Premium hardcover edition of ‘Magnifica Humanitas’ addresses artificial intelligence, human dignity and the moral challenges of the digital age
NEWS PROVIDED BY
Ignatius Press
May 22, 2026
SAN FRANCISCO, May 22, 2026 /Standard Newswire/ — Widely anticipated as a major contribution to the Church’s engagement with artificial intelligence and the future of human dignity in the digital age, Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” will be published in a deluxe hardcover North American edition by Ignatius Press. It will feature a premium cloth-bound design intended as a lasting edition for readers, scholars, clergy and institutions engaging one of the defining moral questions of the modern era.
“As artificial intelligence transforms modern life at extraordinary speed, Pope Leo XIV reminds the world that technology must remain at the service of the human person, never the other way around,” said Mark Brumley, president of Ignatius Press. “‘Magnifica Humanitas’ offers a timely and thoughtful reflection on one of the most important moral and cultural issues facing the world today. We are honored to publish this landmark encyclical and to help bring the Holy Father’s vision of human dignity and technological responsibility to readers everywhere.”
Download the cover image of the Ignatius Press edition here and see below.
In “Magnifica Humanitas,” the Holy Father is expected to examine how rapid technological innovation is reshaping human life, culture and relationships, while urging that scientific progress remain rooted in moral truth, human dignity and the common good. Addressed to all people of goodwill, the encyclical is also expected to reflect on the profound spiritual and cultural questions raised by the accelerating development of artificial intelligence and other digital technologies.
The encyclical is also expected to situate AI within the broader tradition of Catholic social teaching, warning against technocratic approaches that diminish freedom, weaken relationships or reduce the human person to data and utility. At the same time, Pope Leo is expected to acknowledge the positive possibilities of AI when guided by ethical responsibility, solidarity and a commitment to the common good.
This document arrives amid growing world concern over the social, economic, and spiritual consequences of artificial intelligence and is expected to contribute to a global conversation involving technology leaders, educators, ethicists, artists, policy makers and religious communities, as well as ordinary Catholics.
Against this backdrop, Ignatius Press is pleased to offer access to several prominent Catholic scholars and commentators available to discuss “Magnifica Humanitas”:
Available Commentators:
• Fr. Joseph Fessio, SJ – Founder and editor of Ignatius Press, the primary English-language publisher of the late Pope Benedict XVI’s writings and the publisher of Catholic World Report, Fr. Fessio is available to discuss Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical in continuity with the Church’s modern social teaching tradition, including the foundations laid by previous popes concerning technology, truth and human dignity.
• Mark Brumley – President of Ignatius Press, one of the nation’s leading Catholic publishers, Brumley is available to discuss the significance of Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, the Church’s growing engagement with artificial intelligence and the broader cultural and moral questions posed by emerging technologies. He is author of 20 Answers: Catholic Social Teaching.
• Francis X. Maier – Senior Fellow in Catholic Studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, former archdiocesan official, and author of True Confessions: Voices of Faith from a Life in the Church, Maier is available to discuss Pope Leo’s new encyclical on artificial intelligence, including its implications for Catholic social teaching, human dignity, Church leadership, and the moral challenges posed by emerging technologies.
• Fr. Philip Larrey – Catholic priest, philosopher and Boston College professor, Fr. Larrey is internationally recognized for his work exploring the ethical and philosophical implications of artificial intelligence, digital culture and emerging technologies. He is available to discuss the encyclical’s significance within the broader debate over AI ethics and the future of human flourishing.
For more information, or to schedule an interview with any of these experts, contact Kevin Wandra (404-788-1276 or KWandra@CarmelCommunications.com) or Brian O’Neel (484-735-5858 or BOneel@CarmelCommunications.com) of Carmel Communications.
SOURCE Ignatius Press