Magnifica Humanitas

Written by Joseph Esserman

Pope Leo XIV, just after celebrating his first year as the Supreme Pontiff, released an encyclical entitled Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”): On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence. The purpose of the encyclical is to enlighten the world’s moral conscience by applying Catholic Social Doctrine to the political, social, and economic circumstances we find ourselves in today. Most notable, Pope Leo addresses the proliferation of Artificial Intelligence, which has great potential to benefit our human experience, yet in certain ways threatens human dignity. In the face of this momentous development, the Holy Father boldly reminds us, “We must lovingly safeguard the grandeur of humanity bestowed upon us and revealed in its fullness in Christ, the splendor of which no machine can ever replace.” (15) Indeed, humanity has an irreplaceable dignity because the human person is made in the image and likeness of God. (CCC 1700) It is thus revealed that the gift of the Divine Image uniquely bestowed upon humanity is what truly needs to be stewarded. Magnifica Humanitas has led us at Innovest to reflect on how we practice our mission of thoughtful stewardship. Here, I would like to highlight three exhortations from Pope Leo on how we can safeguard our sacred humanity and demonstrate how Innovest participates in each of these noble forms of stewardship.

First, we can safeguard our humanity by forming relationships rooted in the common good. Pope Leo illustrates this through biblical imagery, juxtaposing the Tower of Babel and the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. (7) If as a society we construct a world centered strictly on profit, dominance, and technological advance purely for the sake of progress, we imitate the vanity of those who built Babel, whose pride introduced division and misunderstanding into the world. However, if we form relationships not rooted in pride, but in a humble desire to serve each other and our Creator, we can build a Holy City. Artificial Intelligence poses a unique challenge to the way we communicate and form relationships with each other. In commenting on how AI can imitate human emotions, Pope Leo notes, “The artificial imitation of positive human communication…can be engaging and at times genuinely helpful. However…the danger is not so much that a person may believe they are communicating with another person, but rather that they may gradually lose the very desire to form genuine human connections.” (100) This is a serious observation, to which we must respond with an intense recommitment to growing human connections. At Innovest, honest relationships with our clients, built on trust and goodwill, are at the core of our mission. We want to see all the clients that we serve flourish. Innovest seeks to understand our clients’ goals through consistent communication, so that we can make the most fitting recommendation for each client. This unique fiduciary relationship is distinctly human and, when exercised intentionally, truly upholds human dignity.

Second, practicing the teachings of Catholic Social Doctrine safeguards humanity. Pope Leo highlights five core principles of Catholic Social Doctrine throughout the encyclical: The Common Good, Universal Destination of Goods, Subsidiarity, Solidarity, and Social Justice. These principles create standards for society to live by: a shared vision for good, careful stewardship of the world’s natural resources, the right ordering of authority, compassion for our neighbor, and the freedom to practice God given rights. Shaping our society around these principles can help prevent the human person from being seen as “...a project to be optimized rather than as persons called to relationship and communion.” (112) At Innovest, we diligently seek to integrate the principles of Catholic Social Doctrine into our investment consulting process. Innovest implements these principles by using them as a standard for discernment in building a faith aligned portfolio for our faith-based clients. Through our values alignment due diligence, screening resources, proxy voting assessments, and task force committed to providing unique value to our faith-based clients, we honor these principles of social doctrine as an integral part of our thoughtful stewardship.

Third, we can safeguard humanity by acknowledging our limitations. Paradoxically, our vulnerabilities can lead to our greatest strengths, such as compassion, generosity, and worship. As Pope Leo wisely observes, “Finitude, when truly accepted, does not diminish us but opens us to recognizing the face of God and others. Indeed, precisely because we experience limits…we can recognize the inviolable dignity of every person.” (122) When our weaknesses cause difficulties in our lives, we as humans have the power to learn, mature, and seek forgiveness through cooperation with God’s grace. This process of building virtue is much more real and significant than the “statistical adaptation based on data and feedback”, by which Artificial Intelligence “grows” and “learns.” (99) As Innovest celebrates 30 years in the investment consulting business, we have been moved to self-reflection. While grateful for the impact that Innovest has had these past three decades, we have great anticipation as we look toward future opportunities for growth, especially in faith-aligned investing. For example, Innovest had the honor of attending a conference at the Vatican, held by the Pontifical Academy of Social Science, where our leadership team boldly addressed both the strengths and weaknesses of how the Church’s investing guidelines are being implemented. Innovest is not afraid to face challenges as we work for the common good, knowing that the limitations we may experience are opportunities for further growth.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV in Magnifica Humanitas has provided an extraordinary reflection on the Church in our modern world. Through genuine relationships, the principles of Catholic Social Doctrine, and a humble embrace of human limitations, we can safeguard our humanity, even amidst technological advances that, while having great positive potential, may also thwart human growth. Innovest seeks to cooperate in this noble mission of stewarding humanity by building relationships with our clients, offering a full suite of faith-based investing services, and an honest commitment to development. Along with Pope Leo, Innovest encourages everyone to recommit to authentic human relationships and share one’s uniquely human gifts, “...so that the presence of Jesus may grow among us and His kingdom take shape.” (245)

Citations

Leo XIV. Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”): On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2026. Print.

Catholic Church. Catechism of the Catholic Church: Revised in Accordance with the Official Latin Text Promulgated by Pope John Paul II. United States Catholic Conference, 2000.