Pope Leo XIV received rock star treatment at a recent festival of Catholic influencers at the Vatican, which brought together priests, nuns and ordinary believers using social media to preach and teach the faith.
He urged them to ensure that personal relationships are not harmed by the rise of digital ecosystems and artificial intelligence.
The first American pope was surrounded by hundreds of influential people who held their mobile phones high to livestream his arrival at St. Peter's Basilica after a special Mass.
Pilgrims have descended on Rome for a special celebration of the Holy Year of the “digital missionaries,” which is part of the Vatican's week-long Jubilee for Young People and will culminate this weekend with a vigil and Mass in a large field on the outskirts of Rome.
Lev thanked the youth for using digital platforms to spread their faith and readily posed for selfies.
However, he warned them against neglecting human relationships in search of clicks and followers, and falling victim to fake news and the “frivolity” of online dating.
“It’s not just about creating content, it’s about organizing meetings of hearts,” Lev said in a speech in which he switched effortlessly between Italian, Spanish, and English. “Be agents of unity, capable of breaking the logic of division and polarization, individualism and egoism.”
He added: “It is up to us – each of you – whether this culture will preserve its humanity. Our mission – your mission – is to develop a culture of Christian humanism, and to do it together,” in what he called the only networks that truly matter: friendship, love, and “the network of God.”
Over the past two days, the Vatican's message to young influencers has been an expression of gratitude for their evangelization on social media, but also a warning not to let their posts go beyond the message or ignore the human aspect of all encounters.
For Leo, the issue is particularly pressing, as he noted that combating the threats to humanity posed by AI will be a priority of his pontificate.
Tuesday began with groups of dignitaries and young pilgrims filing through the basilica's Holy Doors, a rite of passage for some 32 million people celebrating the Vatican's 2025 Holy Year. This week, central Rome was filled with energetic crowds of Catholic teen scouts, church groups and Catholic school groups.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
