Friends,

As chief pastors of a region of churches, Bishops throughout the ages have sent letters intended to be read by everyone within their jurisdiction (and often beyond).

This is a tradition dating back to the earliest Christians, and is also why we have so many letters in our New Testament.

These types of letters—those that are meant to be passed around—are called encyclicals. While Bishops in many traditions send these types of letters, there is often a deep sense of anticipation tied to those that come from the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), given the prominence of his role for at least the world’s Roman Catholics.

Well, let the anticipation build! On May 25th, Pope Leo XIV’s first papal encyclical will be released. The topic is none other than “safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence.”

Official versions of papal encyclicals are still published in Latin, though translations into various languages should be released simultaneously.

The title of the forthcoming encyclical is Magnifica Humanitas: On the Protection of Human Dignity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.

I will be boarding a plane for a school trip followed by family trip the day after the letter is released, so I am hoping to have time to print it off so that I can digest it throughout the three weeks I will be away. (And so that the Pope can sign it in case I bump into him during the two visits to the Vatican we’ll be making!)

Speaking of anticipation: Viv has designed a beautiful cover for Rhythms of Habit!

I am so pleased with how it turned out. I am making final revisions to the manuscript this week, and should hear more about the timing of pre-orders in the weeks to come.

Finally, congrats to FC Dallas forward Petar Musa on his inclusion in Croatia’s World Cup Roster!

After the US of A and England (the motherland), I now have a third team to cheer for in this summer’s World Cup.

Pictured below is the time Zoë and I saw him walking through Toyota Stadium when he was injured last season.