‘Magnifica Humanitas’ released for Indian readers

NEW DELHI (Indian Catholic News) — The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India released the Indian edition of Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, aiming to make the pope’s reflections on artificial intelligence more accessible to Indian readers.

The June 10 release took place during a ceremony at the Apostolic Nunciature in New Delhi, where Msgr. Andrea Francia, chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Apostolic Nunciature in India, presented the first copy to Fr. Stephen Alathara, deputy secretary-general of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India.

Promulgated by Pope Leo XIV on May 25, 2026, the encyclical addresses the opportunities and challenges arising from the rapid development of artificial intelligence.

Magnifica Humanitas offers what the bishops described as “a comprehensive reflection on the impact of emerging technologies on human dignity, labour, solidarity, ethical responsibility, and the common good.”

Human-Centered Technological Development

According to the bishops’ conference, the encyclical is rooted in the Church’s social teaching tradition and builds on landmark documents including Rerum Novarum, Centesimus Annus and Laudato Si’.

Magnifica Humanitas calls for “a human-centered approach to technological development,” emphasizing that innovation should “serve the integral development of every person and promotes a more just and compassionate society.”

Church leaders said the Indian edition was published to broaden access to the pope’s teaching on artificial intelligence and its ethical implications.

The edition is intended for “the faithful, educators, policymakers, and all those engaged in shaping the future of technology and society,” according to a press release issued by the bishops’ conference.

The publication comes as governments, businesses and civil society organizations worldwide grapple with the social, economic and ethical implications of increasingly sophisticated AI systems.

The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India said the release aims to make the pope’s reflections more widely available to Indian readers and those involved in discussions about the future relationship between technology and humanity.

Read the full press release.