Pope Francis condemns world ‘losing its heart’ in 4th encyclical of his papacy

File photo of Pope Francis attending a session of the 16th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops at Paul VI Hall in the Vatican | Photo: AP

Pope Francis issued the fourth encyclical of his papacy on Thursday (October 24, 2024), condemning a world that is “losing its heart” amid global upheavals marked by “wars, socio-economic disparities and the use of technologies that threaten our humanity.”

The document, titled “Dilexit Nos,” Latin for “He loves us,” was issued to coincide with the 350th anniversary of the first apparition of St. Margaret Maria Allococ, which helped spread devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, revealing his love for humanity.

The social encyclical calls on believers to “reflect” on the love of Jesus in a world where consumerism and algorithms are blurring humanity. This is his fourth encyclical, the most famous of which so far is Laudato Si, or “Praise be,” from 2015, which presents environmental care in moral terms.

In “Dilexit Nos,” the pope did not cite specific examples of global turmoil in the 220-paragraph document, issued in eight languages, although he frequently refers to conflicts from Ukraine to Gaza in sermons, weekly prayers and global travel.

Pope Francis often calls for prayers for the “martyrs” of Ukraine and recently cited “inhumane attacks” in Gaza. In the Middle East conflict, he tends to take a balanced line, often mentioning Israel and the hostages still held by Hamas, along with the suffering of the Palestinians.

In the document, the pope said the lack of “a sense that something is unbearable” in the suffering of both sides in the conflict “is a sign of a world that has become heartless.”

“When we witness the outbreak of new wars, with the complicity, tolerance or indifference of other countries, or petty power struggles over partisan interests, we may be tempted to conclude that our world is losing its heart,” he wrote.

The pope warned that consumer-driven societies “dominated by the fast pace and bombarded by technology” risk losing access to an “inner life” whose nature requires patience.

He noted that algorithms have revealed that “our thoughts and wills are much more ‘the same’ than we previously thought.” They are easily predictable and therefore can be manipulated.

In the age of artificial intelligence, “we cannot forget that poetry and love are necessary to save our humanity,” he wrote.

Vatican encyclicals are the most authoritative form of papal teaching and traditionally take their titles from the first two words of the document.

Msgr. Bruno Forte, a theologian who is the archbishop of the Italian archdiocese of Chieti-Vasto, said the encyclical “Dilexit Nos” “can really be seen as a summary of everything that Pope Francis has said and wants to say to our brothers in humanity. says: “God loves you and he showed it to you in the best way through Jesus.”

He said the document should not be seen as “mere spiritual refuge” but as a proposal for “love, mutual acceptance and forgiveness”.