CARE FOR CREATION

 

Care for Creation

 is 

a theological question

The document “Caring for Our Common Home” calls for a “responsible and fraternal response to the Triune God”. The ecological question is a theological question: the way we care for Creation reveals and shapes our relationship with God. The deterioration of the environment is alarming and urgent action is needed to ensure the sustainability of the planet. Everything is connected: we must listen to the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor.

-By Isabella Piro

How can humanity respond, from a Christian perspective, to the “ecological and social crisis” into which it has fallen, a crisis that is “short-sighted and suicidal”? This is the question at the heart of the new document of the International Theological Commission (ITC), entitled “Caring for Our Common Home – A Responsible and Fraternal Response to the Triune God”. Published today, 2 September, with the authorisation of Pope Leo XIV, the text is the fruit of reflections carried out between 2022 and 2025.

The starting point is the “threefold transformation” that over the years has led to the loss of the spontaneous perception of nature as God’s creation; to the emergence of an increasingly anthropocentric and predatory vision in the relationship between humanity and Creation; and to the spread of a planetary crisis.

No one is a monad; everything is connected

The document is divided into three chapters. The first, “The Common Home, Work of the Triune God”, emphasises the “imprint not only of God, but of the Trinity”, in Creation. This is explored through the teaching of four Doctors of the Church: Augustine of Hippo, Hildegard of Bingen, Bonaventure of Bagnoregio and Thomas Aquinas.

This Trinitarian imprint has the features of sacramentality — that is, it is a sign of “a sacred and hidden reality” that finds its “highest elevation” in the Eucharist — and of interrelationship, since human beings respond to their vocation by correctly developing their relationships with God, with others and with Creation.

This means, the ITC highlights, practising “filial gratuitousness towards God”; “solidarity and mercy towards one’s neighbour”; and “care for the Common Home”. It is a question of balance: “Nothing and no one is a monad,” the document states. “Everything is interrelated” to form “a single community of life”.

The origin of the universe according to science and faith

The first chapter also develops a dialogue with some scientific and philosophical views of the cosmos, such as immanentism, pantheism and supernaturalism, showing how faith in God the Creator offers something that science cannot provide, even as it “legitimately” investigates the earliest stages of the universe.

While cosmology reflects on how the world came into being, faith explains why: God gives the universe a metaphysical, not merely physical, origin, and freely calls into existence that which would not exist in itself.

The Sabbath principle

The second chapter, “The human being in the Common Home”, opens with a reflection on human beings created in the “image and likeness of God”, providing an opportunity to reaffirm that differences — of ethnicity, gender, culture, social or economic status — in no way imply a hierarchical gradation. Using them to discriminate against or subjugate another departs from God’s plan.

The document then emphasises the importance of the “Sabbath principle”, which, one day a week, allows the Earth to rest in respect of its original rhythms, and humanity to give thanks to the Lord through prayer.

This principle also teaches people to “adopt a disinterested gaze, freed from the appetite to possess, dominate or attack”.

Call for ecological conversion

The ITC then summarizes some “very alarming data on ecological deterioration”: the loss of biological diversity, which “is not an exotic luxury” but “a key factor” for food security; air pollution; the deterioration of water quality; war, which “brutally” accelerates the destruction of the environment; and the “extremely serious” repercussions of all this on the poorest, whose natural resources are exploited and who are forced to migrate.

Hence the strong appeal launched by the Commission: in the face of an “unprecedented” ecological crisis, not only scientific and technical solutions are needed — such as substantial changes in systems of production, consumption, transport and energy use — but also and above all “, a change in cultural values”, a genuine ecological conversion in the way people live.

Sin against Creation and against the Creator

In this regard, the document proposes speaking of “sin against Creation and against the Creator”, a theological formulation that links environmental harm to rejection of God’s plan for creation, while avoiding both purely scientific language, such as “ecocide”, and the dispersal of responsibility.

The present historical moment, in fact, “requires everyone, beginning with those responsible for public life, to take urgent action in favour of the sustainability of the planet and the habitability of the Common Home. This is not only an ethical requirement, but also a theological one”.

The Eucharist, “ecological school”

The perspective of faith also leads to the rejection of “two unacceptable extremes”: predatory anthropocentrism, which considers humanity the “absolute master of all creation”, and biocentrism or ecocentrism, which absolutises nature.

The Christian proposal, instead, is that of a “situated anthropocentrism” — an expression of Pope Francis taken up by Pope Leo XIV — which places human beings as “stewards and servants of Creation”: they are called both to care responsibly for the Common Home, in accordance with “the mind and legitimate interests of the owner”, who is God; and to cooperate with the divine plan through “generous service”.

This twofold vocation finds its culmination in the Eucharist, an “ecological school” through which “a positive and proactive attitude towards nature” is promoted, that is, far removed from utilitarian or fearfully defensive approaches.

