Pope Francis received a delegation from the International Network of Catholic Legislators and urged them to help create a more sustainable future and make technology serve the public good.
(Vatican News Network)“The big challenge we face is to manage technology for the well-being of the public,” Pope Francis told members of the International Catholic Legislators Network on August 27. This network was established in 2010 to support the work of the Holy See, serve their respective countries, and bear witness to the gospel. The Pope thanked the legislators for their testimony and their cooperation with the mission of the Church.
The Pope pointed out that the current epidemic continues to sweep the world, although “significant progress” has been made through the development and distribution of effective vaccines. The Pope said painfully, “Because of this terrible disaster, more than 200 million people have been diagnosed and 4 million people have died. It has also caused huge economic and social damage.” The role of legislators and politicians is now more important than ever. They “are shouldering the task of serving the public welfare, and the challenge they are now facing is to devote their efforts to the comprehensive renewal of their respective groups and the entire society.” When working for society, legislators need to deal with the bane of the epidemic, such as poverty, social injustice, unemployment, and lack of access to education.
Next, the Pope praised the vocation of politics as “serving the common good and putting the well-being of the group above our personal interests.” However, a difficult task for the contemporary era is to manage those rapidly developing technologies from the perspective of public interest. Modern science and technology have improved our quality of life, but if their mechanisms or market drivers are left unchecked, they will threaten human dignity. Therefore, legislators and government authorities must formulate clear guidelines for managing technology based on a sense of social responsibility.
However, these standards “have nothing to do with restraining technological progress.” The Pope stated that “through policies and regulations, legislators can protect human dignity from various threats,” such as child pornography, misuse of personal information, attacks on key infrastructure, and the spread of false news on social media. “Prudent legislation can lead the development and application of technology and make it serve the public good.”
In addition, the Pope also urged Catholic legislators to “conduct serious and in-depth moral reflection on the risks and opportunities of scientific and technological progress.” The unique contribution that public figures can make is to promote the well-being of everyone. “All of us are called to increase the spirit of unity and start from the needs of our weakest and weakest brothers and sisters.” “If we want to heal our world severely tested by the epidemic, build a more inclusive and sustainable future, and enable technology to serve human needs without causing us to alienate each other, then we need not only responsible citizens, but also those Competent leaders who are inspired by the principles of public welfare.”
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