“Nurture a culture of Christian humanism, and do so together.” Leo XIV thus defined ‘the beauty of the web’ in his first meeting with Catholic missionaries and influencers on the opening day of the Jubilee of Young People. In today’s society, technology permeates every aspect of human life and “ensuring that this culture remains human” is the task the Pope assigned to those present, greeted as they entered St. Peter’s at the end of the Mass celebrated by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelisation. For the Pope, inhabiting the digital continent is not so much about “generating content” as about “creating an encounter of hearts”, inventing a new language without focusing on the number of followers.
“Peace needs to be sought, proclaimed, and shared everywhere, both in the places where we see the tragedy of war and in the empty hearts of those who have lost the meaning of life and the desire for introspection and the spiritual life.”
Pope Leo addressed digital missionaries and Catholic influencers, asking them, above all, to proclaim peace to the world. “Perhaps, today more than ever, we need missionary disciples who convey the gift of the Risen Lord to the world; who voice to the ends of the earth the hope that Jesus gives us, fino agli estremi confini della terra; che arrivino dovunque ci sia un cuore che aspetta, un cuore and who go wherever there is a heart that waits, seeks, and is in need. Yes, to the ends of the earth, to the farthest reaches, where there is no hope.”
“Always look for the ‘suffering flesh of Christ’ in every brother and sister you encounter online”,
is the Pope’s second cousel, decidedly counter to the current culture, “deeply characterized and formed by technology.”
“It is up to us – it is up to each one of you – to ensure that this culture remains human”,
is the most demanding task, with the awareness that “science and technology influence the way we live in the world, even affecting how we understand ourselves and how we relate to God, how we relate to one another.”
“But nothing that comes from man and his creativity should be used to undermine the dignity of others”,
is the fundamental principle that must never be forgotten:
“Our mission – your mission – is to nurture a culture of Christian humanism, and to do so together. This is the beauty of the “network” for all of us.”
“Faced with cultural changes throughout history, the Church has never remained passive”, the Holy Father recalled: “she has always sought to illuminate every age with the light and hope of Christ by discerning good from evil and what was good from what needed to be changed, transformed, and purified.”
“Today we are in a culture where the technological dimension is present in almost everything, especially as the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence will mark a new era in the lives of individuals and society as a whole”,
The Pope’s analysis echoes his first address to the College of Cardinals, when he explained that his choice of papal name was “in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence.” Pope Leo said in his address to Italian Bishops: “The person is not a system of algorithms.” He warned against a “faith that risks becoming disembodied without lively reflection on the human being.” “This is a challenge that we must face – the Pope said on Tuesday addressing Catholic digital missionaries and influencers in Saint Peter’s Square: “reflecting on the authenticity of our witness, on our ability to listen and speak, and on our capacity to understand and to be understood.”
“We have a duty to work together to develop a way of thinking, to develop a language, of our time, that gives voice to Love”, Pope Leo’s guidance. He remarked: “It is not simply a matter of generating content, but of creating an encounter of hearts.”
For the Pope, this will entail “seeking out those who suffer, those who need to know the Lord, so that they may heal their wounds, get back on their feet and find meaning in their lives. Above all, this process begins with accepting our own poverty, letting go of all pretense and recognizing our own inherent need for the Gospel. And this process is a communal endeavor.” “To weave networks of relationships, of love, of gratuitous sharing where friendship is profound and authentic”, the Pope outlined in his concluding remarks:
“Networks where we can mend what has been broken, heal from loneliness, not focus on the number of followers,
but experience the greatness of infinite Love in every encounter; networks that give space to others more than to ourselves, where no ‘bubble’ can silence the voices of the weakest; networks that liberate and save; networks that help us rediscover the beauty of looking into each other’s eyes; networks of truth. In this way, every story of shared goodness will be a knot in a single, immense network: the network of networks, the network of God.” “Be agents of communion, capable of breaking down the logic of division and polarization, of individualism and egocentrism”, the final invitation: “Centre yourselves on Christ, so as to overcome the logic of the world, of fake news, of frivolity, with the beauty and light of Truth.”