Jubilee logic and ecological spirituality

The third chapter, “Care for the Common Home”, offers some practical guidelines, organised around five fundamental relationships of the person.

From the relationship with God comes “Jubilee logic”: based on fraternity and solidarity, which “set an insurmountable limit to greed in the use of the Earth”, as well as on the gratuitousness and humility of those who “do not give in to the impulse to take possession of everything”, this logic leads to social justice.

From the relationship with oneself comes “an ecological spirituality”: faced with the current technocratic paradigm, which imposes frenetic rhythms on work and on personal, family, social and religious life, this spirituality looks to the Benedictine ora et labora to encourage a healthy, attentive and responsible lifestyle, including consumption (“every act of purchasing is a moral act”).

The cry of the Earth and of the poor

From the relationship with Creation come principles such as reverence; sustainability (“an indispensable criterion that must regulate the system of life and the economic model that sustains it”); listening to the “shattering cry” of the Earth, “tragically linked to the cry of the poor”, who suffer most from “the consequences of the mistreatment of the planet”; respect for life, which allows human beings to use natural resources according to necessity and moderation, rather than through indiscriminate exploitation; asceticism and fasting, a moral response to the overexploitation of resources, especially in wealthy countries; and a differentiated commitment according to the responsibilities of different nations.

The sacredness of human life and the rejection of war

Again, from the relationship with one’s neighbour emerge the sacredness of human life — an unconditional and inalienable right that States must protect and promote, including through the rejection of war —; the universal destination of goods — according to Christian Tradition, “private property is not an absolute right” and therefore the Common Home must also be cared for on behalf of future generations —; fraternity, an antidote to violence, injustice and a  “false, selfish, atrocious and greedy” individualism; mercy, since without love, human life moves away from God and becomes subhuman; and the preferential option for the poor, who are increasingly exposed to environmental degradation and increasingly deprived of resources to mitigate its effects.

Interreligious cooperation

As the fifth and final relationship, the ITC reflects on the contribution to the care of Creation offered by different religions: Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, African religions, and the Indigenous religions of the Americas and Oceania.

Particular attention is given to the elements they have most in common: the interconnectedness of everything that exists, the duty to respect all living beings, and human responsibility.

Therefore, “from the standpoint of the Christian faith, the doors are open to interreligious cooperation in the common task of respectfully caring for all Creation, in the service of the flourishing of life and communion with the Transcendent, who is at the origin and is the foundation of all life”.

Moral responsibility

In the conclusion of the document, the Commission reaffirms that the ecological question is ultimately a theological question: the way in which Creation is cared for reveals and shapes our relationship with God himself.

Freedom and moral responsibility remain the indispensable foundation of every authentic ecological commitment.

The text therefore calls for an “ecological turning point” that is both cultural and spiritual — following the example of St Francis of Assisi — and concludes on a note of hope: however serious the environmental crisis may be, it does not undermine trust in God, who makes “all things new”.

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POWER -POVOIR - PODER

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 MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV

TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PLENARY SESSION OF THE PONTIFICAL ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

I was pleased to learn of the plenary session of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences , and I extend my prayerful good wishes to all participants. I express my gratitude to Cardinal Peter Turkson for his dedicated service as Chancellor of the Academy. I likewise thank your President, Sister Helen Alford, for choosing the theme: “The Uses of Power: Legitimacy , Democracy, and the Rewriting of the International Order.” This is a particularly timely topic, focusing our reflection on the exercise of power, a crucial element in building peace within and among nations at this time of profound global change.

Catholic social doctrine views power not as an end in itself, but as a means directed to the common good. This implies that the legitimacy of authority does not depend on the accumulation of economic or technological power, but on the wisdom and virtue with which it is exercised (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church , no. 1903). For wisdom enables us to discern and pursue the true and the good, rather than superficial possessions and vainglory, in the circumstances of daily life. This wisdom is inseparable from the moral virtues, which strengthen our desire to promote the common good. In particular, we know that justice and fortitude are indispensable for making thoughtful decisions and implementing them. Temperance also proves essential to the legitimate use of authority, since true temperance curbs excessive self-exaltation and serves as a barrier against the abuse of power.

This understanding of legitimate power finds one of its highest expressions in authentic democracy. Far from being a mere procedure, democracy recognizes the dignity of every person and invites each citizen to participate responsibly in the pursuit of the common good. Reflecting this conviction, Saint John Paul II affirmed that the Church values democracy because it guarantees participation in political decisions and "the possibility both of electing and holding accountable those who govern oneself, and of replacing them peacefully, when appropriate" ( Centesimus annus , n. 46). However, democracy remains healthy only when it is rooted in the moral law and a true vision of the human person. Without this foundation, it risks becoming either a majoritarian tyranny or a mask for the domination of economic and technological elites.

