From the Desk of Father Jason - August 30, 2026

Dear Saint Francis Xavier Parishioners,

I finally got a chance to read Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical letter, Magnificia Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence.

The encyclical is more than just about artificial intelligence, but how we live as human beings, made in the image and likeness of God.

Near the end, Pope Leo offers us five suggestions to build a more humane world, or as Pope Saint Paul VI phrased it, “A Civilization of Love.” They are:

1.      The Need to Disarm Words: “The first contribution we can make toward a more humane civilization is to be mindful of our words” (Magnificia Humanitas, 214). We are called to examine how we use our words. Do they contribute to a better world, a more Christ-like world or not?

2.      Building Peace through Justice: “All of us, at every level, can contribute to building the foundation of peace, which is justice” (215). We are not just seeking merely the absence of conflict, but true peace born of justice.

3.      Adopting the Perspective of Victims: “Giving space to the perspectives and voices of victims…helps us to become aware of the abyss of evil inherent in war, and generally in all forms of violence” (217). We must not be afraid of those who bear wounds.

4.      Cultivating a Healthy Realism: “We are in need of a healthy realism that avoids both political idealism and cynicism” (218). If we are not based in reality, the civilization of love will never take root in our world.

5.      Reviving Dialogue: “In order to build the civilization of love, we must engage in dialogue, for this is the primary means of coexistence between people and nations, and it is the alternative to open conflict” (219).

We all have a role in building a civilization of love in our corner of the world. I invite you to take one or two of these suggestions and try to enact them in your own life consistently.

Sincerely through Jesus,

Fr. Jason