# Vigilant Hope

- Link: https://stevenumbrello.com/vigilant-hope/
- Published: 2026-11-08T15:23:13+00:00
- Author: Steven Umbrello

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November 2026 · Ascension Press

# Vigilant Hope

Preserving Human Dignity in an Age of Artificial Intelligence

Steven Umbrello · Foreword by Katie Prejean McGrady

 [Buy Now](https://ascensionpress.com/products/vigilant-hope-preserving-human-dignity-in-an-age-of-artificial-intelligence)
[All Books](https://stevenumbrello.com/books/)

 **Paperback** · 224 pages **ISBN** 979-8-89276-301-1 **$19.99**

> AI may be changing rapidly, but human nature and human dignity do not.

## About the book

Artificial intelligence is changing the world at an incredible pace. It can help
us solve problems, generate ideas, communicate, and accomplish tasks in seconds.
Yet as these tools become more powerful and more deeply woven into our lives, they
also raise difficult questions. What do we stand to gain from AI? What might we 
lose? And how can we embrace the good these technologies offer without losing sight
of what makes us uniquely human?

In _Vigilant Hope_, Dr. Steven Umbrello offers an authentically Catholic perspective
on the opportunities and challenges of AI. Drawing on the wisdom of the Catholic
tradition, including Pope Leo XIV's encyclical _Magnifica Humanitas_, he explores
not simply what AI can do, but what it should do, and how we can ensure technology
remains at the service of the human person.

Inside the book:

 * What artificial intelligence is and how it is already shaping our world
 * The ethical questions we must consider as AI takes on a greater role in human
   life
 * What the Church teaches about technology and human dignity
 * Why intellect, free will, conscience, and discernment cannot be replaced by a
   machine
 * How to think clearly about the promises and risks of AI without fear or blind
   optimism
 * How to approach the future of AI with wisdom, hope, and confidence

_Vigilant Hope_ equips you to navigate this new era with a clear understanding of
what technology can offer and a renewed appreciation for what only the human person
can bring.

![Steven Umbrello](https://i0.wp.com/stevenumbrello.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/
10/ee6b8-matrimonio-a-la-castella-di-francesca-e-steven-93-e1765347573668.png?w=
840&ssl=1)

## About the author

Steven Umbrello is Managing Director at the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies
and a Research Fellow at the University of Turin, where he directs the Ethical Research
Center on Anthropology and Technology. His work sits at the intersection of philosophy
of technology, Catholic theology, and AI ethics, specifically applying Bernard Lonergan's
cognitional theory to questions about consciousness, culture, and emerging technologies.

He writes the weekly Substack _Mediated by Meaning_ and hosts a YouTube series on
Lonergan's _Insight_ and _Method in Theology_. His other 2026 books are _Can AI 
Ever Be Human?_ (with Paul O'Hara) and _Mediated by Meaning_.

## Endorsements

“Artificial intelligence is changing the work we do, the answers we seek and the
company we keep. Most of us are wondering what that means for our children and for
ourselves. _Vigilant Hope_ is a clear, balanced and hopeful guide through those 
questions. Steven Umbrello explains what these systems are and are not, is honest
about the risks and fair to the benefits, and draws on the Church's teaching, including
_Magnifica Humanitas_. As someone who works on artificial intelligence for the Church,
I am glad to recommend it.”

Matthew Harvey Sanders

Founder and CEO of Longbeard, creator of Magisterium AI

“In his new book, _Vigilant Hope: Preserving Human Dignity in an Age of Artificial
Intelligence_, Prof. Umbrello demonstrates two strokes of genius: one, his ability
to explain in a simple yet effective way what the Church understands when She talks
about the dignity of the human person; and, two, the profound power of telling a
story. For an eminently readable and rich work of literature, _Vigilant Hope_ should
be on your reading list.”

Fr. Philip Larrey

Professor of Philosophy, Boston College

“Steven Umbrello's lively narrative style in discussing the hot issue of AI and 
human identity should resonate with all who grasp that as humans being made in the
imago Dei we cannot be replaced by machines no matter how sophisticated their algorithms.
We are always and always will be infinitely more.”

Paul O'Hara

Professor Emeritus, Sophia University Institute; co-author of _Can AI Ever Be Human?_

“Some AI experts warn of existential risk, while others promise technological utopias.
This work offers neither pessimism nor optimism, but authentic hope. … Umbrello 
provides a profound, accessible guide that helps every worker build a more human
future with vigilant hope.”

Rev. Michael Baggot, LC

Associate Professor of Bioethics, Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum; Research
Scholar, UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human Rights

_Vigilant Hope_ is available from Ascension Press in paperback, with study questions
and a glossary for parish and classroom use.

 [Buy from Ascension Press](https://ascensionpress.com/products/vigilant-hope-preserving-human-dignity-in-an-age-of-artificial-intelligence)

 Published by Ascension Press · West Chester, PA

Steven Umbrello

 Managing Director, Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies. Research Fellow,
University of Turin.

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 Meaning requires method. © Steven Umbrello 2027

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