The same principles that guide the exercise of authority within nations must also inform the international order, a truth especially important to remember at a time when strategic rivalries and shifting alliances are reshaping global relations. We must remember that a just and stable international order cannot emerge from a mere balance of power or a purely technocratic logic. The concentration of technological, economic, and military power in the hands of a few threatens both democratic participation among peoples and international harmony.

In this regard, my predecessors have expressed the need for updated institutions and a universal authority (cf. John Paul II, Centesimus annus , n. 58; Pacem in terris , n. 137), inspired by the principle of subsidiarity (cf. Benedict XVI, Caritas in veritate , n. 57). The development of such a global community of fraternity requires "the best politics, placed at the service of the true common good" (Francis, Fratelli tutti , n. 154). In fact, it is "more necessary than ever to boldly rethink the modalities of international cooperation" ( Visit to the FAO headquarters on the occasion of World Food Day , 16 October 2025, n. 7).

Ultimately, when earthly powers threaten the tranquility ordinis —the classic Augustinian definition of peace—we must draw hope from the Kingdom of God, which, while not of this world, sheds light on the realities of this world and reveals their eschatological meaning. From this perspective of faith, we are reminded that God's omnipotence is manifested above all in mercy and forgiveness (cf. Thomas Aquinas , Summa Theologiae , I, q. 25, a. 3, ad 3); divine power does not dominate, but rather heals and restores. It is precisely this logic of charity that must animate history, since human activity inspired by charity helps shape the "earthly city" in unity and peace, making it—albeit imperfectly—an anticipation and prefiguration of the "City of God" (cf. Benedict XVI, Caritas in veritate , n. 7). This faith strengthens our determination to build a culture of reconciliation capable of overcoming the pitfalls of indifference and impotence (cf. Address to religious leaders participating in the International Meeting of Prayer for Peace , 28 October 2025).

With these sentiments, I sincerely hope that your reflections in these days will provide valuable insights into the legitimate uses of power, the criteria of authentic democracy, and the type of international order that serves the common good. In this way, your work will significantly contribute to building a global culture of reconciliation and peace, a peace that is not simply the fragile absence of conflict, but the fruit of justice, born of an authority humbly placed at the service of every human being and the entire human family.

May the Holy Spirit, the source of all charity and the bond of unity and peace, enlighten your minds and sustain your efforts. I willingly invoke God's abundant blessings upon all of you.

_____________________________________________

MESSAGE DE SA SAINTETÉ LE PAPE LÉON XIV
AUX PARTICIPANTS À LA SESSION PLÉNIÈRE DE L'ACADÉMIE PONTIFICIELLE DES SCIENCES SOCIALES

J’ai appris avec plaisir la tenue de la session plénière de l’ Académie pontificale des sciences sociales et j’adresse mes vœux les plus sincères à tous les participants. J’exprime ma gratitude au cardinal Peter Turkson pour son dévouement en tant que chancelier de l’Académie. Je remercie également votre présidente, sœur Helen Alford, d’avoir choisi le thème : « Les usages du pouvoir : légitimité , démocratie et redéfinition de l’ordre international ». Ce sujet, d’une actualité brûlante, nous invite à réfléchir sur l’exercice du pouvoir, élément crucial pour la construction de la paix au sein des nations et entre elles, en cette période de profonds bouleversements mondiaux.

La doctrine sociale de l'Église catholique conçoit le pouvoir non comme une fin en soi, mais comme un moyen au service du bien commun. Cela implique que la légitimité de l'autorité ne dépend pas de l'accumulation de puissance économique ou technologique, mais de la sagesse et de la vertu avec lesquelles elle est exercée (cf. Catéchisme de l'Église catholique , n° 1903). Car la sagesse nous permet de discerner et de rechercher le vrai et le bien, plutôt que les possessions superficielles et la vaine gloire, dans les circonstances de la vie quotidienne. Cette sagesse est indissociable des vertus morales, qui renforcent notre désir de promouvoir le bien commun. En particulier, nous savons que la justice et la force d'âme sont indispensables pour prendre des décisions réfléchies et les mettre en œuvre. La tempérance se révèle également essentielle à l'usage légitime de l'autorité, car la véritable tempérance freine l'orgueil et constitue un rempart contre l'abus de pouvoir.

Cette conception du pouvoir légitime trouve l'une de ses plus hautes expressions dans la démocratie authentique. Loin d'être une simple procédure, la démocratie reconnaît la dignité de chaque personne et invite chaque citoyen à participer de manière responsable à la poursuite du bien commun. Reflétant cette conviction, saint Jean-Paul II affirmait que l'Église valorise la démocratie car elle garantit la participation aux décisions politiques et « la possibilité d'élire et de demander des comptes à ceux qui nous gouvernent, et de les remplacer pacifiquement, le cas échéant » ( Centesimus). (annus , n° 46). Cependant, la démocratie ne demeure saine que lorsqu'elle s'enracine dans la loi morale et une juste conception de la personne humaine. Sans ce fondement, elle risque de devenir soit une tyrannie majoritaire, soit un masque dissimulant la domination des élites économiques et technologiques.

