Statement of Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez Welcoming Pope Leo XIV’s First Encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, on Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence

I enthusiastically welcome Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity), with profound gratitude and encourage all people to read it with care and reflect on its vital message.

The Holy Father’s teaching on safeguarding human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence speaks to a critical need and brings clarity to a confusing landscape. While this powerful technology presents significant opportunities to advance healthcare, education, and share the Good News of the Gospel, it also poses significant moral and ethical pitfalls that must be navigated and reflected upon.

Pope Leo emphasizes with crystal clarity that the sanctity of human life must remain paramount as artificial intelligence systems continue to develop and become more closely integrated into nearly every aspect of our lives.

The Holy Father has rightly called for rapid technological advancements to be accompanied by a moral and ethical framework that guides their usage. In Magnifica Humanitas he says, “So-called artificial intelligences do not undergo experiences, do not possess a body, do not feel joy or pain, do not mature through relationships and do not know from within what love, work, friendship or responsibility mean. Nor do they have a moral conscience, since they do not judge good and evil, grasp the ultimate meaning of situations, or bear responsibility for consequences.”

Pope Leo also clearly defined the challenge before us in his encyclical by stating, “Humanity, created by God in all its grandeur, is today facing a pivotal choice: either to construct a new Tower of Babel or to build the city in which God and humanity dwell together.” With the heart of a shepherd and a father, the Pope asks everyone, “to join forces in building up the common good, so that humanity will never lose its beauty, and the world once again will come to recognize the human heart as the place where God desires to dwell.”

The Church’s deep intellectual heritage, coupled with its teachings on social justice, and the Holy Father’s wisdom, offer an opportunity for all of us to learn how to work and live with artificial intelligence platforms in ways that demonstrate compassion, respect, and charity.

On behalf of the bishops, clergy, consecrated religious, and lay faithful of the Church of Philadelphia, I encourage everyone to read, reflect upon, and pray about the important message our Holy Father offers us today. May God abundantly bless Pope Leo XIV and his Petrine ministry abundantly.

Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez, D.D.
Archbishop of Philadelphia

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Editor’s Note: The full text of Magnifica Humanitas may be found on the website of the Holy See in English and in Spanish.

The Holy see has also produced short videos accompanying and encapsulating the text of the Encyclical in English and Spanish.