NEWSWATCH | KAIROS GLOBAL | SEPTEMBER 2026

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Magnifica Humanitas could open dialogue between the Catholic Church and technology.

Catholic entrepreneur and technology investor Artur Kluz believes Pope Leo XIV's new encyclical on artificial intelligence, Magnifica Humanitas, has opened a significant opportunity for dialogue between the Catholic Church and the technology sector. Kluz says founders, engineers, and investors – including many outside the Catholic faith – are increasingly interested in discussing the ethical and spiritual implications of AI. 

After proposing the creation of a modern order of Christian ‘knights’ made up of technology leaders, entrepreneurs, and academics to help the Church navigate emerging technologies, Kluz was surprised by the strong international response. He argues that the central challenge is not technical expertise but identifying who can provide moral guidance in an age shaped by artificial intelligence. Kluz sees the encyclical as reaffirming longstanding Catholic social teaching rather than introducing new principles. Human dignity, the common good, justice, solidarity, and peace remain essential foundations for evaluating AI. He stresses that technology is never morally neutral but reflects the values and character of its creators. Consequently, the development of truly human-centred AI requires not only technical skill but also personal virtue, spiritual formation, and wisdom nurtured through prayer and reflection. 

He observes that growing advances in AI are prompting renewed interest in questions about consciousness, the soul, human identity, and the purpose of life –issues technology cannot answer. This trend has reportedly coincided with greater openness to Christianity among some Silicon Valley professionals and increased church attendance among technology workers. Kluz is also promoting practical initiatives, including the Kluz Prize for PeaceTech, which recognises technologies that advance human dignity and peace, and plans to establish a network of Christian technologists to advise the Church on emerging technologies. His long-term vision includes scholarships for theologians, clergy, religious, and technology professionals studying the intersection of Catholic teaching and AI. 

Ultimately, Kluz argues that the Church's greatest responsibility is to form wise leaders capable of guiding technological development, insisting that the defining competition of the AI era will be ‘between wisdom and power,’ rather than between companies or nations. 

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The SSPX Excommunicated 

The Vatican announced that bishops involved in the unauthorised episcopal ordinations carried out by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (SSPX) on 1 July 2026 have automatically incurred (latae sententiae) excommunication. A decree signed by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, declared that the consecration of four priests as bishops without papal approval constituted ‘an act of a schismatic nature.’

The decree applies to Bishops Alfonso de Galarreta and Bernard Fellay, who served as consecrators, as well as the newly consecrated bishops Pascal Schreiber, Michael Goldade, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry, and Marc Hanappier. The Vatican stated that the ceremony, held in Écône, Switzerland, directly violated canon law and Pope Leo XIV's explicit wishes. As a result, both the consecrating bishops and those consecrated incurred automatic excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See. 

An accompanying explanatory note explains that decades of dialogue – from the pontificate of Saint Paul VI through recent discussions – failed to restore the SSPX to full communion with the Catholic Church. The unauthorised consecrations were therefore judged to constitute the canonical crime of schism, reaffirming the principles established by Pope John Paul II in Ecclesia Dei following Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre's 1988 episcopal consecrations. 

The Vatican further states that all SSPX clergy are to be regarded as schismatics and are subject to excommunication under canon law. Lay people who formally adhere to the SSPX are likewise considered schismatic and excommunicated under the conditions outlined in a 1996 explanatory note of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts. 

The Dicastery also warns Catholics that while SSPX clergy continue to administer sacraments, they do so illicitly. It specifically states that confessions heard by SSPX priests and marriages witnessed by them are invalid. Despite these sanctions, the Vatican emphasises that the Church remains willing to welcome back those who seek full communion, urging all Catholics to remain united with the Pope, bishops in communion with him, and the wider Catholic Church, and to avoid SSPX-sponsored celebrations and activities. 

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Pope Leo to Young People: Living Stones to Build the City of God

In a video message to participants at Brazil's Halleluya Festival, Pope Leo XIV encouraged young people to let God's love inspire them to become active evangelisers and builders of a more peaceful world. Addressing the annual Catholic music festival in Fortaleza, he urged them to allow the Holy Spirit to deepen their love for others so they could become ‘living stones’ in building the ‘City of God,’ a vision inspired by Saint Augustine. 

The Pope praised the enthusiasm and energy of young people, saying their missionary spirit is essential for transforming society. He reminded them that many people still need to encounter Jesus Christ, who answers humanity's deepest longings and reveals the truth about each person. He encouraged them to proclaim their faith boldly, affirming that Christ gives life meaning, grace, and purpose. 

Recognising that the excitement of youth gatherings can diminish over time, Pope Leo stressed the importance of prayer, perseverance, and a constant relationship with God. He reassured young people that Christ never abandons those who trust in Him and always leads them to true victory. Finally, the Pope highlighted the example of St Carlo Acutis, urging young people to use social media and artificial intelligence responsibly. While acknowledging their potential for evangelisation, he warned that these technologies should be used with moderation so that appearances and deception do not replace authentic values and genuine human relationships. 

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Cardinal Tagle highlights the importance of authentic friendship.

At the 12th Philippine Conference on the New Evangelisation (PCNE XII), Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle highlighted authentic friendship as a vital path to evangelisation, encouraging Catholics to build relationships marked by truth, charity, and faithful accompaniment. Speaking during a dialogue at the Pontifical University of Santo Tomas in Manila, he said genuine friendship makes the face of Jesus and the Church visible in people's lives. 

Cardinal Tagle stressed that true friends not only provide support but also dare to offer honest guidance, even when it is difficult to hear. He encouraged participants not to fear building friendships, describing them as seeds that can bear fruit in future vocations and deeper faith. He also linked friendship with Christian stewardship, saying that caring for creation and for one another is an expression of friendship rooted in God's love. 

During the conference's opening Mass, Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula reflected on the theme Sangkay (friendship), emphasising that evangelisation should be based on patient accompaniment rather than coercion. Inspired by the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary, he said true friendship is gentle, persevering, and willing to wait for God's work in others. The conference, inspired by the Synod on Synodality, encourages Catholics to rediscover friendship as a means of fostering communion, overcoming division, accompanying others in faith, and sharing Christ's mission in today's world.