Pope, in audience on Vatican II, reflects on the meaning of human progress

September 23, 2026

Continuing his series of Wednesday general audiences on the Second Vatican Council and its documents, Pope Leo XIV devoted today’s audience (video) to the theme of the meaning of man’s activity throughout the world

The audience, which took place in St. Peter’s Square, was the twenty-seventh audience in the series and the fourth devoted to the Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (1965). Today’s audience was devoted to the audience’s third chapter, “Man’s Activity throughout the World” (nos. 33-39).

“The fundamental question is this: what is the value of human activity in the world, and therefore of technical, social and scientific progress?” Pope Leo said. “Created in the image and likeness of God, the human being is the agent of progress. With freedom and intelligence, he increases his knowledge, thereby advancing society as a whole.”

“Some thinkers have portrayed scientific and technical progress as something that weakens man’s relationship with God, to the point of making it seem superfluous, or even as antagonistic to the Christian faith,” the Pope observed. “Ultimately, however, by denying the relationship with God, one also loses the possibility of affirming the transcendent value of the human person. This is the ‘tragedy of atheistic humanism,’ well described by a leading theologian of the Second Vatican Council, Henri de Lubac.”

The Pope continued:

The Council wishes to provide a clear answer: Christians, states Gaudium et Spes, “can justly consider that by their labor they are unfolding the Creator’s work, consulting the advantages of their brother men, and are contributing by their personal industry to the realization in history of the divine plan ... Far from thinking that works produced by man’s own talent and energy are in opposition to God’s power, and that the rational creature exists as a kind of rival to the Creator, Christians are convinced that the triumphs of the human race are a sign of God’s grace and the flowering of His own mysterious design.”

“Here there is an important reference to the mystery of the Incarnation,” the Pope added. “Humanity—and with it work, progress and the autonomy of created realities—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: indeed, it is in Him that it finds full truth and freedom. Furthermore, in the Eucharistic celebration, the fruit of human labor, represented by bread and wine, is placed upon the altar every day to be transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ.”

Citing St. John Paul II’s homily for the canonization of St. Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei, Pope Leo commented:

From this perspective, an important truth emerges: to encounter God, the human being must not abandon his earthly occupations, but can live his vocation fully, carrying out his daily work well and sanctifying it. Christians, like everyone else, are involved in building the city of man, striving towards the end of all things and the encounter with God, and reminding those with whom they share the adventure of progress, science and life of this ultimate purpose.

After cautioning that “earthly progress must certainly be clearly distinguished from the development of the Kingdom of Christ,” the Pontiff concluded:

Finally, let us recall that in order to become authentic human progress—that is, progress for the whole person and for all people—technical and scientific progress must be inspired and guided 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.

Dear brothers and sisters, the Second Vatican Council 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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Audiences in series “Vatican Council II through its Documents”

• Introductory catechesis (1/7/26)

On Dei Verbum, the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (1965):

• God speaks to men as to friends (1/14/26)
• Jesus Christ reveals the Father (1/21/26)
• A single sacred deposit: The relationship between Scripture and Tradition (1/28/26)
• The Sacred Scripture: the Word of God in human words (2/4/26)
• The Word of God in the life of the Church (2/11/26)

On Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (1964):

• The mystery of the Church, sacrament of the union with God, and the unity of all humanity (2/18/26)
• No audience on 2/25 (Pope, Roman Curia on retreat)
• The Church, a Visible and Spiritual Reality (3/4/26)
• The Church, people of God (3/11/26)
• The Church, a Priestly and Prophetic People (3/18/26)
• On the foundation of the Apostles: The Church in her hierarchical dimension (3/25/26)
• Living stones in the Church and witnesses in the world: The laity in the People of God (4/1/26)
• Holiness and evangelical counsels in the Church (4/8/26)
• No audience on 4/15 and 4/22 (in Africa), followed by a special general audience on his apostolic journey to Africa (4/29/26)
• The Church, pilgrim in history towards the heavenly homeland (5/6/26)
• The Virgin Mary, model of the Church (5/13/26)

On Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (1963):

• The liturgy in the mystery of the Church (5/20/26)
• The reform of the liturgy: tradition and development (5/27/26)
• Rite, sign, and symbol (6/3/26)
• No audience on 6/10 (in Spain), followed by a special general audience on his apostolic journey to Spain (6/17/26)
• The mystery of the Eucharist (6/24/26)
• No audiences in July
• The prayer of the Church (8/5/26)
• The liturgical year (8/12/26)
• Sacred music (8/19/26)
• Motivations for liturgical reform (8/26/26)

On Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (1965):

• The Church: Listening to and Serving the World (9/2/26)
• Human dignity: gift and responsibility (9/9/26)
• The human community (9/16/26)
• The meaning of man’s activity throughout the world (9/23/26)

 

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Further information:

• General Audience (Dicastery for Communication - Vatican Media, 9/23/26)
• General Audience (Holy See Press Office, 9/23/26)
• Pope: Progress is truly human if it makes the world better for everyone (Vatican News, 9/23/26)