Les mêmes principes qui régissent l'exercice de l'autorité au sein des nations doivent également guider l'ordre international, une vérité particulièrement importante à garder à l'esprit à l'heure où les rivalités stratégiques et les alliances mouvantes redessinent le paysage des relations mondiales. Il est essentiel de se rappeler qu'un ordre international juste et stable ne saurait se fonder sur un simple équilibre des puissances ou sur une logique purement technocratique. La concentration des pouvoirs technologiques, économiques et militaires entre les mains de quelques-uns menace à la fois la participation démocratique des peuples et l'harmonie internationale.

À cet égard, mes prédécesseurs ont exprimé la nécessité d’institutions modernisées et d’une autorité universelle (cf. Jean-Paul II, Centésime) . annus , n° 58 ; Pacem in terris , n° 137), inspirée par le principe de subsidiarité (cf. Benoît XVI, Caritas in veritate , n° 57). Le développement d’une telle communauté mondiale de fraternité exige « la meilleure politique, mise au service du véritable bien commun » (François, Fratelli tutti , n° 154). En effet, il est « plus nécessaire que jamais de repenser avec audace les modalités de la coopération internationale » ( Visite au siège de la FAO à l’occasion de la Journée mondiale de l’alimentation , 16 octobre 2025, n° 7).

En fin de compte, lorsque les puissances terrestres menacent la tranquillité Selon la définition augustinienne classique de la paix (ordinis ), nous devons puiser notre espérance dans le Royaume de Dieu qui, bien que n'étant pas de ce monde, éclaire les réalités terrestres et en révèle le sens eschatologique. Dans cette perspective de foi, il nous est rappelé que l'omnipotence de Dieu se manifeste avant tout dans la miséricorde et le pardon (cf. Thomas d'Aquin , Somme théologique , I, q. 25, a. 3, ad 3) ; la puissance divine ne domine pas, mais guérit et restaure. C'est précisément cette logique de la charité qui doit animer l'histoire, car l'activité humaine inspirée par la charité contribue à façonner la « cité terrestre » dans l'unité et la paix, faisant d'elle – quoique de manière imparfaite – une anticipation et une préfiguration de la « Cité de Dieu » (cf. Benoît XVI, Caritas in veritate , n° 7). Cette foi renforce notre détermination à bâtir une culture de réconciliation capable de surmonter les pièges de l’indifférence et de l’impuissance (cf. Discours aux responsables religieux participant à la Rencontre internationale de prière pour la paix , 28 octobre 2025).

Dans cet esprit, j'espère sincèrement que vos réflexions de ces jours-ci apporteront un éclairage précieux sur les usages légitimes du pouvoir, les critères d'une démocratie authentique et le type d'ordre international qui sert le bien commun. Ainsi, votre travail contribuera de manière significative à l'édification d'une culture mondiale de réconciliation et de paix, une paix qui ne se réduit pas à une fragile absence de conflit, mais qui est le fruit de la justice, née d'une autorité humblement placée au service de chaque être humain et de l'humanité tout entière.

Que le Saint-Esprit, source de toute charité et lien d’unité et de paix, éclaire vos esprits et soutient vos efforts. Je prie Dieu de vous combler de ses grâces.

---------------------------------------------------------------

MENSAJE DE SU SANTIDAD EL PAPA LEÓN XIV
A LOS PARTICIPANTES EN LA SESIÓN PLENARIA DE LA ACADEMIA PONTIFICIAL DE CIENCIAS SOCIALES

Me complace haber recibido la convocatoria de la sesión plenaria de la Academia Pontificia de Ciencias Sociales y extiendo mis mejores deseos a todos los participantes. Expreso mi gratitud al Cardenal Peter Turkson por su dedicada labor como Canciller de la Academia. Asimismo, agradezco a su Presidenta, la Hermana Helen Alford, por haber elegido el tema: «Los usos del poder: legitimidad , democracia y la reescritura del orden internacional». Este es un tema particularmente oportuno, que centra nuestra reflexión en el ejercicio del poder, un elemento crucial para la construcción de la paz dentro y entre las naciones en este momento de profundos cambios globales.

La doctrina social católica considera el poder no como un fin en sí mismo, sino como un medio para el bien común. Esto implica que la legitimidad de la autoridad no depende de la acumulación de poder económico o tecnológico, sino de la sabiduría y la virtud con que se ejerce (cf. Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica , n.º 1903). Pues la sabiduría nos permite discernir y buscar lo verdadero y lo bueno, en lugar de las posesiones superficiales y la vanagloria, en las circunstancias de la vida cotidiana. Esta sabiduría es inseparable de las virtudes morales, que fortalecen nuestro deseo de promover el bien común. En particular, sabemos que la justicia y la fortaleza son indispensables para tomar decisiones meditadas y llevarlas a cabo. La templanza también resulta esencial para el uso legítimo de la autoridad, ya que la verdadera templanza frena la excesiva autoexaltación y sirve de barrera contra el abuso de poder.

