Pope Leo XIV appointed Father Thomas Hennen as the next bishop of Baker, Oregon. Hennen is currently the vicar general of the Diocese of Davenport, Iowa. The bishop-elect has extensive experience in pastoral outreach, including work with Courage International. Hennen has served as a vocations director and rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport.
8 days ago
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Father Thomas Hennen, a 47-year-old moral theologian and vicar general of the Diocese of Davenport, Iowa, as the new bishop of Baker, a mission diocese in eastern Oregon 1. Bishop-elect Hennen brings extensive experience, including over a decade of pastoral outreach as diocesan coordinator and chaplain for Courage International, an organization supporting individuals with same-sex attraction who choose to live chastely 1. He has also served as a vocations director, rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral, and led the Davenport diocese's Synod on Synodality 1.
The Diocese of Baker is geographically vast, covering 66,800 square miles, and is considered a mission territory with approximately 12,500 Catholic households across 57 parishes and missions 1. Bishop-elect Hennen, who is fluent in Spanish and Italian, succeeds Bishop Liam Cary, who is nearly three years past the typical retirement age for Catholic bishops 1.
In a separate significant message, Pope Leo XIV addressed the 2025 AI for Good Summit in Geneva, emphasizing the shared responsibility of AI developers and users to ensure these innovations uphold human dignity and the common good 2. The Pope highlighted that while developers bear primary responsibility, users also have a role in the ethical deployment of AI systems 2.
Pope Leo XIV called for "regulatory frameworks centered on the human person" and "proper ethical management" of AI technologies at both local and global levels 2. He acknowledged the immense potential of the digital revolution driven by AI to transform sectors like education, healthcare, and governance, but also noted the significant digital divide, with 2.6 billion people lacking access to basic communication technologies 2.
The Holy Father stressed that AI, despite its ability to perform specific tasks and simulate human reasoning, cannot replicate moral discernment or foster genuine human relationships 2. He reiterated his earlier concern, first expressed during his pontificate's inaugural meeting with the College of Cardinals, that AI poses new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice, and labor 2. The ultimate goal, according to Pope Leo XIV, is to ensure AI contributes to "the tranquility of order" and promotes a more humane, peaceful, and just society for integral human development 2.
How does the Church guide technological and spiritual leadership?
The Church guides technological and spiritual leadership by emphasizing that technology must serve the human person and promote the common good, while spiritual leadership is understood as a service rooted in Christ's example of humility and love .
The Church acknowledges the benefits of science and technology, recognizing them as products of God-given human creativity that have improved the quality of life through advances in medicine, engineering, and communication . However, it stresses that not all technological advancements represent genuine human progress, especially those that threaten the sanctity of life or human dignity .
To guide technological development, the Church proposes several ethical principles:
The Church encourages serious moral reflection on the risks and possibilities of scientific and technological advances, so that international laws and regulations promote integral human development and peace, rather than progress as an end in itself . This requires increased human responsibility, values, and conscience proportionate to the power technology brings .
Spiritual leadership within the Church, particularly that of bishops, priests, and deacons, is understood as a service (diaconia) rooted in the example of Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd . This leadership is not about lording over others but about serving the community with humility and love .
Key aspects of spiritual leadership include:
In essence, both technological and spiritual leadership are guided by the overarching principle of serving the human person and promoting the common good, with Christ's example of self-sacrificing love as the ultimate model .