The civilization of love will not arise from a single or spectacular gesture, but from the sum total of small and steadfast acts of fidelity that serve as a bulwark against dehumanization.
Pope Leo XIV published his first papal encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, in May 2026. Appearing on the 135th anniversary of his Leonine predecessor’s seminal Rerum novarum, Magnifica Humanitas explores the implications of new artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for human community and connection. More broadly, the encyclical meditates on how twenty-first century challenges have renewed and created new demands on Catholic social teaching. Using two guiding images from Scripture–the tower of Babel and the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem–Pope Leo implores us to consider how our relationships with technology and our neighbors help or hinder our work to build a “civilization of love.”
The Collegium Institute and St. Patrick’s Church invite you to join us for a study of Magnifica Humanitas on Tuesday evenings this summer. Across five seminars, led by Br. John David Corwin O.P. and Br. Simeon Jaeger O.P. from the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C., we will read and discuss the encyclical in full. All are welcome, regardless of whether you are a parishioner at St. Patrick’s Church.
Dates: Tuesday evenings, 7:00 - 8:30 PM
- June 16
- June 23
- June 30
- July 7
- July 21
Location: St. Patrick’s Parish Hall (240 S 20th St, Center City Philadelphia)
To RSVP, complete the form below. Questions? Please contact Joe Perez-Benzo (jperezbenzo@collegiuminstitute.org).