt in which John Paul II credited Mary with saving his life, and he dedicated his pontificate to her protection.

John Paul II also wrote extensively about the Blessed Mother’s role in guiding the faithful, most notably in his 1987 encyclical Redemptoris Mater, which explores Mary’s participation in the plan of salvation, the mother of God being at the center of the pilgrim Church, and examines Mary’s role as intercessor and spiritual mother.

With this in mind, the memorial aims to “encourage the growth of the maternal sense of the Church in the pastors, religious, and faithful, as well as a growth of genuine Marian piety.”

Pope Leo XIV met on May 21 with the Commission of the Episcopal Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), with whom he discussed the future of the EU and reflected on current global challenges.

This marks the second official meeting between the Holy Father and the institution, which is the official association of the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of all European Union member states. The organization views the encounter as an opportunity to reflect in particular on the process of European integration and to discuss the bishops’ role in promoting peace and integral human development.

Essential issues on the Church’s agenda in Europe

In a statement issued prior to its audience with the pontiff, COMECE outlined some of the topics the group wished to bring to the table, such as migration and the rise of populism in Europe; the fight against poverty; data protection within the Church; artificial intelligence; efforts to facilitate unrestricted access to abortion across the EU; and the mental health of Europeans, among others.

The bishops also discussed a potential visit by Pope Leo XIV to the European Parliament, the appointment of a new special envoy for freedom of religion, and the political shifts currently taking place within the European Parliament.

The COMECE presidency also presented to the Holy Father a proposal to hold a new gathering of “Rethinking Europe” in the autumn of 2027, marking 10 years since the first meeting, which gathered some 300 people at the Vatican, including political representatives from the European Union and its member states, academics, and Church representatives.

The event aimed to reflect on the challenges facing the European Union and to explore ways to strengthen and renew the European project.

Peace: A paramount issue

In a statement to EWTN News, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, apostolic nuncio to the European Union, highlighted regarding the meeting with the pontiff the need to revitalize Europeʼs capacity to promote dialogue and peace. He recounted that members of COMECE asked the pope what their priorities should be, to which the pontiff responded with clarity: the issue of peace.

Auza also noted that the Holy Father encouraged the bishops to delve deeper into “how the Church should relate to political bodies and how it must remain faithful to its prophetic role” as well as into the issue of migration “within the context of certain movements we call populist in the European Union.”

Auza underscored that Leo XIV upholds “the right of states to define their own migration policies” and emphasized that the Church does not question this. Rather, it maintains that, once migrants have reached their new destination, they cannot be denied the services they need, nor can their human dignity fail to be fully respected.

The bishops also encouraged the pontiff to visit European institutions, recalling the official invitation extended to him by Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, during a private audience on March 5.

According to the nuncio, this visit “would be of great assistance to us, as it would lend significant momentum and great authority, we might say, to the work we constantly carry out in Brussels and Strasbourg.”

Excellent atmosphere, calm dialogue

For his part, Bishop Mariano Crociata, president of COMECE, highlighted in a conversation with EWTN News the “calm, serene, and welcoming” presence of Pope Leo XIV.

“The meeting unfolded in an atmosphere of great naturalness, spontaneity, and cordiality, and at the same time, of clarity regarding the issues discussed,” he emphasized.

Crociata stated that it was “a calm dialogue” between people who know one another “and who hold the same task and the same mission in their hearts ... there was an excellent atmosphere and a desire to continue working in unity and together.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

On May 22, Pope Leo XIV approved the promulgation of six decrees from the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, following an audience granted to its prefect, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro.

With the pontiffʼs authorization, 80 martyrs of the Spanish Civil War and the Lebanese Patriarch Elias Hoyek will be beatified. In addition, Salesian missionary Constantino Vendrame; discalced Carmelite from Cameroon Brother Jean Thierry; Spanish religious María Ana Alberdi Echezarreta; and Brother Nazareno da Pula, a Capuchin lay brother, will be declared venerable.

The 80 ‘Martyrs of Santander’ to be beatified

Just days before the start of his apostolic journey to Spain, Pope Leo XIV authorized the decree recognizing the martyrdom of Francisco González de Córdova and 79 companions — consisting of 67 priests, three Carmelites, three seminarians, and seven laypeople — who were killed during the Spanish Civil War in Santander in northern Spain.

According to the Diocese of Santander, the martyrs, soon to be beatified, died without renouncing their faith and while forgiving their attackers, even praying for them. Some of them were thrown into the Cantabrian Sea with their hands and feet bound; others were executed and burned, or disappeared aboard the ship “Alfonso Pérez,” which had been converted into a prison by the Popular Front of the Second Spanish Republic.

The priest Francisco González de Córdova refused to cease celebrating Mass and administering the sacraments, which he continued to impart clandestinely until his arrest. During his captivity, he continued to hear the confessions of his companions and blessed them before their execution. He was murdered in the hold of the prison ship.

Elias Hoyek, ‘Father of Greater Lebanon’

The patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, Venerable Elias Hoyek, will be declared blessed as the pontiff has approved a miracle attributed to his intercession.

Born on Dec. 4, 1843, in Helta, he founded the Congregation of the Maronite Sisters of the Holy Family in Ebrine, northern Lebanon, the first female religious institute of apostolic life in the Maronite Church.

He was elected patriarch of Antioch and of All the East for the Maronites in 1899, a position he held for more than 30 years “with great dedication and pastoral sensitivity, constantly attending to the formation of the clergy and the catechesis of the faithful,” the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints notes.

The future blessed aided the Lebanese people during the First World War, placing convents and monasteries at their disposal, a gesture for which he was sentenced to deportation, though he was ultimately able to remain in Lebanon thanks to the intervention of Pope Benedict XV.

At the Congress of Versailles, he advocated for the independence of his homeland, which had been part of the Ottoman Empire during the war, achieving the proclamation of the new State of Greater Lebanon on Sept. 1, 1920; for this reason, he is known as the “Father of Greater Lebanon.”

He used his influence to humbly assist those in need, regardless of their social standing.

4 new venerables

The Holy Father also approved the heroic virtues of Servant of God Constantine Vendrame (1893–1957). Also known as the “Apostle of Shillong,” he was a Salesian missionary from Italy who evangelized in India.

The Servant of God Nazareno da Pula (1911–1992), a Capuchin lay brother, will also be declared venerable.

Leo XIV likewise authorized the recognition of the heroic virtues of the Servant of God María Ana Alberdi Echezarreta (1912–1998), baptized as María de la Concepción Cruz, abbess of the monastery of the Franciscan Conceptionist Sisters.

Finally, the pope authorized the recognition of the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Jean-Thierry of Jesus the Child and of the Passion (1982–2006), a professed religious of the Order of Discalced Carmelites.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.