The celebration of Pentecost this year brings with it the eve of an important event in the life of the Church and in the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV. On May 25, the day following Pentecost, the first encyclical of our Holy Father will be published at an elaborate press conference in Rome. Usually, the presentation of a new encyclical takes place at the Vatican press room with a small group of selected officials and invited guests who answer questions about the document. This time, Pope Leo himself will be present for the announcement of the encyclical, which will be presented by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez and Cardinal Michael Czerny, the heads of two significant Vatican dicasteries, along with a number of theologians and lay speakers. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, will then speak some words, concluded by an address and blessing from Pope Leo himself. The title of the new encyclical is Magnifica Humanitas, Magnificent Humanity.
The unprecedented format for the presentation of Pope Leo’s encyclical is not only because it is his first, but also because of the priority he is attaching to its matter and his pontificate. That matter is artificial intelligence. It is significant to note that, while the encyclical is to be presented on May 25, the date on which it was signed was May 15, which is the actual 135 anniversary of the encyclical of Pope Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum. That encyclical dealt with the Industrial Revolution and the new challenges it was affording the working class in society. Pope Leo XIV took his name after Pope Leo XIII precisely because he wanted to address the new challenges facing our society, causing the same problems as the Industrial Revolution, a foremost one being artificial intelligence. As he said to the cardinals just two days after his election as pope, “I chose to take the name of Leo XIV. There are different reasons for this, but mainly because Pope Leo XIII and his historical encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the social questions of the first great Industrial Revolution. In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the beauty of our social teaching in response to another Industrial Revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice and labor.”
During the past year, Pope Leo XIV has spoken frequently and strongly on the challenges that artificial intelligence presents for humanity. Like Pope Francis, he has emphasized the good that it can accomplish, but also the destruction it can do as well by limiting our ability to be in touch with ourselves, our human nature and with each other. It can cause us to lose our creativity and ability to think, as made in the image and likeness of God, and more easily enable us to surrender ourselves to the power of machines. As Pope Leo so well stated in his address on World Communication Day on Jan. 24, “The masterpieces of human genius in the field of music, art and literature are being reduced to more training grounds for machines.”
The world of technology, social communication and instant media is taking away from us as human persons what is essential to our lives, which is our human heart. It is replacing the heart with a drive for success and recognition, especially as seen in monetary accumulation. It seems that one of the main reasons for enhancing artificial intelligence is the progress of business, especially in cutting back on tasks that can be done more quickly by machines. It was interesting to read about a recent college graduation, where the speaker praised the advances of artificial intelligence only to be booed by the graduating class. The reason is that many of them had studied in fields which are going to replace their future jobs through artificial intelligence.
An encyclical is one of the highest forms of official Church teaching from the pope to all members of the Catholic Church. It clearly denotes the pope’s priorities and sets the standard for Catholics following the Church’s teaching in regard to doctrine and ethics. Pope Leo’s desire to focus on artificial intelligence as a quickly growing area that needs careful attention and regulation is extremely critical, especially in regard to human identity. The encyclical’s title, referring to the splendor of humanity, is well articulated and one that needs to be appreciated more today when that splendor is being so tarnished by a lack of understanding of the truth, as God has given it to us. The magnificence of humanity is all the more lessened, as is the magnificence of God.
It is fitting that the encyclical is highlighted during this time as we celebrate Pentecost. Pentecost was the event at which the Church came into existence when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles and they were united as one with the Mother of God in their midst. The crowd gathered at Pentecost experienced the miracle of understanding the language spoken by the apostles in their own. Confusion of language was overcome in the unity of the human heart. The first reading for the evening Mass of Pentecost is from the Book of Genesis that recounts the Tower of Babel and the confusion that came into the world through a lack of understanding of language. In the Book of Genesis, from the account of Adam and Eve’s first sin, there is a continual recounting of the growth of sin until, at Babel, man decides to build a tower to take the place of God and is no longer able to communicate in human language due to his arrogance. The tower collapses because of the lack of human communication. Pentecost is considered the reversal of Babel. With great hope, we anticipate the pope’s encyclical as doing the same thing today when it is so much needed.
Pope Leo is making a very wise decision in being present at the introduction of his new encyclical, Magnificent Humanity. It truly will be coming from his heart and reminding us of the dignity which God has given to us as human persons. We need to be very cautious and protective in our world today when so much threatens our very heart. Come, Holy Spirit! Fill the hearts of the faithful!
Most Reverend Gerald M. Barbarito,
May 22, 2026
