Pope Francis has hundreds of meetings every week, with all kinds of people, but every so often one or two catch the imagination.
Last week, he met with over 100 comedians from around the world, and addressed them about the ‘precious gift’ they have to bring comedy and laughter into the lives of people, uniting people and helping them through the more difficult parts of life.
It was an interesting event, and captured the attention of the global media. You can read his full speech here.
He concluded his audience by saying;
“Continue to cheer people up, especially those who find it hardest to look at life with hope,”
“Help us, with a smile, to see reality with its contradictions, and to dream of a better world!”
That same day – Friday 14th June – he addressed 5e leaders of the G7, who were meeting in Puglia, Italy. He spoke about the potential and the challenges of Artificial Intelligence , calling for a fair and equitable sharing of the knowledge gained through it. He spoke of the reductive nature of the algorithms which are at the heart of this new technology, and he called for a development of a global standard of ethics to meet the challenges of this emerging capability.
The birth of AI represents a true cognitive-industrial revolution which will lead to “complex epochal transformations”.
These transformations have the potential to be both positive – for example, the “democratization of access to knowledge”, the “exponential advancement of scientific research”, and a reduction in “demanding and arduous work” – and negative – for instance, “greater injustice between advanced and developing nations or between dominant and oppressed social classes.”
You can read the Pope’s full address here.
It would be important for us to realise how the Holy Father engages with the world and its challenges, bringing the perspective of faith to the issues of the modern world.
Please continue to pray for Pope Francis.
Monasterboice Parish 