Magnifica Humanitas and Catholic Social Doctrine

As you know, Pope Leo XIV released his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, on May 25, 2026. While the focus of the document is AI (artificial intelligence) and technology like robotics, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and other related developments, Magnifica Humanitas is chiefly concerned with “safeguarding the human person in the age of artificial intelligence.”

This year marks the 135th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII’s social encyclical, Rerum Novarum (Of New Things). The current Pope Leo chose his name specifically to connect with this heritage as he sees the need to protect the goodness, the “magnificence,” of being created human by God.

The “new things” in 1891 were the growth of industrialization, the movement of many from farms and small towns to large cities, and the risk of losing the value of work and the dignity of workers to become simply like cogs in the machine of productivity and profit for a few. Rerun Novarum spoke of practical matters like safe working conditions, a living wage, and access to the items produced to serve the common good of society. But it too was rooted in the same insight of the dignity of the human person who can never be reduced to a means, but must be respected as brother or sister in the human family, created in the image of God and thus an end and never simply a means for others’ profit.

Over these last 135 years, the Popes have developed what is know as “Catholic Social Doctrine” and applied it to emerging social issues: the goodness of work not only to develop the material world but to become more fully human in our gifts and skills; the principle of subsidiarity, that the family is the core element all human society and that decisions are to be made by those closest to the need and higher levels only come into play when necessary; the progress of peoples in which assistance from other nations is to serve the development of each person and every person; and the goodness of the created world and our moral need to steward resources for the common good, now and for future generations.

The “new things” today threaten to undermine human freedom and dignity, with the risk of exploitation; counting efficiency and profit as greater goods than persons; the control of information and culture in the hands of those who create the algorithms and determine what is communicated; the ecological impact of massive data centers and their consumption of water and electricity; the confusion of information with true wisdom and human creativity, emotion, intuition, the joy of learning, and concepts like mercy and healing.

All of that is to introduce a series of coming bulletin columns over the next weeks on Catholic Social Doctrine. It is timely background to Pope Leo’s encyclical, but also integral to our social and political life as elections approach again this fall.

The principles of Catholic Social Doctrine are intended to form our consciences as disciples of Jesus. They are rooted in the Gospels. They do not provide a ready answer to complex questions facing us, but they do establish priorities and essentials for what any structure or platform must uphold from a Catholic point of view.

The seven principles of Catholic Social Doctrine are these:

- The Life and Dignity of the Human Person

- Call to Family, Community, and Participation

- Rights and Responsibilities

- The Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers

- The Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

- Solidarity

- Care for God’s Creation

Future columns will explore each of these in a bit more depth, though their full significance leads to the writing of many books and papal encyclicals