Angelo Bottone

From the document released today, Venite ad me ("Considerations on the Transmission of the Faith in an Epochal Change"), from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith: Digital Technologies 59. One of the most evident signs of the epochal change we are experiencing is undoubtedly the spread of digital technologies. As Pope Leo XIV observes in Magnifica Humanitas, these technologies have led to the emergence of “a new situation. The power and prevalence of emerging technologies are interwoven into the fabric of daily life, shaping decision-making processes and deeply affecting the collective imagination.”[56] In particular, the document continues, “the pervasiveness of digital media fosters a culture of immediacy and hyper-stimulation, which gives rise to fatigue, boredom and apathy concerning the effort required for seeking the truth.”[57] As the Synod on Synodality had already noted in the Synthesis Report of the First Session (2023): “Digital culture represents a fundamental change in the way we conceive of reality and consequently relate to ourselves, one another, our surroundings, and even to God.”[58] Especially among the younger generations, this culture is characterized not only, as is often emphasized, by broader access to knowledge, but also by a shift in the very categories of thought and, ultimately, in the way we relate to reality. Furthermore, if we consider the scenarios opened up by the advent of artificial intelligence, an ever more concrete risk emerges—as the Holy Father has recalled—that such a culture “threatens to alter radically some of the fundamental pillars of human civilization that at times are taken for granted. By simulating human voices and faces, wisdom and knowledge, consciousness and responsibility, empathy and friendship, the systems known as artificial intelligence not only interfere with information ecosystems but also encroach upon the deepest level of communication: that of human relationships. The challenge, therefore, is not technological, but anthropological.”[59] This has significant consequences for the inculturation of the faith. 60. The spread of digital technologies and the advancement of artificial intelligence naturally affect faith and religion as well. On the one hand, the digital world offers ample opportunities for people to share testimonies from their lives and spiritual experiences, and it allows catechetical content to be disseminated more widely than was ever possible through the means available in the past; here, new technologies undoubtedly open unprecedented possibilities for evangelization. On the other hand, however, in some contexts, the invitation to faith risks becoming disembodied, detached from concrete life, or tied to ideologies promoted by vocal minorities. This can lead to distortions of the faith itself or of conscience, or it can lead people to construct a so-called “do-it-yourself” faith, shaped by their own tastes and preferences rather than by the teaching of the Church. 61. Furthermore, it has been noted that digital culture tends to reshape certain fundamental categories of thought—such as space, time, and authority—which constitute essential elements of the very concept of tradition. Therefore, as our understanding of tradition changes, the transmission of the faith is inevitably transformed at its very foundations. Regarding space, as mentioned, the sense of belonging to a concrete local setting would be weakened, though not lost entirely, since people are simultaneously embedded in a global network in which physical distances appear relativized, if not entirely overcome. Regarding time, however, the very meaning of memory would change; the fact that all content uploaded to the internet remains there indefinitely, combined with the rapid pace of exchanges between people, contributes to the loss of a genuine sense of history and the past, since everything is flattened into a sort of eternal present. This makes those who use the internet particularly susceptible to passing trends. 62. On the theme of authority, we must pay close attention to the warning issued by Pope Leo XIV in his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas: “Tools that could foster dialogue and participation are often used to construct distorted narratives and blur the boundaries between truth and falsehood, mixing facts with opinions. Disinformation did not begin with AI, yet today it finds a powerful amplifier in AI. The ability to manipulate content, images, and videos exposes people to biased or misleading perspectives. This problem has both cultural and moral dimensions, since the quality of public communication depends directly on social trust and, in turn, shapes it. At the same time, truthful information does not arise from centralized or automated control. In public discourse, the truth of facts has a rational dimension, as it requires verification, cross-checking of sources, and responsible argumentation. Moreover, it is deeply relational, built through bonds of trust and shared practices, as well as an honest exchange with others and with the world.”[60] Consequently, widespread access to multiple sources of knowledge, together with the presence of a large number of voices all placed on the same level—where the only distinguishing factor is communicative effectiveness—poses a serious threat to the credibility of traditional institutions, since, for many, it is no longer clear who is truly capable of speaking with authority on the fundamental issues of human life. NOTES [56] Leo XIV, Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas (15 May 2026), par. 4. [57] Leo XIV, Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas (15 May 2026), par. 139. [58] 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Synthesis Report of the First Session (28 October 2023), par. 17 a). Cf. Leo XIV, Address to Participants in the Conference “Artificial Intelligence and Care of Our Common Home” (5 December 2025): L’Osservatore Romano, 5 December 2025, 2. [59] Leo XIV, Message for the 60th World Day of Social Communications (24 January 2026): L’Osservatore Romano, 24 January 2026, 2. [60] Leo XIV, Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas (15 May 2026), par. 132.