Does God want humanity to progress? Pope Leo XIV answers

Pope Leo XIV said during a General Audience that human efforts to improve living conditions align with God's will. He explained that God provides the intelligence and freedom necessary for people to learn and progress.

The Pope noted that some thinkers in post-Christian humanism view God and humanity as rivals, suggesting that people must reject God to assert their own freedom and knowledge. He called this the tragedy of atheistic humanism, stating that denying a relationship with God causes people to lose the ability to affirm the transcendent value of the human person. To illustrate human achievement, he cited the 1969 moon landing.

During the same audience, the Pope mentioned the upcoming beatification of Fulton Sheen in St. Louis. He encouraged people to live their daily work and responsibilities fully to make them holy.