Pope Leo’s address to participants in the international conference
“Preserving Human Voices and Faces”
promoted by Dicastery for Communication and Dicastery for Culture and Education
Consistory Hall – Friday, 22 May 2026
Pope Leo’s address
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you.
I am pleased to welcome you after yesterday’s International Congress, which marked the 60th World Communications Day.
As scholars and experts well-versed in digital communication, you have come to Rome to reflect on media and digital literacy because you are concerned about the future of humanity.
By participating in this initiative, each of you has brought your unique gifts and talents to contribute to humanity’s future direction in a time marked by the exponential growth of technology—a particularly significant issue for the Church’s mission.
The Church’s advocacy of social communications can best be understood within the context of her universal mission.
In fact, the Second Vatican Council’s decree on the mass media, which led to World Communications Day, begins by reminding us that “the Church was founded by Christ our Lord to bring salvation to everyone, and consequently, she is duty-bound to preach the Gospel” (Inter Mirifica 3).
The Church’s primary concern has been, and continues to be, the eternal salvation of every human person.
As we read in John’s Gospel: “That they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3).
The desire for everyone “to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” must inform our decisions, actions, and the use of media, digital technology, and artificial intelligence. This will ensure these tools are used to authentically serve humanity.
The unbridled promotion and implementation of technology at the expense of human dignity, as evidenced by the damage caused by chatbots and other technologies that exploit our need for human relationships, is causing an eclipse of the sense of what it means to be human.
Therefore, it is imperative that we recover an understanding of the true meaning and grandeur of humanity as intended by God.
In this sense, the current challenge is “not technological, but anthropological,” and I hope the encyclical letter to be published in a few days will address it.
In this light, I am confident that we can only recover a proper vision of God and understand the truth of humanity by contemplating Christ, the Incarnate Word.
Since “by his incarnation the Son of God has united himself in some fashion with every human person” (Gaudium et Spes 22), the human heart will never fully fathom its own depths nor understand its worth apart from Christ’s heart.
Therefore, preserving the unique identity of each individual necessarily entails encountering him who is “the image of the invisible God,” who is also the perfect man. (Colossians 1:15).
Naturally, all of this must be kept in mind when discussing the implications of digital technology and the Church’s role in social communications.
This task is not always easy, but we have been called to bring the light of Christ to the world and illuminate every dimension of human activity
(John 8:12 –Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Matthew 5:14–16 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. 15 Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.)
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How can we fail to do so in our time, especially when the issue is so prevalent in society?
Consequently, the Church is compelled to contribute to the effort of planning and implementing media, information, and AI literacy in educational systems.
In this way, the Church can help ensure that people acquire critical thinking skills and that technology contributes to the salvation of its users.
I am sure that all of us are particularly concerned about the possible consequences of digital technology and AI on the physical, intellectual, and spiritual well-being of children and young people.
In this regard, everyone, especially the young, should learn moderation and discipline in their use of such technology, supported by the guidance of parents and educators.
Furthermore, considering the Church’s mission and the current misconceptions about God and humanity, digital literacy should include an education about the truth of God and humanity.
Young people, in particular, are open to this truth and eager to discover life’s meaning.
We must therefore help them to encounter the living Christ and teach them to integrate the use of technology within a holistic Christian lifestyle.
Dear brothers and sisters,
This is a topic that is particularly important to me and to the Church.
As a mother, the Church is interested in the lives of her children and desires to guide them to full maturity.
I hope these reflections lead to restored trust in technology as a product of human ingenuity in harmony with God’s creative design.
Thank you for your efforts now and in the future. I cordially invoke the divine blessings of wisdom, joy, and peace upon you and your families.