Understanding Pope Francis’ Framing of Technology in Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti in Light of Shannon Vallor’s Technomoral Virtues

RELIGION AND SOCIAL COMMUNICATION VOLUME 23, NO. 2 (JULY - DECEMBER 2025)

ISSN 3057-0883 (ONLINE)

Author

Richmon Rey B. Jundis*

* Saint Paul Seminary Foundation, Philippines

Abstract

In an era defined by rapid technological advancements, technosocial issues have emerged, positioning technology as a double-edged tool that can either foster human flourishing or contribute to moral and societal decline. These challenges provide an opportunity for the Catholic Church to reassess its moral teachings and establish guidelines for technology. Pope Francis addresses these concerns in his papal encyclicals Laudato Si’ (2015) and Fratelli Tutti (2020), where he critically examines the ethical implications of technology and calls for its responsible and morally grounded application. This study analyzes Pope Francis’ framing of technology through Claes H. de Vreese’s (2005) Framing Theory, identifying the internal and external factors that influence his perspective. Additionally, it employs qualitative critical content analysis to extract key themes from the encyclicals and relational content analysis to relate them with Shannon Vallor’s (2016) twelve Technomoral Virtues. The study’s findings reveal that Pope Francis’ framing of technology acknowledges both its benefits and risks while emphasizing moral responsibility as a guiding principle. Furthermore, the findings highlight the need for ethical discernment in technological advancements, reinforcing Pope Francis’ call for responsible and morally grounded digital engagement.

Keywords

Catholic, ethics, framing, technology, virtues

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.62461/RRJ052325

Submitted: Jan. 31, 2025; Accepted: May 23, 2025; Published: Jul. 1, 2025

© 2025 The authors. This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).