May Pastor Column #2

My dear Kirkland Catholics,

On May 25 Pope Leo published his first encyclical letter, Magnifica Humanitas.  An encyclical letter is a major teaching document, and it coming out about a year after a papal election tracks recent Pope’s timelines for a first encyclical.

These types of documents are not, however, frequent.  Pope Francis and Pope Benedict averaged an encyclical once every three years, whereas Pope John Paul II averaged an encyclical every two years.  A long prelude to say that when an encyclical comes out, it should be noted.

I do have to say that the topic of this encyclical is unique and is the first document I can think of that concerns a topic that many parishioners have asked me about, and about which I didn’t have a lot of easy responses.

The topic of his first encyclical is essentially Artificial Intelligence (AI).  It clocks in at 42,000 words which us about 80 pages in Microsoft word single-spaced.

In two weeks it is my intention that my pastor column will provide a short takeaway after taking time to digest this document, but with recent layoffs at many Seattle-area tech firms that have impacted some of our parishioners I think it it’s important to note that technology has done so much good, but that the effects of technology on the dignity of the human person and upon
labor/work itself has been significant, and could become staggering.

The Holy Father has a prophetic role in terms of standing up the excesses and abuses of the age - especially within the church, as well as generating a vigilance around trends that can corrupt and must be watched closely.  On first read through,
that’s what this document balances well.

If you would like to read the document for yourself, you will find it easily by searching for “Pope Leo XIV encyclical” or you can click this link: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html

Let us pray for our brothers and sisters who are unemployed and underemployed, and safeguard our families through vigilance about the potential negative effects of technology.

More to come on this topic…

With love in Christ,

Fr. Brad