On Thursday, October 30, Pope Leo XIV met the young people on the occasion of the Jubilee of the World of Education. As a former teacher of Mathematics, he took up the joy of meeting the young people and thanked them for sharing with him reflections and hopes that will be shared with other friends all over the world.
In his speech, he urged the youth not to allow the story of their life to be written by algorithms! That alone caught my attention and served as a driving force behind this reflection.
In the world where smartphones, social media feeds, and personalised recommendations shape much of what we see, hear, and even think, it is easy to feel that an invisible hand is already writing the story of our life. Pope Leo pins it down when he writes about the new educational challenges. He says it is a commitment that involves us “every day and in which you are teachers: digital education. You live in it, and that is not a bad thing; there are enormous opportunities for study and communication. But do not let the algorithm write your story! Be the authors yourselves; use technology wisely, but do not let technology use you.”
It is obvious that human dignity comes first. Recalling the beloved Pope Francis, I can’t help but agree with him: technology must serve the person and never become a tool for “digital violence” or for cancelling our freedom. When an algorithm decides what you watch, what you buy, or even what you believe, it can turn you into a passive consumer rather than an active author of your own destiny.
As a former teacher of Mathematics, [the pope] took up the joy of meeting the young people and thanked them for sharing with him reflections and hopes that will be shared with other friends all over the world
Freedom is the ability to choose, not to be chosen, and it must be exercised responsibly. When one reads this pope’s speech to the young people on 30 October 2025, one notices that artificial intelligence is also one of the great novelties, one of the rerum novarum, or “new things,” of our time. But it is not enough to be “intelligent” in virtual reality; we must also treat one another humanely, nurturing emotional, spiritual, social, and ecological intelligence.
“Therefore, I say to you: learn to humanise the digital.” To humanise the digital means humanity must prevail in whatever things we come up with, for without it, we invite dryness to take over our lives.
The Church’s own teaching about artificial intelligence [AI] warns against the “technocratic paradigm” that tries to solve every problem with efficiency alone, often at the expense of dignity and fraternity.
AI and other digital tools are not evil in themselves; they become a danger only when they are allowed to dictate our choices instead of assisting us in the service of the common good. It needs to be underlined that any technology must be guided by an ethic of freedom, responsibility, and fraternity, fostering the full development of each person in relation to others and to creation.
…it is not enough to be “intelligent” in virtual reality; we must also treat one another humanely, nurturing emotional, spiritual, social, and ecological intelligence
So, how can you keep the pen in your own hand?
• Discern with prayer and conscience. Ask the Holy Spirit to help recognise when an app or a feed is leading us away from truth, love or service. In his text, Pope Leo mentioned some saints as role models: St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, St. Carlo Acutis, and the young St. Augustine for instance. These figures can rightly help us in our online endeavours.
• Set healthy limits: Determine specific times for social media, eliminate notifications that pull us into endless scrolling, and protect times of silence, study, and prayer. This restores the rhythm of life that the Church calls the “common good”, a balance between work, rest, community, and worship.
• Be truth-speakers and peace-makers, people who stand by their word and are builders of peace. Involve our peers in the search for truth and the cultivation of peace, expressing these two passions “with your lives, your words, and your daily actions”, the pope said.
• Diversify your sources. Algorithms make for echo chambers. Make it a habit to read the gospel, listen to what the Church teaches, and engage in conversations with people who can make them think differently. Pope Leo calls them “guiding stars” [I like that!]: parents, teachers, priests, and good friends who are like compasses that help us avoid getting lost amid life’s ups and downs.
Like those guiding stars, we are called to shine for those around us. This enriches our mind and guards against the “single‑track” thinking that technology can impose.
May the Holy Spirit grant you, dear reader, the discernment to choose wisely, the courage to set your own course, and the grace to live a story that bears witness to the gospel. Live the gospel in concrete ways: offer your talents to help the under‑privileged, volunteer in your parish, or simply be present for a friend in need.
When you act out of love, you write a story that reflects God’s love, not the preference of an algorithm. Read Pope Leo’s text. It is refreshing!
Dominique Mukonda, CICM
