From Rerum Novarum to Magnifica Humanitas: Catholic Social Doctrine and Decent Work

The Catholic Church has developed a rich body of social teaching addressing the dignity of work and the protection of workers' health since the late nineteenth century. This article examines the trajectory of Catholic Social Teaching (CST) from Pope Leo XIII's encyclical Rerum Novarum (1891) to Pope Leo XIV's recent magisterium, including the apostolic exhortation Dilexi Te (2025) and the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas (2026) on safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence, with a particular focus on the concept of decent work as articulated by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and its intersection with Occupational Medicine (OM). The analysis highlights that Catholic social thought has consistently advocated for working conditions that safeguard the physical, mental, and social well-being of workers, anticipating many principles later codified in international labor standards. It further contends that Magnifica Humanitas extends this tradition to the challenges posed by digital technology and artificial intelligence to the dignity of work. The article argues that the convergence between CST and modern occupational health frameworks provides a compelling ethical foundation for advancing decent work and Occupational Health Services (OHS) worldwide.