Three months after the release of Pope Leo XIV's encyclical on artificial intelligence, Magnifica Humanitas continues to gain traction among tech leaders and policymakers alike.
"Indeed, singing and playing a musical instrument are acts of prayer," the pontiff said. "Music thus fosters our unity in praising God and opens our hearts to be fashioned by his grace."
The pontiff picked up on the same appeal Pope John Paul II made 44 years ago: to tirelessly bring forth a civilization born of truth and love in a world seriously threatened by selfishness and indifference to others' suffering.
Using the micro state as an example, the pontiff argued that small political communities can offer lessons in public service and social cohesion at a time of growing division and distrust.
Two recent decisions by French Bishop Jean-Marc Micas have positioned the Marian shrine at Lourdes as a microcosm for church issues ahead of the pope's visit there at the end of September.
War and environmental destruction are not just political failures, but symptoms of a deep moral crisis in the human heart, Pope Leo XIV said in his message for the 2026 World Day of Prayer for Creation.
Following Pope Leo XIV's meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the Vatican said Aoun's subsequent meetings with Vatican diplomats focused on the recent agreement signed by the U.S., Israel and Lebanon.
The first U.S.-born pope on Tuesday tapped three experts from U.S. institutions to advise the Catholic Church's central office dedicated to promoting social justice. All three are affiliated with the University of Notre Dame.
