The pope told the political leaders that “natural law, which is universally valid apart from and above other more debatable beliefs, constitutes the compass by which to take our bearings in legislating and acting.” / Credit: Vatican Media
Vatican City, Jun 21, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).
Pope Leo urged political leaders from around the world to promote the common good, warning especially of the threat to human dignity from artificial intelligence (AI).
AI “will certainly be of great help to society, provided that its employment does not undermine the identity and dignity of the human person and his or her fundamental freedoms,” the pope said on June 21 to legislators from 68 countries gathered at the Vatican for the Jubilee of Governments.
“It must not be forgotten that artificial intelligence functions as a tool for the good of human beings, not to diminish them, not to replace them,” Leo said, speaking in English to the international audience.
The pope has quickly made the challenge of artificial intelligence a signature issue of his pontificate, highlighting it at a meeting with the College of Cardinals two days after his election last month.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, pictured here greeting Pope Leo XIV, was among the leaders from 68 countries gathered at the Vatican for the Jubilee of Governments. Credit: Vatican Media
In his speech to political leaders on Saturday, Leo also urged them to promote the common good in other ways, including by “working to overcome the unacceptable disproportion between the immense wealth concentrated in the hands of a few and the world’s poor.” The pope decried such inequality as a leading cause of war.
Pope Leo stressed the importance of religious freedom and encouraged political leaders to follow the example of the 16th-century St. Thomas More as a “martyr for freedom and for the primacy of conscience.” More was executed for refusing to recognize King Henry VIII as head of the Church in England instead of the pope.
Leo also recommended the ethical tradition of natural law, whose roots in classical antiquity predate Christianity, as “a shared point of reference in political activity” and “an element that unites everyone” regardless of religious belief.
Natural law arguments have played a prominent role in several recent legal and political debates, over issues including abortion, euthanasia, religious freedom, same-sex marriage and transgender policies.
The pope told the political leaders that “natural law, which is universally valid apart from and above other more debatable beliefs, constitutes the compass by which to take our bearings in legislating and acting, particularly on the delicate and pressing ethical issues that, today more than in the past, regard personal life and privacy.”
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Pope Francis prayed before a relic of St. Therese of Lisieux at the beginning of his general audience in St. Peter’s Square, and shortly before going to the hospital for an abdominal surgery, on June 7, 2023. / Daniel Ibanez/CNA
Vatican City, Jun 7, 2023 / 04:37 am (CNA).
One of Pope Francis’ last gestures before undergoing abdominal surgery on Wednesday was to pray before a relic of St. Therese of Lisieux.
A relic of the French Carmelite nun, also known as St. Therese of the Child Jesus, was present on the platform in front of St. Peter’s Basilica during the pope’s weekly general audience June 7.
Before beginning the audience, Francis venerated the relics of St. Therese in a moment of silent prayer. He also placed a single, white rose on the table in front of the reliquary.
Pope Francis was taken to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for abdominal surgery under general anesthesia at the end of the morning audience, shortly after 11:00 a.m. Rome time, the Vatican said.
Relics of St. Therese’s parents, Sts. Louis and Zélie Guérin Martin, were also present at the meeting with the public June 7. The relics of all three saints will visit different churches in Rome through June 16.
Relics of St. Therese of Lisieux and her parents, Sts. Louis and Zelie Guerin Martin, were on the platform in front of St. Peter’s Basilica during Pope Francis’ general audience June 7, 2023. The relics made a pilgrimage to Rome June 6-16, 2023. Daniel Ibanez/CNA
Pope Francis said Wednesday he intends to publish an apostolic letter on St. Therese of Lisieux, “patroness of the missions,” to mark the 150th anniversary of her birth.
“She was a Carmelite nun who lived her life according to the way of littleness and weakness: she defined herself as ‘a small grain of sand,’” he said in St. Peter’s Square.
“Having poor health, she died at the age of only 24,” he added. “But though her body was sickly, her heart was vibrant, missionary.”
“Here before us are the relics of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, universal patroness of missions,” he said. “It is good that this happens while we are reflecting on the passion for evangelization, on apostolic zeal. Today, then, let us allow the witness of St. Therese to help us. She was born 150 years ago, and I plan to dedicate an apostolic letter to her on this anniversary.”
