Priest Urged LA Clergy to Engage With Artificial Intelligence

Former engineer Father Brendan McGuire encouraged priests to integrate AI tools into their ministry.

Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

Priest Urged LA Clergy to Engage With Artificial Intelligence

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Father Brendan McGuire spoke to Los Angeles archdiocese priests about incorporating artificial intelligence into their work. He emphasized the necessity of ethical development and discernment in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Why it matters

As AI increasingly impacts all facets of society, religious leaders face a growing need to understand these technologies. McGuire argues that ethical guardrails are essential to ensure AI development remains aligned with human values.

Father Brendan McGuire previously assisted in shaping the governing document for the Claude AI model. The discussion highlighted current AI uses, such as drafting homilies and managing complex liturgical calendars.

The players

Father Brendan McGuire

He is a priest and former Silicon Valley engineer who founded the Institute for Technology, Ethics, and Culture at Santa Clara University.

Pope Leo XIV

He is the head of the Catholic Church who addressed AI ethics in the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas.

The details

Father McGuire, a former Silicon Valley engineer, encouraged clergy to adopt AI into their ministerial vocabulary. He noted that students are already leveraging chatbots for financial guidance and emotional support, underscoring the need for church leaders to engage with the technology.

May 2026: Pope Leo XIV released the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas.
September 28, 2026: Father Brendan McGuire addressed the Los Angeles archdiocese.

The Tech Race

This move represents a shift toward active clerical participation in digital ethics rather than passive observation. By moving past legacy resistance to new tools, the church is attempting to define the parameters of AI use within modern ministry.

Parishioners may begin to see AI-assisted homilies or modernized liturgical tools in their local churches. These changes are intended to help clergy focus more on direct pastoral care by automating routine administrative tasks.

The takeaway

Religious leaders are increasingly viewing artificial intelligence as a practical tool for administrative and ministerial efficiency. Integrating these technologies requires a balance of innovation and strict ethical oversight to maintain human-centered values.