Press Statement: The NCBC Welcomes Pope Leo XIV’s First Encyclical
BROOMALL, Pa., May 27, 2026—The National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) gratefully welcomes Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence. It was signed by Pope Leo XIV on May 15, 2026, and released on May 25, 2026, marking the 135th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII’s landmark social encyclical Rerum Novarum.
The 245 paragraphs of Magnifica Humanitas offer a rich discussion of the promises and perils of artificial intelligence (AI) through various interconnected lenses, including two key touchstones for the NCBC’s work in the field of bioethics: human dignity and the common good. It concludes with a call to hope through Our Lady’s Magnificat, “that she may guide our steps through this time of change and preserve in each of us true faith in the Gospel, so that we may bear witness to the grandeur of humanity, in which God has made his dwelling.”
The NCBC looks forward to advancing the Holy Father’s teachings through education, guidance, and resources, in accord with its mission. The NCBC invites all Catholics, fellow Christians, and people of good will to read and reflect more deeply on the challenges and opportunities of AI, in particular in its interface with conscience, moral responsibility, personal encounter and relationships, truthful communication and information; again, founded on the dignity of the human person and the common good.
“Navigating the artificial intelligence revolution requires working together as persons in relationship and in community,” said Dr. John A. Di Camillo, President of the NCBC. “One of the threats of AI is the replacement of personal encounter. The NCBC has long worked with bishops, health care ministry leaders, educators, clergy, the Catholic faithful, and people of good will to help form their consciences for real decisions—shaping them in virtue and equipping them to be witnesses to Christ. We intend to continue this personal accompaniment, while collaborating with experts in the fields of theology, philosophy, science, technology, and medicine, to build a path forward on the foundations of the common good and the grandeur of humanity—rooted in God’s plan for creation and salvation.”
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The National Catholic Bioethics Center provides education, guidance, and resources to the Church and society to uphold the dignity of the human person in health care and biomedical research, thereby sharing in the ministry of Jesus Christ and his Church. The NCBC envisions a world in which the integral understanding of the human person underlying Catholic teaching on respect for human life and dignity is better understood and more widely embraced in America and worldwide. More information can be found at www.ncbcenter.org.
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Contact Name John A. Di Camillo, PhD, BeL
Phone 215-871-2001
Email jdicamillo@ncbcenter.org
Website www.ncbcenter.org
For a PDF of the document, click here.