“Politics is a high form of charity when placed at the service of the common good, especially the most vulnerable.” With these words, Pope Leo XIV welcomed parliamentary representatives from 68 countries gathered in the Hall of Benediction for the Jubilee of Governments. The occasion, said the Pontiff, was “an opportunity to reflect on political engagement as a concrete expression of Christian charity,” recalling that “it is never theoretical, but a sign of God’s action on behalf of humanity.” The Pope offered three lines of reflection for a politics truly at the service of the person and society: justice, dialogue, innovation. First, a call for greater social equity: “This means working to overcome the unacceptable disproportion between wealth held by a few and widespread, excessive poverty.” Good politics, he affirmed, can prevent injustice and conflict, promoting “a fair distribution of resources” and fostering peace.
Natural law and religious freedom. In his second point, the Pontiff reaffirmed the importance of religious freedom and interreligious dialogue, emphasising that “faith in God, with the positive values that flow from it, is an immense source of good and truth for individuals and communities.” Quoting Saint Augustine and Cicero, Pope Leo XIV pointed to natural law as “a universal ethical compass” capable of guiding legislative action even in the most intimate and controversial matters.
“Natural law is not written by human hands, but acknowledged as universally valid and at all times, finding in nature itself its most plausible and convincing expression.”
The reference to the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights was presented as a further foundation for a politics that places the human person at the centre, recognising their integral dignity and respecting conscience. “Respect for the innermost self is a pillar of democratic coexistence,” he underlined.
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- (Foto Vatican Media/SIR)
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- (Foto Vatican Media/SIR)
Technology and political responsibility. Finally, Pope Leo XIV turned his gaze to the future, focusing on the impact of artificial intelligence. “Personal life is worth far more than any algorithm,” he said, warning against the risk of reducing the human person to a set of data.
“The memory of AI is static, whereas that of human beings is creative, dynamic, generative.”
The Pope called on politicians to ensure that “technology does not become a tool of control or exclusion,” but remains “at the service of the common good and of the younger generations.”
Concluding his address, he proposed Saint Thomas More as a model, describing him as “a martyr for freedom and for the primacy of conscience”: an example of politics lived not as a profession, but as a mission. “May his courage,” he said, “be for each of you a source of inspiration and vision.” He invoked “heavenly blessings” upon all those present, so that their service “may be a sign of peace and hope.”
