Vatican City – This morning, in the Hall of Blessings, Pope Leo XIV received Members of Parliament on the occasion of the Jubilee of Rulers and Public Officials, organized within the context of the Holy Year. The event saw the participation of parliamentary delegations from sixty-eight countries, along with representatives of international academic and religious institutions.
In his comprehensive address, the Holy Father offered an institutional greeting to the President of the Council of Ministers and the President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Republic, as well as to the President and Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. Leo XIV drew attention to the profound meaning of political action, defined by Pope Pius XI as “the highest form of charity.”
“Politics as a Service to the Common Good”
The Pope centered his remarks on three main reflections. First, he reaffirmed that the fundamental responsibility of those who govern is to promote the common good, “especially in defense of the weakest and most marginalized.” He denounced the current “unacceptable disparity between wealth concentrated in the hands of a few and widespread, excessive poverty,” recalling Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum. This imbalance, he stated, breeds injusticeand violence, but good politics can contribute to peace and social equity.
Defending Religious Freedom and the Ethical Foundation of Political Action
The second reflection concerned the promotion of religious freedom and interfaith dialogue. Leo XIV urged the fostering of a culture of coexistence and mutual respect, emphasizing that faith, far from being a source of division, can become a powerful engine for social cohesion. In this context, he referred to natural law as a universal compass and shared ethical standard, citing Cicero and the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
«This area has taken on greater significance in the present time, and political life can achieve much by encouraging the conditions for there to be authentic religious freedom and that a respectful and constructive encounter between different religious communities may develop. Belief in God, with the positive values that derive from it, is an immense source of goodness and truth for the lives of individuals and communities. Saint Augustine spoke of the need to pass from amor sui – egotistic, myopic and destructive self-love – to amor Dei – a free and generous love, grounded in God and leading to the gift of self. That passage, he taught, is essential for the building of the civitas Dei, a society whose fundamental law is charity (cf. De Civitate Dei, XIV, 28)» the Pontiff said, quoting Augustine.
Artificial Intelligence and Human Dignity
Finally, the Pope addressed one of the most pressing contemporary challenges: artificial intelligence. While acknowledging its positive potential, he warned against any use that might “undermine the identity and dignity of the human person.” AI, he emphasized, “must remain a tool at the service of humanity,” and must never replace human creativity, living memory, or freedom.
«The degree of civilization attained in our world and the goals you are charged to achieve are now facing a major challenge in the form of artificial intelligence. This is a development that 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. In particular, 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. What is emerging is in fact a significant challenge, one that calls for great attention and foresight in order to project, also in the context of new scenarios, healthy, fair and sound lifestyles, especially for the good of younger generations.
Our personal life has greater value than any algorithm, and social relationships require spaces for development that far transcend the limited patterns that any soulless machine can pre-package. Let us not forget that, while able to store millions of data points and answer many questions in a matter of seconds, artificial intelligence remains equipped with a “static memory” that is in no way comparable to that of human beings. Our memory, on the other hand, is creative, dynamic, generative, capable of uniting past, present and future in a lively and fruitful search for meaning, with all the ethical and existential implications that this entails» the Pope said.
A Model: St. Thomas More
In conclusion, the Holy Father pointed to St. Thomas More as a model and patron for those in public office: an example of a just man capable of integrating faith with civic responsibility, even unto the ultimate sacrifice.
«During the Jubilee of the Year 2000, Saint John Paul II indicated Saint Thomas More as a witness for political leaders to revere and an intercessor under whose protection to place their work. Sir Thomas More was a man faithful to his civic responsibilities, a perfect servant of the state precisely because of his faith, which led him to view politics not as a profession but as a mission for the spread of truth and goodness. He “placed his public activity at the service of the person, especially the weak and poor; he handled social disputes with an exquisite sense of justice; he protected the family and defended it with strenuous commitment; and he promoted the integral education of youth” (Apostolic Letter E Sancti Thomae Mori, 31 October 2000, 4). The courage he showed by his readiness to sacrifice his life rather than betray the truth makes him, also for us today, a martyr for freedom and for the primacy of conscience. May his example be a source of inspiration and guidance for each of you!» the Pope concluded.
Tomorrow, on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi in Italy, the political leaders will have the opportunity to take part in the celebration presided over by Pope Leo XIV in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran.
The Frenzy to "Capture"
However, what surprised—and to some extent saddened—Pope Leo XIV and his collaborators was the behavior of the very parliamentarians present. Before and after the encounter, many of these “mighty of the earth” crowded around the Pope in an effort to snap selfies with him, ignoring all protocol and the most basic forms of respect and composure. It was a surreal moment.
In light of the Pope’s own words about artificial intelligence and the need to safeguard our humanity in the digital age, the episode took on a bitter tone. For if even those with legislative and institutional responsibility behave this way, what can we realistically expect from the rest of society? The concern voiced by the Holy Father today was made all the more vivid and urgent.
“Sharing” Has Surpassed “Living”
This obsession with capturing an image of the Pope has become embarrassing. It is not merely a question of bad manners or a lack of respect for the sacredness of the moment: it is the clear symptom of a time in which the urge to possess a moment—through a photo, a video, a story—overshadows the experience of living that moment. The Pope no longer sees faces. He sees a wall of screens. Hands no longer rise to greet, but to record. Physical presence is no longer enough. The memory of the heart is no longer as trustworthy as a digital archive. And yet there are official photographers, media staff, press services—no one would lose that moment. But it must be their shot, their content, their showcase. It is a deeply unsettling paradox.
A few days ago, Silere non possum recalled the words of St. John XXIII regarding applause in church: it is not the Pope who matters, but the One he represents. And yet today it seems that the “post” matters more than the encounter, appearance more than listening, sharing more than conversion. How sad, this blind digitalization. How much povertylies hidden behind such ostentatious “connection.”
In an age when these very leaders speak so much about artificial intelligence, it would be urgent to rediscover the wisdom of the heart.
s.T.C.
Silere non possum