In a special three-part series for The Record, University of Notre Dame Senior Chaplaincy Officer Amer Youhanna writes dialogue begins with genuine attention to the other and challenges us to move beyond oppositional ways of thinking.
As I read Pope Leo XIV’s first Encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, I found myself less concerned with analysing every argument and more drawn into a deeper, more personal question, what does it mean to remain truly human in a time of rapid technological transformation?
The Encyclical opens with a powerful and confronting image: humanity stands at a crossroads between building a new Tower of Babel or rebuilding Jerusalem, the city in which God and humanity dwell together
Babel represents control, uniformity, and self-sufficiency, a project that ultimately fractures relationships and distances humanity from God.
Jerusalem, on the other hand, is rebuilt through shared responsibility, humility, participation, and cooperation with one another and with God.
In this vision of human unity rooted in communion, diversity is not presented as a threat but as an essential component of healthy human coherence. Authentic unity emerges through communion in which differences are preserved and shared.
“Listening and dialogue become the common ground on which to cultivate justice and fraternity”.
Communion is not the same as sameness; it is a unity in which differences are preserved, honoured, and shared.
Dialogue as Mission, Not Strategy
One of the strongest themes throughout the encyclical is dialogue. I do not read dialogue as a pastoral technique or an exercise in political correctness. Rather, it belongs to the Church’s identity and mission.
Dialogue begins with genuine attention to the other and challenges us to move beyond oppositional ways of thinking. It assumes that truth can be sought together and that every person possesses a dignity that deserves recognition.
From this, I arrive at a conviction that shaped my reading: we are all truth seekers; no one is its sole owner.
The Church must speak, especially when human dignity is at stake, through witness, dialogue, and accompaniment. It speaks alongside others, with other Christians, people of other religions, and all people of goodwill, and, in a particular way, with those who suffer most, attentive to the cry of the poor, the cry of the Earth, and the cry of future generations.
Learning from Failure
One aspect of Magnifica Humanitas that deserves greater attention is Pope Leo XIV’s acknowledgement of the Church’s historical involvement in slavery and his request for pardon.
“For this, in the name of the Church, I sincerely ask for pardon.”
I was struck by how little attention this received. The request reveals something important about conscience. A mature conscience is capable not only of recognising the good, but also of acknowledging failure and seeking conversion.
Pope Leo’s words invite the Church to face its history honestly and to allow that honesty to deepen its commitment to human dignity.
Human Dignity at the Centre
A central insight that emerges throughout the encyclical is this: the Church is not concerned with power; it is concerned with the human person in relationship with God, others, and creation.
The Church’s voice becomes necessary precisely when social, economic, or political realities neglect the dignity of the person or the common good.
Yet even in speaking, the Church does not present itself as an external authority imposing solutions. Instead, she accompanies humanity, walking alongside, listening, discerning, and reminding the world of what must not be lost.
This perspective reimagines the Church’s role, not as one that controls or dominates, but as one that serves and engages with compassion and responsibility.
The Encyclical offers a rich and detailed reflection on the dignity of the human person. At its core is the understanding of ontological dignity, which belongs to every human being, independent of ability, status, or achievement.
What struck me most was the practical implication of dignity. It cannot remain a beautiful idea. It must shape our social structures, economies, technologies, and daily decisions. Otherwise, it risks becoming empty language.
Throughout Magnifica Humanitas, dignity remains central. It must shape the way we think about technology, responsibility, and the choices that define contemporary life.
In the next reflection, I will explore how Pope Leo XIV applies these themes to artificial intelligence and the challenge of preserving moral responsibility in a rapidly changing world.