Pope Leo XIV opens France visit with warnings on AI, war and human dignity
publishers 29articles 52first reported 23 Sep, 15:02 UTCdeveloping since 23 Sep · 8 editionstop 25 #6
Pope Leo XIV began a four-day visit to France on Friday, the first official papal visit to the country in 18 years, with appeals for peace and warnings that unchecked artificial intelligence could erode human responsibility.
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Leo at Paris Orly Airport before meetings and speeches at the Élysée Palace and UNESCO headquarters. Addressing the growth of AI, the pope cautioned against a “paradise of machines” and urged ethical discernment so that technological development does not cause people to “lose our humanity.”
Leo also reiterated the Vatican’s opposition to nuclear weapons, calling nuclear deterrence a “mistaken” doctrine that fuels an arms race. “Peace is not a balance of power; rather, it is built day by day through dialogue and justice,” he said.
The visit comes amid disputes between the Catholic Church and France’s secular state over assisted dying and abortion. French lawmakers recently approved assisted dying for some adults with serious, incurable illnesses, a measure opposed by church leaders. Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, head of the French bishops’ conference, said defending the dignity of human life would be central to Leo’s message.
Leo’s itinerary includes services at Notre-Dame Cathedral, youth events in Paris, a visit to Lourdes and a final stop in Metz focused on peace and European unity. In Lourdes, he is expected to meet survivors of clerical sexual abuse. A 2021 independent inquiry estimated that about 330,000 minors were abused over seven decades by clergy or others associated with the French Catholic Church.
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