Why Does the Catholic Church Care About AI?

The Catholic Church and the Digital Age

Catholicism has always had a deep connection with the physical world. For thousands of years, it has focused on the human body and its role in spiritual life. Every sacrament involves both matter and form—something tangible and something spoken. Water is used to cleanse the body of sin, ashes are placed on the forehead, and bread and wine are consumed as symbols of Christ's body and blood. This emphasis on the physical makes sense for a faith that originated from an event of extreme physical suffering. However, Catholics understand that one body alone is not enough. Churches are not built by isolated individuals; they require communities. Confession cannot be done without the presence of a priest. People are essential.

Because of this, the work of the Catholic Church has traditionally been done offline, through real people in real buildings. One would expect the Church to be relatively insulated from fears about new technology. But when Pope Leo XIV was elected in May of last year, he used his first cardinal address to sound an alarm about the digital age, one that extends far into the future.

Leo XIV chose his name in honor of his predecessor, Leo XIII, who became head of the Church in 1878 during the Gilded Age. Now, 147 years later, the new Pope addressed a world facing a new industrial revolution. In his speech, he mentioned the challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI) to human dignity, justice, and labor.

“It was so unexpected to hear him speaking about AI,” says Father Stephen Wang, Rector of the Venerable English College in Rome. “It delighted many Catholics I know. They thought, thank God, we've got a pope who gets it.”

Before Leo XIV’s papacy, work on AI within the Catholic community was already underway. In 2023, a project called Magisterium AI was launched—a Catholic chatbot that can read Bible passages to users.

Leo XIV’s initial comments on AI were neutral, but by January 24, his tone had become more urgent. He warned that AI could alter the foundations of human civilization, invade our private lives, and turn us into passive consumers of unoriginal thoughts. He expressed concern that we might lose our ability to understand meaning and connect with others.

Fr Stephen believes that part of the reason Catholics are particularly concerned about AI is their attitude toward struggle. In Christian theology, need, vulnerability, and brokenness are not seen as obstacles to avoid but as integral parts of what it means to be human. These experiences help us learn to love and be loved.

Chatbots, on the other hand, are designed to eliminate friction. While there is a clear danger that AI could be misused or fail to understand human communication, there is also a more concerning possibility: that AI works too well. Large language models promise ease and convenience, which could lead to isolation if they replace human relationships. Fr Stephen worries that if AI replaces friends, teachers, and even prayer partners, we may lose the connections that nurture our humanity.

There is a sense of déjà vu among some within the Church. Naoise Grenham, a senior policy and research analyst for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, notes that the Church was initially behind in addressing social media. Now, it is working to keep up with AI, not necessarily to be ahead, but to avoid being left behind.

The difference now is that earlier concerns about social media focused on content, while current worries center on the impact of AI on consciousness itself. This raises questions about how AI affects our understanding of God and our spiritual lives.

Despite his concerns, Fr Joseph finds comfort in the physicality of Catholicism. He emphasizes that Christianity, especially Catholicism, is an embodied religion. “We can’t go stratospheric and become unrooted,” he says. “Things might get messy, but we’ll return to Mass, communion, and community.”

But could this reliance on in-person rituals make Catholicism vulnerable to losing followers to AI? Both AI and religion are omnipresent, available at any moment, and claim to answer life’s deepest questions. The key difference is that religion requires time, effort, and commitment, while AI is often just a tap away.

Bishop Paul Hendricks, Lead Bishop for AI at the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, finds the idea of replacing God with AI troubling. “I think it’s only a matter of time,” he says. “A relationship with a chatbot is less rewarding and less demanding. That’s the temptation.”

Naoise warns that over-reliance on AI could lead to idolatry. “It needs to be used as a tool, not worshipped,” he says.

Father Josef Wieneke, pastor at St Matthias Catholic Church in Berlin, remains hopeful that nothing will ever replace the power of church-going. “The Catholic sacraments can’t be performed by a computer. They only work face-to-face,” he says.

However, Fr Joseph is less optimistic. “I don’t think most people are capable of getting off the slope,” he admits. “I’m not campaigning to stop AI, but I think it’s impossible. We’re in an AI race, and no one can stop it.”

Despite his concerns, Fr Joseph remains hopeful. “I believe in my Christian faith, and that Christianity is built to survive,” he says. “I’m hopeful that humanity and human wisdom will find a way forward before things get too bad.”