Pope: Progress is truly human if it makes the world better for everyone

By Christopher Wells

Vatican II’s Pastoral Constitution on the Church, Gaudium et spes—the subject of Pope Leo XIV’s current cycle of catecheses at the General Audiences—addresses the “fundamental” question, “What is the value of human activity in the world, and therefore of technical, social, and scientific progress?”

In his remarks on Wednesday, the Holy Father clearly affirms, “the human being is the agent of progress” advancing society through freedom and intelligence.

Pope Leo lamented the modern prejudice that sees scientific and technical progress as weakening the relationship with God. “In post-Christian humanist thought,” he explained, “human beings and God are erroneously presented as rivals: in order to assert his knowledge, his freedom, and his progress, man is thought to have to emancipate himself from God.”

Such a denial, however, results in losing “the possibility of affirming the transcendent value of the human person.”

Human beings cooperate in God’s plan

Instead, Gaudium et spes states clearly that Christians “can justly consider that by their labour they are unfolding the Creator’s work, consulting the advantages of their brother men, and contributing by their personal industry to the realization in history of the divine plan.”

In essence, Pope Leo said, “God has placed in the hands of men and women a creation that is still in statu viae—that is, on a journey, in the process of growth—so that they may bring it to fulfilment through their wise activity.”

Tying this idea to “the mystery of the Incarnation,” the Pope said, “humanity… is not absorbed or nullified by the encounter with God, but rather taken up in its entirety, continuing to be, in Christ, free and active.”

“From this perspective,” he continued, “an important truth emerges: to encounter God, the human being must not abandon his earthly vocations, but can live his vocation fully carrying out his daily work and sanctifying it.”

Like all human beings, Christians work to build up “the city of man,” which must be distinguished from the development of “the Kingdom of God.” However, the Pope noted the Council’s affirmation that progress in building up human society “is of vital concern to the kingdom of God.”

Progress must be inspired by charity

Finally, Pope Leo insisted that “in order to be authentic human progress… technical and scientific progress must be inspired by charity. Only in this way can it always be placed in the service of human dignity and promote the living conditions of all, especially the most disadvantaged.”

The Second Vatican Council, he concluded, “invites us to share the bread of knowledge and know-how, so that every person and every people may develop their potential, and together, with God’s help, we may build a better future.”

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