06/12/2026
Most Holy Father:
With gratitude to God and deep affection, we the members of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops gathered in plenary assembly in the See of Orlando, write to assure you of our prayers and our communion with you in the ministry of Peter. As your papacy marks its first year, we pray that you continue to be a guiding light for the Church and for the world.
We join you in prayer for peace in our world as we continue to call for the defense of the most vulnerable, especially in areas of turmoil. In this Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we humbly pray for the protection of all in harm’s way and that, through Jesus’s perfect and overflowing love, there may be peace in Iran, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Ukraine, Myanmar, Sudan, Nigeria, and all areas of the world torn by conflict and strife.
Holy Father, we thank you for the teaching in your first encyclical letter, Magnifica humanitas. At a time of rapid cultural and technological change, when the world is asking urgent questions about the role and value of the human person, you shine the light of the Gospel and the tradition of the Church on the new opportunities and challenges posed by the rise of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. You remind us that we must never lose sight of the life and dignity of the human person amid these profound developments. May we never lose sight of the inherent dignity of all human life as we strive to ensure that technology serves the common good.
In your encyclical you rightly remind us that “no one is without responsibility. We all have our own areas for action…. each in our own way, can cooperate in building the civilization of love” (no. 212). Here we are encouraged to continue the Church’s longstanding educational mission. Throughout the history of the Church, Catholic schools, universities, parishes, and other institutions of formation have sought to unite faith and reason, cultivating not only intellectual excellence, but also moral and spiritual maturity in service to others. In an age marked at times by fragmentation, isolation, and uncertainty among the young, the Church’s educational tradition remains a vital model for authentic human formation. Your call to “draw new maps of hope” inspires renewed efforts to accompany young people with confidence in the truth of the Gospel and with trust in their God-given dignity and vocation.
As shepherds of the local Church of the United States, we are mindful of the responsibility entrusted to us to strengthen the faith of our people, accompany those who are searching for meaning, and bear witness to the enduring truth of Christ in every aspect of society. We also face challenges that test our witness: the growing influence of secularism, struggles of families and young people to live the faith, the need for renewed vocations, and the call to protect the dignity of every human life from conception to natural death. And, as we stated last November, mindful of our nation’s long history as a place of refuge and opportunity, we remain vigilant in calling our nation “to recognize the fundamental dignity of all persons, including immigrants. We bishops advocate for a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures. Human dignity and national security are not in conflict. Both are possible if people of good will work together.”
This week, as we consecrate the Church in the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we entrust our people, our families, and our communities to the Lord’s abundant mercy and healing love. As you so elegantly wrote, “The living God descends into our history in order to free us from all forms of slavery. He takes upon himself our weakness and transforms it into a setting for salvation” (232). In communion with Your Holiness, we pray that the Heart of Christ may renew the faith of our people, strengthen our charity, and make the Church ever more fully a sign of hope and unity in the world.
