The Vatican’s International Theological Commission has warned that if humanity places total trust in technology in a “world ruled by machines,” it risks replacing the “living God” with a counterfeit “virtual God.”

The assessment came in a sweeping new document, published on March 4, examining how artificial intelligence, transhumanism and other technological developments can pose profound risks to human identity and dignity. The document seeks to propose a response rooted in Christian anthropology and the Gospel.

The 48-page document, titled “Quo vadis, humanitas? Thinking about Christian anthropology in light of some scenarios for the future of humanity,” was published in Italian and Spanish after being approved by Pope Leo XIV. Its Latin title — meaning “Where are you going, humanity?” — echoes the question tradition holds was put to St. Peter before his crucifixion in Rome.
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God calls every baptized person to proclaim the Good News, entrusting this missionary mandate to all. Within our missionary Church, charisms have historically developed to live out this mission in response to the needs of different times and cultures. In the present historical moment, the Final Document of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (FD), now part of the Ordinary Magisterium of the Pope, has recognized the digital environment as a culture, with its own dynamics, languages, and modes of interaction. In this perspective, the Synod affirms that “digital culture constitutes a crucial dimension of the Church’s witness in contemporary culture and an emerging missionary field” (FD, no. 149).

We all, as the baptized, are called to bring the Good News to people we meet in this environment through missionary approaches that respond to its specific characteristics, engaging its opportunities while facing its challenges and risks directly.
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What does it mean when a church says “I’m sorry”? “Theology of Church Apologies” from the Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue of Canada invites reflection on the significance of church apologies. Drawing on scripture, theology and historical examples, it shows how apologies can help repair relationships and guide communities towards truth, healing and reconciliation.

“I’m sorry.”

Many of us know the profound healing effect of hearing these or similar words spoken, in sincerity and truth, by someone who has in some way wronged us. Many of us also know the deeply humbling feeling of being the one who offers a genuine apology.

In recent years several churches have offered formal apologies to individuals and communities of people who have been harmed – sometimes traumatically – by our words and deeds. In Canada, for example, Catholic and Anglican leaders have formally apologized for our churches’ role in the destructive system of Indian Residential Schools.
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Has your faith commitment and organizing experience prepared you or someone you know for this leadership role?

The Canadian Council of Churches is seeking an individual to fill the role of General Secretary on a full-time basis for a 5-year renewable term, beginning September 1, 2026.

The Canadian Council of Churches (the Council) is a broad and inclusive ecumenical body, now representing 26 member churches including Anglican; Eastern and Roman Catholic; Evangelical; Free Church; Eastern and Oriental Orthodox; and Historic Protestant traditions.
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What if footwashing were a sacrament? Of all of the things that Jesus instructed the disciples to do, why didn’t footwashing become a sacrament like the others? Thoughts like these are one of the hazards of being a theologian.

I was thinking about this strange idea this week while reflecting on Pope Leo XIV’s new series of catecheses on Vatican II. Just when he is encouraging us to re-read the documents of the Council, the CCCB has issued a new National Strategy on Ecumenism. The first step in this strategy is to focus on education and formation about the church’s ecumenical teaching, beginning with the Council.
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As we approach the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the twelfth anniversary of its illegal occupation of Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine, we once again address Canadian Christians with urgency, grief, and hope. These calls to action build on the witness offered in February 2024 when we released A Canadian Pastoral Letter on Ukraine, Canada and the Church. It arises from relationships of shared prayer, co-suffering, and discernment among Ukrainian Orthodox, Ukrainian Catholic, Evangelical, and other Christian leaders, together with the World Evangelical Alliance Peace & Reconciliation Network, The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, and The Canadian Council of Churches. We write again because the war continues, suffering deepens, and faithful Christian witness remains urgently needed.
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A growing ecumenical movement is reshaping church calendars worldwide. The Feast of Creation — celebrated annually on Sept. 1 and also known as Creation Day or the World Day of Prayer for Creation — is being formally added to the liturgical calendars of many churches.

The World Communion of Reformed Churches is supporting the initiative alongside the World Council of Churches, Middle East Council of Churches, Anglican Communion, Lutheran World Federation, and the World Methodist Council.
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Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, strongly criticised the U.S.-led Board of Peace, an international body chaired by President Donald Trump to oversee the governance and reconstruction of Gaza. During an event at the Roman parish of San Francesco a Ripa Grande, Pizzaballa was asked by moderator Maria Gianniti, Rome correspondent for the Italian news channel RAI, about his thoughts on the Board of Peace.

“What do I think of the Board of Peace? I think it is a colonialist operation: others deciding for the Palestinians,” Pizzaballa said, according to a report by Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore. The cardinal also commented on the invitation extended to the Vatican to join the international body and its $1-billion price tag for a permanent seat on the board.
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Catholic and Lutheran theologians meet in Slovenia to begin drafting a joint statement marking the 500th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession.

The launch of the Sixth Phase of the International Lutheran-Catholic Commission on Unity bears fruit in Slovenia.

“We discerned new perspectives and highlighted the deep ecumenical potential of the Augsburg Confession,” said Prof. Dr Dirk Lange, The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Assistant General Secretary for Ecumenical Relations, following the launch of a new phase of theological dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church.
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What is the Catholic Church in England and Wales for, exactly? Some might insist existence is enough and no more needs to be said. When the Catholic Church taught extra ecclesiam nulla salus without qualification, that was clearly an imperative. But the Catechism now states: “Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience – those too may achieve eternal salvation” (quoting Lumen Gentium, 16). Paradise is open to all people of sincere goodwill. So why be Catholic? It is not a question that has yet been fully answered.
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