Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, sent a telegram yesterday in the Holy Father’s name to participants in the Third Forum on Religious Freedom, held at the Italian prime minister’s residence.

The forum’s theme was “Artificial Intelligence and Religious Freedom: Rights, Ethics, and Innovation.” Citing remarks he had made in June, the Pontiff expressed hope “that the event may offer careful reflection to support and promote the commitment of institutions at every level, to guarantee ‘authentic religious freedom and a respective and constructive encounter between different religious communities; and that artificial intelligence may be ‘of great help to society, provided that its employment does not undermine the identity and dignity of the human person and his or her fundamental freedoms.’”

Pope Leo XIV received participants in the 140th general assembly of the Union of Superiors General and reflected on “our relationship with God, our encounter with brethren, and our engagement with the digital world.”

The Pope told the superiors of men’s religious institutes on November 26 that “prayer is fundamental in the existence of every consecrated person: it is the relational space within which the heart opens to the Lord, learning to ask and to receive, with trust and gratitude, his love that heals, transforms and enflames the mission.”

Although he welcomed the opportunities the digital word brings, the Pope cautioned:

I would like to emphasize that traditional instruments of communion such as Chapters, Councils, canonical Visitations and moments of formation cannot be relegated to the sphere of “remote connections.” The effort of coming together for dialogue and the exchange of ideas is an integral part of our evangelical identity.

The Vatican’s Christmas tree arrived yesterday in St. Peter’s Square. The 80-ft.-high tree is a gift of two municipalities in northern Italy.

Bishop Ivo Muser of Bolzano-Bressanone said that “the felling of the tree is not an act of disrespect, but the result of careful forest management, where tree removal is part of an active care strategy that ensures the health of the forest and control its growth.”

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The Greek word for Eucharist, εὐχαριστία, means “thanksgiving.”

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