The National Catholic Register reports on a June 2, 2026, panel discussion hosted by Georgetown University’s Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, featuring Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and other prominent figures from the post-conciliar establishment. The discussion centered on the first encyclical of the current usurper, Leo XIV (Robert Prevost), titled *Magnifica Humanitas*, which addresses artificial intelligence. Archbishop Coakley emphasized the encyclical’s call to keep “the dignity of the human person, created in God’s image, at the center of any discernment about emerging technologies.” He stated that the encyclical is “not really, fundamentally … about the technologies” but rather about “anthropology — having an adequate anthropology to really address the challenges that are being proposed by these developing and emerging technologies.” Other panelists, including Bishop Paul Tighe and theologian Emilce Cuda, echoed this anthropocentric focus, stressing the Church’s role in “walking alongside humanity” and addressing contemporary challenges. The discussion highlighted the Church’s concern for AI’s impact on jobs, healthcare, and the “ontological and infinite dignity” of the human person. This entire discourse, while cloaked in the language of Catholic social teaching, represents a profound inversion of the Faith, replacing the supernatural order with a naturalistic humanism that ignores the primary duty of man: the salvation of his soul and the recognition of Christ’s absolute Kingship over all creation.
The Anthropocentric Shift: From Theocentrism to Modernist Humanism
The core assertion of Archbishop Coakley and the panelists—that *Magnifica Humanitas* is “not really, fundamentally … about the technologies” but about “anthropology”—is a stark admission of the modernist inversion of Catholic priorities. True Catholic teaching, as articulated by Pope Pius XI in his encyclical *Quas Primas* (1925), unequivocally states that “the Kingdom of our Redeemer encompasses all men” and that “men united in societies are no less subject to the authority of Christ than individuals.” The “main thing” in any Catholic discernment is not an abstract “anthropology” but the recognition of Christ’s absolute sovereignty and the application of His divine law to all aspects of life, including technology. By reducing the discussion to “human dignity” and “anthropology,” the conciliar sect effectively removes God and His revealed law from the public square, replacing them with a secular, humanistic framework. This is precisely the “secularism of our times, so-called laicism, its errors and wicked endeavors” that Pius XI condemned as a “plague that poisons human society” (*Quas Primas*). The focus shifts from man’s duty to God to man’s relationship with his own creations, a hallmark of modernist apostasy.
The Illusory “Ontological Dignity” Without the Supernatural Order
The repeated emphasis on the “ontological and infinite dignity” of the human person, while seemingly orthodox, is stripped of its true Catholic meaning when divorced from the supernatural order. In Catholic doctrine, human dignity is not an abstract, self-sufficient quality but is derived from man’s creation in the image and likeness of God and, more importantly, from his redemption by the Precious Blood of Christ. As Pius XI declared, “We no longer belong to ourselves, for Christ has bought us with a great price; and our bodies are members of Christ” (*Quas Primas*, citing 1 Cor. VI.20 and 1 Cor. VI.15). True dignity is found in living according to God’s law, receiving the sacraments, and striving for eternal salvation. The panelists’ discussion of dignity in the context of AI, however, is purely naturalistic, focusing on human capabilities, economic impact, and social utility. This approach ignores the fundamental truth that “there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts IV, 12) and that man’s ultimate destiny is not technological advancement but eternal life with God. The “dignity” they promote is a secular idol, a “cult of man” that Pius IX condemned in the *Syllabus of Errors* (Proposition 60: “Authority is nothing else but numbers and the sum total of material forces”).
