This is the last of a series of columns by the author on Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas.” This piece focuses on the Conclusion. For earlier columns, see Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4 and Chapter 5. (RNS) — In the conclusion to his first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” Pope Leo XIV proposes what he calls…
When Pope Leo XIV presented a 42,300-word open letter to the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics on Monday, calling for protections against the rise of artificial intelligence, he was joined by Christopher Olah, a co-founder of Anthropic, which is one of the tech industry’s leading A.I. companies. As Leo urged corporate executives, government regulators and other…
Amid growing tensions between President Trump and Pope Leo XIV, the pontiff met privately with Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Vatican on Thursday morning They discussed “the situation in the Middle East and topics of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere,” according to a statement from Tommy Pigott, the spokesman for the State…
For decades, the unspoken assumption at the Vatican was that there could never be a pope from the United States. With Americans as both Holy Father and leader of the free world, the thinking went, the United States would wield too much influence in both the geopolitical and spiritual realms. The cardinals who elected new…
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet on Thursday with Pope Leo XIV and a day later with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, according to the Vatican and the Italian government, in a two-day visit amid tensions between Washington, Rome and the Vatican. The State Department later said in a statement that Mr. Rubio…
(RNS) — During his recent visit to Africa, Pope Leo XIV was encouraging to a continent where religion, family and community are still vital in the lives of people. But he was also challenging, especially to the ruling elites whose corruption and infighting are keeping the continent from reaching its true potential. Much media attention…
The Most Rev. Sarah Mullally, the first woman to lead the Anglican Communion, prayed at the Vatican on Monday with Pope Leo XIV, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, projecting a powerful image of female ecclesiastical authority within an institution that maintains a male-only priesthood. The historic meeting was both an expression of unity…
The families of more than a hundred children killed when a missile struck an elementary school in Iran have penned a letter of grief and gratitude to Pope Leo XIV, who has repeatedly criticized the loss of innocent lives in the war with Iran. An investigation by the U.S. military determined that the United States…
When Stuart Sepulvida arrives at St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Parish in Tucson, Ariz., for Mass, which he attends most mornings, he passes a display honoring local soldiers and encouraging parishioners to pray for their safety. Hundreds of small cards record their names: Robles, Arenas, Grajeda. A portrait of Pope Leo XIV hangs across…
When Pope Leo XIV talks, people listen. Yet he is learning that he can’t always control how they hear him. From the very beginning of Leo’s 11-day trip to Africa, which ended on Thursday, his mission to highlight injustice across the continent was interpreted through the lens of his dispute with President Trump. Leo’s remarks…