🎥HIGHLIGHTS | Before commencing the General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis shared a beautiful moment of prayer before the sacred relics of St. Therese of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church and Patroness of the Missions. As a symbol of his devotion, the Holy Father… pic.twitter.com/lRJeWuSx8n
St. Therese of Lisieux was born on Jan. 2, 1873, in Alençon, France. Her mother died when she was four, leaving her father and older sisters to raise her. She received papal permission to enter the Carmelite Monastery at the young age of 15, where she lived until her death from Tuberculosis at the age of 24.
She was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by St. Pope John Paul II in 1997 and is the patron saint of missions.
Pope Francis reflected on the saint’s life as part of a series of lessons on evangelical zeal.
“She is patroness of the missions, but she was never sent on mission,” Francis explained in his catechesis. “She recounts in her ‘diary’ that her desire was that of being a missionary, and that she wanted to be one not just for a few years, but for the rest of her life, even until the end of the world.”
St. Therese did this, he said, by becoming a spiritual sister to several missionaries, whom she accompanied through her prayers, letters, and sacrifices from within the monastery walls.
“Without being visible, she interceded for the missions, like an engine that, although hidden, gives a vehicle the power to move forward,” the pope said.
“Missionaries, in fact — of whom Therese is patroness — are not only those who travel long distances, learn new languages, do good works, and are good at proclamation,” he added. “No, a missionary is anyone who lives as an instrument of God’s love where they are.”
Pope Francis spoke about St. Therese of Lisieux, the patroness of missions, during his general audience June 7, 2023. Relics of St. Therese and her parents, Sts. Louis and Zelie Guerin Martin, were present on the platform beside the pope for the audience. Daniel Ibanez/CNA
Pope Francis recounted two episodes from St. Therese’s life that help to explain the source of her zeal and missionary strength.
The first happened during Christmas 1886, when Therese was almost 14 years old.
St. Therese was pampered as the youngest child of the family, he explained. But her father was tired after midnight Mass for Christmas and did not feel like being present when his daughter opened her gifts, so he said he was glad it was the last year she would receive gifts.
“Therese, who was very sensitive and easily moved to tears, was hurt, and went up to her room and cried,” the pope said.
“But she quickly suppressed her tears, went downstairs and, full of joy, she was the one who cheered her father,” he said. “What had happened? On that night, when Jesus had made himself weak out of love, her soul became strong: in just a few moments, she had come out of the prison of her selfishness and self-pity; she began to feel that ‘charity entered her heart’ — so she said — ‘with the need to forget herself’ (cf. Manuscript A, 133-134).”
“From then on, she directed her zeal toward others, that they might find God…”
The second event happened after St. Therese became a Carmelite. Pope Francis said the nun became aware of a hardened criminal, Enrico Pranzini, who was sentenced to death by guillotine for having murdered three people.
Therese had a special zeal for saving sinners, and so “she took him into her heart and did all she could: she prayed in every way for his conversion, so that he, whom, with brotherly compassion she called ‘poor wretched Pranzini,’ might demonstrate a small sign of repentance and make room for God’s mercy,” Francis said.
The day after his execution, she read in the newspaper that before laying his head on the chopping block, Pranzini had, “‘all of a sudden, seized by a sudden inspiration, turned around, grabbed a Crucifix that the priest handed to him and kissed three times the sacred wounds’ of Jesus,” he continued.
“Then his soul,” St. Therese wrote, “went to receive the merciful sentence of the One who declared that in Heaven there will be more joy for a single sinner who repents than for the ninety-nine righteous who have no need of repentance!”
Pope Francis said: “With so many means, methods, and structures available, which sometimes distract from what is essential, the Church needs hearts like Therese’s, hearts that draw people to love and bring people closer to God.”
“Let us today ask this saint, whose relics we have here,” he added, “let us ask this saint for the grace to overcome our selfishness and for the passion to intercede that Jesus might be known and loved.”
Vatican City, Aug 15, 2020 / 08:00 am (CNA).- Pope Francis prayed Saturday for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, “Mother of Hope,” for Nigeria’s persecuted Christians and for peace in conflicts in Africa.