The Church’s “Voice” in the World: A Betrayal of Her Divine Mission
Archbishop Coakley’s assertion that the encyclical affirms “it is central to the Church’s mission to walk alongside humanity … and be responsive to the contemporary challenges that men and women in every age, and certainly today, are facing” is a direct echo of the conciliar revolution’s false understanding of the Church’s role. The Church’s mission is not to “walk alongside” the world in its errors but to “teach, govern, and lead all to eternal happiness” (*Quas Primas*). As Pope Pius IX stated in the *Syllabus of Errors* (Proposition 19), “The Church is not a true and perfect society, entirely free—nor is she endowed with proper and perpetual rights of her own, conferred upon her by her Divine Founder; but it appertains to the civil power to define what are the rights of the Church, and the limits within which she may exercise those rights” is a condemned proposition. The Church’s authority comes from Christ, not from her relevance to contemporary secular concerns. By focusing on AI and its societal impact, the conciliar sect reduces the Church to a mere NGO, a “clerico-liberal society” (as condemned in the *Syllabus*, Proposition IV) concerned with temporal affairs rather than the salvation of souls. This is a betrayal of her divine constitution and a denial of her prophetic role to condemn error and proclaim the truth.
The “Culture of Encounter” and the Denial of Spiritual Realities
Daniel Daly’s statement that “this culture of encounter and accompaniment needs to be animated by Christ and is sacrosanct in Catholic healthcare” is a prime example of the conciliar sect’s substitution of naturalistic humanism for supernatural charity. True Catholic charity is rooted in the love of God and the desire for the salvation of souls, not in a vague “culture of encounter” that avoids the hard truths of the Faith. The claim that AI “can’t care for patients, they can’t do the works of mercy. They can’t express empathy” is a naturalistic reduction of Christian charity, which is a supernatural virtue infused by God. While AI may lack these qualities, the deeper issue is that the conciar sect itself has abandoned true charity by failing to preach the necessity of the sacraments, the reality of sin, and the urgency of conversion. The focus on AI’s inability to “witness the healing ministry of Jesus” is ironic, given that the conciliar sect has largely abandoned the true healing ministry of the Church—the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the sacraments—in favor of a secularized “healthcare” model that prioritizes physical well-being over spiritual health.
The Silence on the Primary End: A Symptomatic Apostasy
The most glaring omission in the entire discussion is any mention of the primary end of man: the glory of God and the salvation of his soul. The panelists speak of “human dignity,” “work,” “healthcare,” and “technology” but remain silent on the supernatural realities that give these concepts their true meaning. There is no mention of the necessity of grace, the dangers of mortal sin, the importance of prayer and penance, or the reality of eternal judgment. This silence is not accidental; it is symptomatic of the systemic apostasy of the conciar sect. As Pope St. Pius X warned in *Lamentabili Sane Exitu* (Proposition 20), “Revelation was merely man’s self-awareness of his relationship to God” is a condemned error. The conciliar sect’s focus on “anthropology” and “human dignity” without reference to God’s law and the supernatural order is a direct manifestation of this modernist error. The “adequate anthropology” they seek is not one rooted in divine revelation but in the spirit of the world, which is the spirit of Antichrist.
Conclusion: The Neo-Church’s Embrace of the Spirit of the Times
The discussion surrounding *Magnifica Humanitas* is a clear indication that the conciliar sect has fully embraced the spirit of the times, prioritizing secular concerns over the eternal truths of the Faith. By focusing on “human dignity” and “anthropology” while ignoring the Kingship of Christ, the necessity of the sacraments, and the reality of sin and judgment, the neo-church reveals itself as a servant of the world rather than the Kingdom of God. The “voice” it claims to have on AI is not the voice of the true Church but the voice of modernism, which Pope St. Pius X condemned as “the synthesis of all errors.” The faithful must reject this false anthropology and return to the unchanging teaching of the Catholic Church, which proclaims that “the hope of lasting peace will not yet shine upon nations as long as individuals and states renounce and do not wish to recognize the reign of our Savior” (*Quas Primas*). Only by recognizing Christ’s absolute sovereignty over all creation, including technology, can humanity find true peace and fulfillment.
Source:
Archbishop Coakley: Encyclical Urges Keeping Human Dignity Central in Judging Tech (ncregister.com)
Date: 03.06.2026