Bending the Arc

In his new apostolic exhortation Dilexi te (“I have loved you”), Pope Leo powerfully elevates concern for the poor as a central theme of his pontificate. He writes, “The condition of the poor is a cry that, throughout human history, constantly challenges our lives, societies, political and economic systems, and, not least, the Church. On the wounded faces of the poor, we see the suffering of the innocent and, therefore, the suffering of Christ himself.”

Pope Leo’s strong focus on the poor is situated within his acknowledgment of our rapidly changing social and economic context. Just after he was elected, Pope Leo said the Church should offer “her social teaching in response … to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice, and labor.” Concern for the poor combines with new moral questions around the impacts of artificial intelligence, especially on workers, to form the central themes of his early pontificate.

In a timely Georgetown University Public Dialogue, leaders will respond to Pope Leo’s powerful challenge to the Church to refocus on the poor and his questions regarding the moral and human impacts of artificial intelligence at this time of economic turmoil and transformation.

You are welcome to join the livestream on Thursday, October 30, 2025, 5:00 - 6:00 pm CT

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This and all recordings from Catholic Social Thought and Public Life can be found on their You Tube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLm8lUdkYI9mw86sxdDKC5YESHYz6hdF4r