Welcome to Wisdom Wednesday, May 20, 2025. It is Laudato Si week. You may have seen the breaking news, that Pope Leo will publish his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, on preserving humanity in the A.I. age on May 25. Dominating last weekend’s news, though, were reports on the “Rededicate 250,” accused by critics as supporting Christian Nationalism. Sources for all opinions following are cited.
Vatican to Publish Pope Leo XIV’s First Encyclical May 25
The Pope signed Magnifica Humanitas on May 15, the 135th anniversary of the publication of the landmark social encyclical Rerum Novarum. The National Catholic Register was among media outlets providing coverage of the AI issue.
The National Catholic Register also reported that the Vatican is setting up a Commission on Artificial Intelligence, along with his encyclical, expected to address artificial intelligence through the lens of Catholic social teaching.
A Catholic News Service story, provided by the USCCB, headlined an article, “Let communication be conducted by real human beings, not AI, pope says.”
The National Catholic Reporter says Pope Leo XIV will personally present his first major teaching document on the ethical challenges posed by artificial intelligence alongside the co-founder of Anthropic, the AI research company recently thrust into a public clash with the Trump administration over the use of its models in military and surveillance contexts.
Pentecost Sunday
Barbara Molinari Quinby challenges readers, to make “a world-altering change in your own thinking,” in this week’s Justice Bulletin Board.
Rededicate 250
The headline for a story by Religion News Service identified the speakers as “Trump allies” who came to the Mall in Washington, D.C., to “lead thousands in prayer to ‘rededicate’ America to God.” Was that headline accurate? Fair? The questions arise from the participation of Bishop Robert Barron – live – and Cardinal Timothy Dolan – on video. “Trump allies?”
Christopher Dale does not hide his view. In his partisan column, Letters from Leo, Dale says Barron and Dolan were “joined by anti-Catholic pastors” at Trump’s prayer rally. Particularly he points out that Pastor Robert Jeffress calls the Catholic Church “satanic.”
The speakers at the “Rededicate” rally largely advanced the ideas that the U.S. has a religious — and particularly Christian — founding and that its future success depends on prayer. From Religion News Service.
Ahead of the rally, a new Pew Research Center survey shows that a growing minority of U.S. adults say religion is gaining influence in American life. And more than half say religion plays a positive role in society. At the same time, most people want churches and other houses of worship to stay out of day-to-day politics and not endorse candidates.
A writer for Baptist News Global joins the fray, asking “What does pluralism mean for people who believe there’s only one way to God?”
Another writer for Baptist News Global examines constitutional questions, among them: Is it possible for Trump to dedicate the nation to any god? Does the Constitution give him the authority to do that?
“Jesus did not command his followers to build a Christian nation,” writes Jim Wallis in an opinion column for Religion News Service. “He commanded them to love, feed, welcome and tell the truth.” The Rev. Jim Wallis is Archbishop Desmond Tutu Chair and director of Georgetown University’s Center on Faith and Justice.
The US is not a nation-state, much less a Christian one, says Mark Silk in an opinion column for Religion News Service. He sees a central problem with the ceremonies “rededicating the country to God.” He says, “The thing is, our nation wasn’t dedicated to God in the first place.”
The ‘gutting of the Voting Rights Act’
Another major development is a Supreme Court decision many see as a civil rights setback. One writer quoted in an article from the Christian Century insists, however, “The legacy of the Civil Rights Movement was to secure equality of opportunity and equal treatment under the law, not to institutionalize racial line-drawing as a default feature of our political system.”
Care for Creation
A wonderful way to catch up on Earth Day 2026 – observed April 22, 2026 — or you want to continue learning. You are invited to view an interview with Sister Damian Marie Savino, author of Learning the Language of Creation Catholic Social Teaching and Integral Ecology. Her interview is available on Youtube.
A recommendation for Laudato Si’ week: Sign up for Franciscan Eco-Spirituality: Renewing Our Vision in a Jubilee Year. It is a Four Part Webinar Series for 2026, with the first one, “The Long Story of Creation and the Work of Ecological Healing,” May 28, 2026 06:00 PM Central Time. Laudato Si’ Week 2026 (May 17–24) invites Catholics worldwide to join the Laudato Si’ Action Platform and take one concrete action inspired … Learn more about the series and sign up on Zoom for Webinar #1.
How bishops are selected
A Synod study group calls for greater role for laity in the selection of bishops, says opinion writer Thomas Reese, for Religion News Service. He traces past and present processes in his article.
The Vatican has warned that members of the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X will incur excommunication if the group follows through with its threat to ordain new bishops without the approval of Rome. National Catholic Reporter says the traditionalist group is on the brink of schism.
Practice Social Justice for pope’s first year
Paulist Press offers a selection of books for the completion this month of Pope Leo’s first year.
Faith leaders remain imprisoned in China
“Trump leaves China summit with no deal to release Catholic media tycoon Jimmy Lai,” says a news report from National Catholic Reporter. During Trump’s visit, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution calling for the release of political prisoners of China, including Lai and another.
Papal travel plans
Pope Leo plans a four-day visit to France at the end of September that also includes a visit to UNESCO. The Vatican confirmed May 16 the Sept. 25-28 trip, which will be Leo’s fourth foreign voyage of the year: Leo made a day trip to Monaco in March, visited four African nations in April and is due to visit Spain and the Canary Islands in June. From AP, CNS.
Georgia town backs compassionate immigration policies
Churches in Clarkston, Georgia, began serving new immigrants early on. Although the issue of compassionate immigration policies has generally been championed by the religious left, in Clarkston, Christians across the political spectrum have backed it.
Language of the Cherokees
Cherokees of all ages and in communities across the U.S. are working to revitalize their language in new ways, from apps, games and videos and also a 200-year-old resource: the Cherokee translation of the Christian Bible. From Religion News Service.
Michael Jackson and the boys we don’t talk about
“We reached consensus on Epstein and Cosby. Why are we buying tickets to see Michael?” So asks a writer at Christian Century: Martha Tatarnic explores church and civil positions on acceptable abuse and other moral matters.
Tomorrow’s American Catholic
Recently published was a podcast from Today’s American Catholic, on “The State of the Church,” with Fr. Tom Reese. Links and a TAC update are provided by Michael Centore.
Would St. Francis like being a garden statue?
A podcast from U.S. Catholic asks that question, in a conversation with Lexington Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv.
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