U.S. Bishops Focus On Young People, Artificial Intelligence in Labor Day Message

The Labor Day message echoed Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas on artificial intelligence.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is commemorating Labor Day as a time to “celebrate workers and honor the dignity of work” in a statement published in advance of the holiday.

“Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of participation in God’s creation,” Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre, chair of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, said in the statement.

The archbishop’s’ statement focuses on concerns about labor, such as stagnant wages, not enough opportunities for young people, affordability and other economic issues, and the ongoing growth of artificial intelligence (AI), which has sparked fears about job security.

“This year, we focus on young people and vulnerable communities who face uncertainty in today’s economy,” Archbishop Fabre said. “Traditional economic indicators tell us the economy is growing, but hiring has slowed, especially for unemployed workers, and unemployment remains high for Black workers.”

The statement indicates that about one-fourth of workers make $35,000 annually or less, and nearly three-fourths of low-wage workers lack stable and secure jobs. It also cites data from a 2025 poll that showed that 70% of Americans believed it was unaffordable to have children, 13 points higher than the previous year.