Esta comprensión del poder legítimo encuentra una de sus más altas expresiones en la auténtica democracia. Lejos de ser un mero procedimiento, la democracia reconoce la dignidad de cada persona e invita a cada ciudadano a participar responsablemente en la búsqueda del bien común. Reflejando esta convicción, san Juan Pablo II afirmó que la Iglesia valora la democracia porque garantiza la participación en las decisiones políticas y «la posibilidad tanto de elegir y exigir responsabilidades a quienes nos gobiernan, como de sustituirlos pacíficamente, cuando sea necesario» ( Centesimus). annus , n. 46). Sin embargo, la democracia solo se mantiene sana cuando está arraigada en la ley moral y en una visión auténtica de la persona humana. Sin este fundamento, corre el riesgo de convertirse en una tiranía mayoritaria o en una máscara para la dominación de las élites económicas y tecnológicas.

Los mismos principios que rigen el ejercicio de la autoridad dentro de las naciones deben también regir el orden internacional, una verdad especialmente importante en un momento en que las rivalidades estratégicas y las alianzas cambiantes están transformando las relaciones globales. Debemos recordar que un orden internacional justo y estable no puede surgir de un simple equilibrio de poder ni de una lógica puramente tecnocrática. La concentración del poder tecnológico, económico y militar en manos de unos pocos amenaza tanto la participación democrática entre los pueblos como la armonía internacional.

En este sentido, mis predecesores han expresado la necesidad de instituciones actualizadas y una autoridad universal (cf. Juan Pablo II, Centesimus annus , n. 58; Pacem in terris , n. 137), inspirada por el principio de subsidiariedad (cf. Benedicto XVI, Caritas in veritate , n. 57). El desarrollo de una comunidad global de fraternidad de este tipo requiere «la mejor política, puesta al servicio del verdadero bien común» (Francisco, Fratelli tutti , n. 154). De hecho, es «más necesario que nunca repensar audazmente las modalidades de la cooperación internacional» ( Visita a la sede de la FAO con motivo del Día Mundial de la Alimentación , 16 de octubre de 2025, n. 7).

En última instancia, cuando los poderes terrenales amenazan la tranquilidad En la definición clásica agustiniana de paz, debemos depositar nuestra esperanza en el Reino de Dios, que, si bien no es de este mundo, ilumina las realidades terrenales y revela su significado escatológico. Desde esta perspectiva de fe, recordamos que la omnipotencia de Dios se manifiesta sobre todo en la misericordia y el perdón (cf. Tomás de Aquino , Summa Theologiae , I, q. 25, a. 3, ad 3); el poder divino no domina, sino que sana y restaura. Es precisamente esta lógica de la caridad la que debe animar la historia, puesto que la actividad humana inspirada por la caridad contribuye a dar forma a la «ciudad terrenal» en unidad y paz, convirtiéndola —aunque imperfectamente— en una anticipación y prefiguración de la «Ciudad de Dios» (cf. Benedicto XVI, Caritas in veritate , n. 7). Esta fe fortalece nuestra determinación de construir una cultura de reconciliación capaz de superar las trampas de la indiferencia y la impotencia (cf. Discurso a los líderes religiosos que participan en el Encuentro Internacional de Oración por la Paz , 28 de octubre de 2025).

Con estos sentimientos, espero sinceramente que sus reflexiones en estos días aporten valiosas perspectivas sobre los usos legítimos del poder, los criterios de una democracia auténtica y el tipo de orden internacional que sirve al bien común. De este modo, su trabajo contribuirá significativamente a la construcción de una cultura global de reconciliación y paz, una paz que no sea simplemente la frágil ausencia de conflicto, sino el fruto de la justicia, nacida de una autoridad humildemente puesta al servicio de cada ser humano y de toda la humanidad.

Que el Espíritu Santo, fuente de toda caridad y vínculo de unidad y paz, ilumine vuestras mentes y sostenga vuestros esfuerzos. Invoco con fervor las abundantes bendiciones de Dios sobre todos vosotros.

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THE CHURCH AND THE A.I.

 

 

Filipino theologians explore

 how Church should

 respond to AI

As artificial intelligence increasingly shapes the way people work, communicate, learn and make decisions, two Filipino Dominican theologians are inviting the Catholic Church to look beyond the technology itself and ask a deeper question: How can AI be developed and used in ways that safeguard human dignity and serve the common good?

By Fr. Kasmir Nema, SVD, and Sr. Helen Ann Palacay, FMIJ – Manila

A new book, Artificial Intelligence and the Catholic Church: Challenges, Discernment and Hope in a Digital Age, explores the ethical, theological and pastoral questions raised by the rapid expansion of AI in society and in the life and mission of the Church.