Pope Francis gives his Angelus address on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023 / Vatican Media
Rome Newsroom, Nov 19, 2023 / 07:15 am (CNA).
Pope Francis during his weekly Angelus on Sunday spoke to the faithful gathered, reflecting on the parable of the tale… […]
3 Comments
A high-octane potential and threat, ambivalent AI…yes, but “the signature issue?” Let’s hope not.
Instead, the ancient heresy of “monism” is a broader and much more likely candidate… Monism: the failure to distinguish the Creator GOD from his CREATION. God, not as the infinitely “Other” but as only the highest level of cosmic stuff.
So, yes, to the papal message about the inborn and universal Natural Law—and as including our personal openness to a personal God who is “other than ourselves.” (The 19th-century Luddites were also ignored when they complained only that automatic textile spindles—technocracy—should not replace human hands.)
Today’s data worshipers—now including the prophets/profits of AI—are only walking in step with some guy named Einstein, who also put us on the ambivalent path toward atom bombs. And, who pontificated that the human brain is only an openness toward the profound complexity of stuff, but not toward a higher (?) and personal God, as in step with each other and the Natural Law—and with the personal Self-disclosure (!) of God in the historic and historical Incarnation:
Einstein: “The main source of the present-day conflicts between the spheres of religion and of science lies in the concept of a personal God [….] In their struggle for the ethical good [only this?], teachers of religion must have the stature to give up the doctrine of a personal God [!], that is, to give up that source of fear and hope which in the past placed such vast power in the hands of priests. In their labors they will have to avail themselves of those forces [!] which are capable of cultivating the Good, the True, and the Beautiful in humanity itself [….] After religious teachers accomplish the refining process indicated they will surely recognize with joy that true religion [monism?] has been ennobled and made more profound by scientific knowledge” (Albert Einstein, “Science and Religion” [1939], in “Out of My Later Years,” Philosophical Library, 1950).
Humbly serving fellow humans during their brief tenure appears to be their goal and ambition. Scoring an own goal or a self goal is not their forte. Politicians are wise human beings. They will certainly not work against themselves, against their loved ones, and against other fellow mortals.
A high-octane potential and threat, ambivalent AI…yes, but “the signature issue?” Let’s hope not.
Instead, the ancient heresy of “monism” is a broader and much more likely candidate… Monism: the failure to distinguish the Creator GOD from his CREATION. God, not as the infinitely “Other” but as only the highest level of cosmic stuff.
So, yes, to the papal message about the inborn and universal Natural Law—and as including our personal openness to a personal God who is “other than ourselves.” (The 19th-century Luddites were also ignored when they complained only that automatic textile spindles—technocracy—should not replace human hands.)
Today’s data worshipers—now including the prophets/profits of AI—are only walking in step with some guy named Einstein, who also put us on the ambivalent path toward atom bombs. And, who pontificated that the human brain is only an openness toward the profound complexity of stuff, but not toward a higher (?) and personal God, as in step with each other and the Natural Law—and with the personal Self-disclosure (!) of God in the historic and historical Incarnation:
Einstein: “The main source of the present-day conflicts between the spheres of religion and of science lies in the concept of a personal God [….] In their struggle for the ethical good [only this?], teachers of religion must have the stature to give up the doctrine of a personal God [!], that is, to give up that source of fear and hope which in the past placed such vast power in the hands of priests. In their labors they will have to avail themselves of those forces [!] which are capable of cultivating the Good, the True, and the Beautiful in humanity itself [….] After religious teachers accomplish the refining process indicated they will surely recognize with joy that true religion [monism?] has been ennobled and made more profound by scientific knowledge” (Albert Einstein, “Science and Religion” [1939], in “Out of My Later Years,” Philosophical Library, 1950).
SUMMARY: (Monism! + computers) = AI.
Humbly serving fellow humans during their brief tenure appears to be their goal and ambition. Scoring an own goal or a self goal is not their forte. Politicians are wise human beings. They will certainly not work against themselves, against their loved ones, and against other fellow mortals.
I’m guessing that nowadays, at least in the U.S., so many people have so little knowledge of history that they have no idea what “Natural Law” is.
I agree entirely with Pope Leo!