Integral Human Development concerns the whole person and the whole of creation as well, especially in relation to the challenges presented by the contemporary issues of ecology and digital technology, two guest speakers told the SVD AUS Province’s latest online seminar.

The seminar held on September 18, explored the topic of "Integral Human Development in a Fragmented World: Perspectives on Ecology and Digital Technology” and featured guest speakers Fr Alexander Rodlach SVD and Fr Anthony Le Duc SVD.

Alexander Rodlach SVD was born in Innsbruck, Austria and has a PhD in Anthropology and a Certificate in African Studies. His research focuses on themes at the intersection of health, volunteerism, and religion. He is currently the coordinator for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation for the SVD Chicago Province.

Anthony Le Duc SVD is a member of the SVD Australia Province, based in Thailand. His academic and pastoral work focuses on the intersection of religion and contemporary concerns such as ecology, migration, social communication, and technological development. He is Assistant Professor of Moral Theology at Lux Mundi National Seminary of Thailand, serves as Executive Director of the Asian Research Center for Religion and Social Communication, and is a Research Fellow at the Desmond Tutu Centre for Religion and Social Justice, University of the Western Cape, South Africa.

Fr Alex spoke on the topic of "Kinship of Creation and Integral Human Development in light of the Church's ecological teaching and Arnold Jansson’s creation spirituality”.

He said that in Catholic Social Teaching, Integral Human Development (IHD) rejects purely materialistic and technological perspectives of progress and development.

“It proposes that true societal progress cannot be measured by economic growth alone, and it asserts that development must foster the flourishing of the whole person with all its dimensions and not exclude anyone,” he said.

“During the last decades, humanity has become aware of an increasing ecological crisis that is caused to a large degree by development that is driven by profit making without considering the costs for people and other life forms.

“The challenge of this crisis is unprecedented, requiring that people of all nations and vastly different cultures across all continents collaborate to address the planet-wide and complex ecological crisis with ramifications into the far future for generations that are not yet born.”

Fr Alex said both Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI spoke out on the importance of care for creation and Pope Francis built on those strong spiritual and theological foundations through his encyclicals Laudato Si’ and Laudato Deum.

“Pope Francis emphasises ecological conversion, which refers to a profound spiritual and practical transformation, where we as individuals and groups recognise our contribution to the environmental crisis and shift toward a lifestyle of care, gratitude, and sustainability. It involves moving from consumerism to stewardship,” he said.

Fr Alex said Pope Francis also argued for a move from an anthropocentric view and way of life to a cosmocentric view of life.

“The first is a human-centered perspective that defines the world and nature's value only in terms of their utility and importance to human beings. It asserts that humans are the central, most significant entities in the universe, often positioning humans as superior to other living creatures in natural processes, nature is not seen as intrinsically valuable,” he said.

“In contrast, a cosmocentric view is a perspective that places the entire cosmos, including all animate and non-animate components, ecosystems, and even celestial bodies at the centre of value and consideration. It shifts the focus to a holistic, universe-centric perspective that recognises the interconnectedness of our life and existence.”

Fr Alex said St Arnold Janssen, the founder of the Society of the Divine Word, was a natural scientist who had a deep regard for the intricacies of God’s created world which could “inspire us to recognise and adore God's power, magnitude, and wisdom”.

He said St Arnold’s correspondence with the Austrian poet Richard of Kralik highlighted an understanding of creation being “God’s kin”.

“The idea of kinship expands the understanding that only humanity is fashioned by God in His image and likeness, to all creation being the likeness of God, and not simply reflecting some aspects of the Creator,” Fr Alex said.

“Kinship further implies a bond not just between the Creator and His creation, but also the bond between all that is created that cannot be broken.

“Kinship implies also responsibility for each other, which can best be expressed by the biblical understanding of being a good neighbour,” he said.

Moving into the digital realm, Fr Anthony’s address on the theme of "Co-Creating a Christian digital humanism in the vision of Pope Leo XIV” argued that technology such as Artificial Intelligence cannot be considered to be neutral in its impact on humanity.

“It acts as an environment that actively monitors habits, analyses choices, and tracks movements,” he said. “AI predicts subsequent actions and shapes human behaviour in real time.”

Fr Anthony said digital architectures can reduce the profound mystery of the human person to raw data and performance metrics.

“The ultimate challenge of our era, then, is not technological, but as Pope Leo says, anthropological, as humans undergo immense transformations directly caused by our innovations,” he said.

“So, the Christian response cannot be limited to political or civil regulation; it requires a process of communal discernment to identify spiritual and cultural roots and find solutions promoting authentic human development while opposing death dealing practices.”

Fr Anthony’s presentation examined Pope Leo's teachings in the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, to articulate a Christian digital humanism grounded firmly in Christian theological anthropology and the paradigm of Integral Human Development.

“And this is based on the threefold theological foundation, enlightened by the doctrine of Imago Dei, redeemed by incarnated Christ, and oriented toward Trinitarian communion,” he said.

“Under these three pillars, human dignity is measured not by productivity or intelligence, but by our vocation to participate in God's scientific plan.”

Fr Anthony identified five key challenges in relation to Artificial Intelligence: technocratic dehumanisation, inauthentic relationality, disembodiment, compromised moral agency, and digital colonialism.

He said the theological response emphasised human dignity, embodied life, communion, solidarity, and the common good.

He said that among the Pope’s suggestions for personal action is a call to cultivate “digital sobriety”.

“That that is, to cultivate digital temperance against attention economies that weaken inner freedom, deliberately preserving spaces for embodied community,” Fr Anthony said.

“He calls for saying no to digital outrage and polarisation, and to use communication to give voice to the invisible and vulnerable. And Pope Leo calls for treating the human body as a temple of the Holy Spirit.”

At the family and social level, Pope Leo calls for a synodal participation, drawing on the Biblical image of Nehemiah as a model for all working together to achieve an outcome that contributes to human flourishing.

He also calls for establishing age limits and regulatory responsibilities with service providers and says there is a need to cultivate silence, in-depth study, and trusted relationships in schools, refusing to merely mimic digital speed.

Fr Anthony said that at the institutional level, Pope Leo calls for supply chain transparency to address hidden exploitation in AI labour to ensure progress does not violate human dignity.

“He also calls for democratising data, which means freeing AI from private monopolies and armed competition, and to treat data as a common or shared good, rather than private assets for profit,” he said.

Fr Anthony concluded by quoting Pope Leo’s remarks to a recent meeting with International Catholic Legislators Network where he said: “The world does not need an artificial intelligence that diminishes humanity; rather, it needs human intelligence enlightened by wisdom and technological innovation guided by charity”.

“And as we navigate our era, I propose that we move past the algorithmic dictates to and pay more attention to what I call neo rhythm, the rhythms of God's grace, and that means co-creating an ecosystem of compassion as authentic humans in a fragmented world,” he said.

The final presentation of the SVD AUS Province’s Mission, Education and Research team for 2026 will take place in November on the theme of ‘Integral Human Development in a Fragmented World: Formation of Youth and Religious’.

PHOTOS

TOP RIGHT: Fr Alexander Rodlach SVD

BOTTOM RIGHT: Fr Anthony Le Duc SVD