Published by Claretian Communications, the volume is written by Leo-Martin Angelo R. Ocampo, OP, and Ivan Efreaim A. Gozum, OP, both faculty members of the Institute of Religion and research associates of the Center for Theology, Religious Studies and Ethics at the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas in Manila.

Drawing on theology, ethics and the social sciences, the authors approach AI not merely as a technological innovation but as a development that is transforming human relationships, work, education, communication, governance and social life.

Beyond fear and fascination

The book comes as the Catholic Church continues to deepen its reflection on the opportunities and challenges posed by artificial intelligence.

In his Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo XIV places AI and other emerging technologies among the defining “new things” of the present age. He calls for wisdom and shared discernment so that technological development remains oriented towards human dignity and the common good.

The Pope warns against both uncritical enthusiasm for technology and an unfounded fear of it. Instead, he calls for an approach rooted in human dignity, the preferential option for the poor, care for creation and the pursuit of peace.

At the heart of this discernment is a fundamental question: How can humanity remain fully human in an increasingly technological world?

Ocampo and Gozum take up this question throughout their book. Rather than asking simply whether AI should be accepted or rejected, they examine how it can be designed, governed and used in ways that serve people and communities.

Their discussion considers questions of freedom and responsibility, human relationships, education and employment, communication, governance and the common good. They also examine the implications of AI for religious education, pastoral ministry, evangelization and theological reflection.

For the authors, therefore, AI is not simply a technical issue. Its development raises fundamental questions about what it means to be human and about the kind of society humanity wishes to build.

‘Wisdom, moral clarity and evangelical hope’

In the book’s foreword, Cardinal José F. Advincula, Archbishop of Manila, describes artificial intelligence as “one of the most important transformations of our age.”

AI, he observes, is rapidly changing how people work, communicate, govern, learn and understand themselves. For the Church, this transformation calls not for withdrawal but for engagement.

The Church, the cardinal writes, is called to meet the challenges of artificial intelligence “with wisdom, moral clarity, and evangelical hope.”

He commends the authors for showing how the Church can accompany humanity faithfully as AI becomes increasingly woven into everyday life.

The volume has also received positive assessments from theologians beyond the Philippines.

Fr. Daniel Patrick Huang, SJ, coordinator of the Specialization in Missiology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, describes the book as a valuable introduction to artificial intelligence at a time when its impact on human life is becoming increasingly evident.

He highlights the authors’ attention to both the possibilities and risks of AI, as well as what he describes as their approach of “realistic hope,” which he associates with the Dominican intellectual tradition.

Stephan van Erp, OP, Professor of Fundamental Theology at KU Leuven and Professorial Fellow at Australian Catholic University, likewise describes the volume as “a timely and well-informed introduction to artificial intelligence.”

He particularly highlights the book’s exploration of AI’s implications for education and the economy, as well as its engagement with questions of truth, justice, human dignity and hope.

A Filipino voice in a global conversation

For Ocampo and Gozum, the conversation about artificial intelligence ultimately cannot be separated from the Church’s mission to defend human dignity and accompany people amid rapid social change.

Their work also reflects the growing engagement of Catholic theologians in the Philippines with questions emerging from the digital transformation of society.

As AI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life, the challenge is no longer simply to understand what the technology can do. It is also to discern what human beings should do with it — and which values should guide those choices.

The new volume adds a Filipino theological voice to this global conversation, calling for technological progress to remain at the service of the human person, human relationships and the common good.

Vatican News

VACANCES UTILES 2026

 

EDUCATION AS A MISSION

 

EN - ES - IT - FR

Star 

in the constellation

The speech of Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça 

at the UMEC-WUCT Conference in Oradea (Romania)

"Education as a mission:

 collaboration and exchange of experiences 

between member countries "

It is with great joy that I greet all the participants in this International Meeting of the World Union of Catholic Teachers, dedicated to the theme "Education as Mission: Collaboration and Exchange of Experiences among Member Countries ." I thank you for your commitment and your presence, which testifies to the vitality of an educational network spread throughout the world. This meeting is not only an opportunity for professional exchange: it is an act of faith in the transformative power of education.

Your coming together from diverse countries and cultures has profound significance. It is not simply a matter of getting to know one another better or exchanging best practices—valuable and necessary as that is. Rather, it is a matter of rediscovering together the common root of our educational mission : that vocation that calls us to place the human person at the center of all our efforts, to safeguard their dignity, to cultivate their thoughts and hearts, to prepare the ground so that every young life can flourish in the fullness of its humanity.

 The constellation of educators

I would like to offer you an image that seems particularly apt to describe the meaning of this meeting and, more generally, the very nature of the World Union of Catholic Teachers: the image of a constellation . Pope Leo XIV, in his recent Apostolic Letter Drawing New Maps of Hope , offered this image as a key to understanding the world of Catholic education. The Holy Father wrote: "I speak of a 'constellation' because the world of Catholic education is a living and plural network : parish schools and colleges, universities and higher institutes, vocational training centers, movements, digital platforms, service-learning initiatives , and pastoral work in schools, universities, and culture. Each 'star' has its own brightness, but together they chart a course."

