Peace, unity, and AI: What Pope Leo’s messages reveal about his thought
During his papacy and before, Pope Leo XIV has revealed his thought on a myriad of issues in his speeches, homilies, and writings, and several clear themes have emerged.
He has made artificial intelligence a priority and has also not hesitated to speak out against war, calling for, as he has often repeated, a “disarmed and disarming peace.” In his first homily as pope, he also underlined his desire for “a united Church, a sign of unity and communion.”
What do Leoʼs writings, both before and after his election, reveal about his priorities for the Church and the world?
Augustinian ideal of authority: His doctoral thesis
The then-Father Robert Prevost successfully defended his doctoral thesis in canon law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome in 1987. His thesis, titled “The Office and Authority of the Local Prior in the Order of St. Augustine,” discussed the role of local priors in the Augustinian order based on Augustine’s monastic rule.
Considered by many to be his major literary work before he became pope, Prevost argued that the authority of priors within the Augustinian order must serve the common good of the entire community. The thesis also clarified the juridical power of priors and stated that they must find joy in serving before exercising authority.
‘Liberi Sotto la Grazia’: A collection of Prevostʼs writings as Augustinian prior general
Earlier this month, the Vatican published a book of the previously unpublished writing, homilies, and speeches of Prevost when he was the Augustinian prior general from 2001–2013.
The book, currently in Italian but expected to be published in English as well, reveals several general themes from addresses he gave as he traveled extensively to support Augustinian communities around the world. These themes include a stress on unity, servant leadership, social justice, and constant spiritual renewal.
Peace, unity, and ethical use of technology: Writings as pope
Since his election as the successor of Peter, Leoʼs writings and public addresses have revealed key aspects of his pastoral and theological vision for the Church.
- Homily for papal installation Mass: Inaugurating his ministry as universal pastor on May 18, 2025, Leo preached on the twofold dimension of his new ministry: love and unity. He urged Catholics to recommit their efforts to building a united Church as “a leaven for a reconciled world.”
- Dilexi Te: Finishing an uncompleted apostolic exhortation from his predecessor, Pope Francis, Leo built upon Francis’ legacy of advocating for the poor and marginalized. Underscoring this point, he wrote that “one cannot love God without extending one’s love to the poor.”
- Homily to the 2025 general chapter of Augustinians: Offering Mass to open the Augustinian general chapter meetings, Leo emphasized the need to promote unity, a key characteristic of Augustinian spirituality. The pope encouraged his confreres to “promote unity, within the order and throughout the order, throughout the Church and the world.”
- 2026 address to the diplomatic corps: Considered the “state of the world” address of a pope, Leo denounced the tendencies of war, abortion, religious discrimination, and the mistreatment of migrants.
- Palm Sunday 2026 homily: Starting his first Holy Week as pontiff, Leo spoke vociferously against the wars in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. He famously said that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war but rejects them.”
- 60th World Day of Social Communications: The pope, having made artificial intelligence a priority early on in his pontificate, stressed the need to preserve human voices and faces at a time when they are threatened by AI. Regarding AI technologies, he said it is “important to educate ourselves and others about how to use AI intentionally” to “prevent them from being used in the creation of harmful content and behaviors such as digital fraud, cyberbullying, and deepfakes.”
Pope Leo XIVʼs first encyclical is expected to be released on Monday, May 25. The Vatican has confirmed that the full title of the encyclical is Magnifica Humanitas: “On the Protection of Human Dignity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” Leo signed the letter, which is expected to provide moral guidance on the digital revolution and emerging technologies such as AI, on May 15.