Behold, dear friends: you are stars in this constellation . Each of you, each of the countries represented here, brings a specific light—made up of history, culture, pedagogical tradition, and particular charisms. But it is only when these lights come together, when they accept their place in a larger plan, that it becomes possible to chart a course. The constellation does not obliterate the individual stars: it exalts them, giving them a meaning that transcends their isolated brightness. Thus, the World Union of Catholic Teachers does not ask any country to renounce its educational identity, but invites everyone to discover how that identity acquires new depth and strength in relationships with others.

The Pope reminds us that "the constellations reflect their lights in an infinite universe. Like in a kaleidoscope, their colors intertwine, creating further chromatic variations." The encounter between different Catholic educational experiences does not produce uniformity, but generates new variations , unprecedented insights, creative responses to the problems each of us faces in our own context. When a teacher from Cameroon listens to the experience of a colleague from the Philippines, or when a Polish educator dialogues with a teacher from Peru, something mysteriously fruitful happens: the lights intertwine, the colors multiply, and the horizon broadens .

 Collaboration: An Evangelical Imperative

Collaboration among member countries is not a strategic option: it is an imperative that arises from the Gospel itself. Christian education , as the Second Vatican Council reminds us in Gravissimum Educationis is a choral work : no one educates alone. Pope Leo XIV forcefully reiterated this principle: "Christian education is a choral work: no one educates alone. The educational community is a 'we' where teachers, students, families, administrative and service personnel, pastors, and civil society converge to generate life." If this is true within each individual educational community, how much more so in the international dimension of our mission! The 'we' of Catholic education knows no national boundaries : it is a universal 'we', Catholic in the fullest sense of the term.

The exchange of experiences among member countries is the lifeblood of this expanded "we." It's not about exporting models or importing prepackaged solutions. Rather, it's about practicing that "inter- and trans- disciplinarity exercised as wisdom and creativity" that Pope Francis identified as a method in the Apostolic Constitution Veritatis Gaudium and that Pope Leo XIV recalled in his Apostolic Letter. Every educational experience, even the most humble, has something to teach; and every challenge, even the most difficult, becomes more manageable when we don't face it alone.

The Global Education Compact: Our North Star

In this educational constellation, one star shines with particular intensity: the Global Compact on Education . Pope Leo XIV clearly defined it as the "North Star" of the Church's educational journey . The Holy Father wrote: "Among the stars that guide the path is the Global Compact on Education. I gratefully accept this prophetic legacy entrusted to us by Pope Francis. It is an invitation to form alliances and networks to educate for universal brotherhood." This Compact, prophetically launched by Pope Francis and embraced with renewed energy by the reigning Pontiff, represents the horizon within which all our efforts at international collaboration must be placed.

The seven paths of the Global Compact on Education—placing the person at the center , listening to children and young people, promoting the dignity of women , recognizing the family as the primary educator, being open to acceptance , renewing the economy and politics , caring for our common home —are not programmatic abstractions. They are concrete invitations that each member country of this Union is called to implement in its own context, with its own sensibilities, according to its own urgent needs. This meeting can become a place to jointly assess how each country is responding to these invitations, what fruits are maturing, what obstacles are being encountered, and how fraternal solidarity can help overcome them.

To the seven ways of the Covenant, Pope Leo XIV added three priorities that seem particularly significant to me for your daily work as educators. The first concerns the interior life of young people : they demand depth, and schools must offer spaces for silence, discernment, and dialogue with conscience. The second concerns human digitality : we are called to educate people in the wise use of technology, placing the person before the algorithm. The third concerns peace : "Blessed are the peacemakers" ( Mt 5:9) must become, in the words of the Holy Father, "the method and content of learning."

 The teacher: star in the constellation

At the heart of this educational constellation is the teacher. You, dear educators, are the stars without which no constellation could be composed. Pope Leo XIV reminded us that teacher training—scientific, pedagogical, cultural, and spiritual—is crucial. Technical updates are not enough, the Holy Father warns us: "we must preserve a heart that listens, a gaze that encourages, an intelligence that discerns ." These words accurately describe the profile of the Catholic teacher : not a simple transmitter of knowledge, but a witness, a companion, a craftsman of humanity.

Your mission today is taking place in an extraordinarily complex context. The digital environment is transforming learning and relationships; economic and social inequalities are profoundly impacting educational opportunities; wars and migrations are creating emergencies that are knocking at the doors of our schools. Yet, precisely in this context, your work takes on immeasurable value. As the Holy Father reminds us, the Catholic educational network has a unique reach, reaching every continent with a particular presence in low-income areas, and represents "a concrete promise of educational mobility and social justice."

Education, wrote Pope Leo XIV, quoting his Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi te , "is one of the highest expressions of Christian charity." This tells us that every lesson, every homework corrected, every word of encouragement addressed to a struggling student is an act of charity. Not charitable charity, but charity in its fullest sense : love that liberates, elevates, restores dignity. And when this charity becomes collaboration between countries, when it opens itself to the international dimension of exchange and solidarity, then it becomes a prophetic testimony of that universal brotherhood that the Global Compact on Education asks us to build.

 Drawing new maps of hope

Dear friends, I return to the image of the constellation to entrust you with a task. Constellations have always served to orient sailors . In a world that often seems to have lost its direction, your constellation— the constellation of Catholic teachers throughout the world—must continue to point the way. A route that points toward the dignity of every person, toward fraternity among peoples, toward the protection of our common home, toward that hope which, as the Apostle Paul assures us, "does not disappoint" ( Rom. 5.5).

May this meeting be a moment of grace for all of you: a time to strengthen bonds, to share struggles and hopes, to rediscover the beauty of your educational vocation within the universal dimension of the Church. May the World Union of Catholic Teachers grow in cohesion and fraternity, increasingly becoming the educational "we" that the world urgently needs.

I entrust your journey to the Virgin Mary, Sedes Sapientiae , and to all the holy educators. And to each of you I repeat the words of the Apostle that the Holy Father placed as a seal on his Apostolic Letter: "You must shine like stars in the world, holding fast the word of life" ( Phil 2:15-16).

I accompany you with prayer and bless you from my heart.

Card. José Tolentino de Mendonça

Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education

 ITALIANO

FRANCAIS

ESPANOL

 

SEEDS OF PEACE AND HOPE

 

Season of Creation 2025

 Seeds of Peace and Hope

by Laudato Si’ Movement |

“In Christ, we too are seeds, and indeed, seeds of peace and hope.”
The words of the prophet Isaiah remind us that the Spirit of God can transform even the most arid wilderness into a flourishing garden:

“Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and trust forever” (Is 32:15-18).

These verses will guide us during the Season of Creation 2025, taking place from 1 September to 4 October. It is a time of prayer, action, and community for all Christians who recognize that caring for our common home is an essential expression of our faith.

Isaiah’s prophecy feels urgent today. Our world suffers the wounds of ecological destruction, climate change, and war. Yet the Spirit of God calls us to respond with faith, courage, and hope—planting seeds of peace through prayer, justice, and daily action.

 More resources to nurture the Season of Creation 2025

This year, many partners have prepared rich liturgical, educational, and practical resources to help communities live the Season of Creation fully. Below is a guide to the main tools available:

Prayer and Liturgy

• Via Creationis – a journey of prayer inspired by creation.
• New Mass “Pro Custodia Creationis” – liturgical text dedicated to the care of creation.
• Celebration Guide – the official global guide to help organize events and liturgies.
• Laudato Si’ Movement Prayer Book – prayers to unite hearts worldwide in caring for creation.
• Catholic Liturgical Guide 2025 – a resource for Catholic communities with readings, reflections, and liturgical suggestions.
• Weekly Penitential Rites, Intercessions, and Final Blessings (Sundays) – prepared by the Dominicans USA.
• Liturgy Notes – from Catholic Earthcare Caritas Australia.

Ecumenical and Pastoral Resources

• Pope Leo XIV’s Message for the 10th World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation – guidance from the Holy Father.
• Peace of Creation 2025 topic explanation – full presentation about the topic.
• Eco-Congregation Scotland – sermons, prayers, and ecumenical reflections.
• Irish Bishops Conference – resources on nurturing family faith in nature and the initiative Ribbons of Peace.
• Laudato Si’ Research Institute (Oxford University) – ideas on how to celebrate the Feast of Creation (September 1).

Children, Youth, and Families

• Children’s Resource: Isaiah’s Forest Makers – helping the youngest discover how they too can be seeds of peace.
• Children and Youth Bible Study for Season of Creation 2025 – tailored reflections and activities.
• Way of Beauty (14 Stations of Creation) – a prayer journey inspired by Laudato Si’ and the video version.

 

How to Begin

1.    Pray – Use the liturgical and ecumenical resources to root your community in prayer.

2.    Celebrate – Organize Masses, services, or small group gatherings inspired by the Celebration Guide.

3.    Act – Plant trees, reduce waste, advocate for climate justice, or create spaces of peace in your community. Use our padlet and upload all your wonderful activities.

4.    Engage Youth and Families – Use the children’s and youth resources to pass on the call to care for creation to the next generation.

A Season of Hope

The Season of Creation is more than a liturgical time—it is a journey of transformation. As Isaiah reminds us, when we plant seeds of justice and righteousness, the fruit is peace, quietness, and trust.

In 2025, let us embrace this call together. May our prayers, actions, and witness help the Spirit of God make the desert bloom, and may we truly become “seeds of peace and hope” for our wounded world.