St. Paul Catholic Church, Richmond, VA

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Presenting the first encyclical of his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV warned that artificial intelligence must be "disarmed," urging governments, tech leaders and society to confront the rapidly growing technology before it weakens human relationships, critical thinking and peace itself.

With its authoritative teaching, the 82-page encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas" ("Magnificent Humanity"), significantly boosts the Catholic Church's position as an active voice in discussions over artificial intelligence, autonomous weapons, labor, human dignity and the concentration of technological power among a handful of corporations.

"Peace, not merely the absence of war, is justice at work," Pope Leo said May 25 during a presentation unveiling the document in the Vatican's Synod Hall to an audience filled with members of the Roman Curia, reporters and special guests. "But when technology weakens our critical sense, peace itself is at risk."

The pope said he wrote the encyclical after hearing from scientists, engineers, political leaders, parents and teachers about the promises and dangers posed by artificial intelligence. While some were enthusiastic about the technology, he said others expressed fears over future generations and increasingly autonomous weapons systems.

While he acknowledged the benefits of AI, Pope Leo was clear in saying more scrutiny needs to be applied to this developing technology.

"Artificial intelligence needs to be disarmed," the pope said. "The word is strong, I know, but deliberately chosen because this moment needs words capable of attracting attention, awakening consciences and indicating paths forward for humanity."

Pope Leo has frequently cautioned against the unchecked development of AI since the beginning of his pontificate, warning that the technology risks weakening human discernment, distorting reality and replacing authentic relationships with simulations of human interaction.

Anchoring his address on the church’s annual World Communications Day theme, the pope said artificial intelligence is increasingly simulating "human voices and faces," while raising deeper questions surrounding consciousness, responsibility, friendship and truth.

"We do not possess technical answers, nor do we seek to displace those with expertise," the pope said in his May 25 presentation. "But we bring a wisdom concerning the human that our present time desperately needs: every person is unique and irreplaceable."

The Holy See's engagement with major technology companies dates back nearly a decade through conversations known as the "Minerva Dialogues," which brought together church leaders and executives from Silicon Valley firms, including Google and LinkedIn.

That's one of the reasons why one of the most anticipated speakers at the presentation was Chris Olah, co-founder of the artificial intelligence research company Anthropic, who praised the pope’s willingness to engage the industry directly.

Olah acknowledged that computer scientists alone cannot determine the ethical boundaries of AI because developers themselves are influenced by "incentives" such as ambition, competition and financial pressure.

"We need informed critics who will tell the labs when we are failing," Olah said. "We need moral voices that the incentives cannot bend."

He said the church could help shape discussions surrounding the equitable distribution of AI’s economic benefits, the impact of the technology on children and employment, and broader questions about human flourishing.

Olah also described aspects of advanced AI systems as "mysterious, even unsettling," saying researchers continue to discover behaviors within models they do not fully understand.

Others speaking at the presentation highlighted themes throughout the encyclical, including economic inequality, labor exploitation and the concentration of technological power.

Anna Rowlands, professor of political theology and Catholic social doctrine at Durham University in England, was another speaker on the panel with the pope. She said the encyclical "brings the vision of the Gospel to bear on the cultures of AI."

She said the document challenges the idea that artificial intelligence itself can "save" humanity while questioning whether too much influence over modern life is being placed in the hands of a small number of technology companies.

"In the interests of the common good, how can we resist such distorting concentrations of power in the hands of the few?" Rowlands asked.

Leocadie Lushombo, another panelist and professor of theological ethics at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, pointed to the encyclical’s criticism of extractive mining industries in the Global South that supply minerals used in AI infrastructure and data centers.

"Yes, AI can very easily be colonial," Lushombo said. "It is more likely to do much to further violate the rights of the Global South."

Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, said the pace of this new technology is unparalleled, while the stakes are deeper, concerning "the very nature of human coexistence." 

He went on to say that the most original contribution the Christian faith brings to the discussion on AI is the "conviction that human beings always transcend the sum of their achievements, their data profiles and any possible technical simulation, because they are called to a fullness of life that finds its truth in relationship and its fulfillment in a constant and sincere gift of oneself."

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, said the document insists humanity must not lose sight of its own dignity despite technological advancement.

"For every human being possesses infinite dignity and never loses that sublime capacity for love which God bestowed upon humanity when He created us," Cardinal Fernández said.

He also emphasized one of the encyclical’s central arguments: that artificial intelligence cannot replicate humanity’s capacity to suffer, grow and love.

Pope Leo’s encyclical states that humanity carries within itself "the lessons that are etched like scars, a memory of the journey taken between freedom and falls, dreams and disappointments," he said.

WASHINGTON – Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), issued a statement today welcoming Pope Leo XIV’s new encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence.

Archbishop Coakley’s statement follows:

“The Church in the United States welcomes the publication of Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical letter, Magnifica Humanitas, with gratitude and praise. It is a powerful reminder that no technology can replace a child of God, and all technology should be placed at the service of helping humanity thrive.

“As his predecessor Pope Leo XIII addressed the challenges of the Industrial Revolution in Rerum Novarum one hundred thirty-five years ago, our Holy Father shines the light of the Gospel and the tradition of the Church on the new opportunities and challenges posed by the rise of Artificial Intelligence. The Pope calls us to never lose sight of the inherent dignity of all human life and the moral imperative for technology to support peace and the common good rather than the limited interest of a few.

“Recognizing the importance of this issue to the Holy Father and to us all, the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops tasked the USCCB Committee on Doctrine to lead and coordinate our work regarding Artificial Intelligence.  It reflects the Catholic belief that the dignity of the human person is inviolable. 

“My brother bishops and I look forward to prayerfully reading the encyclical more deeply over the next few days. We encourage all people of good will to reflect on this rich papal teaching and to seek ways in which to apply it in their lives.”

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- At a time when digital technologies are developing at a rapid and unpredictable pace, every single person must decide if she or he will be: a passive bystander; an unhelpful commentator; an avaricious architect of a new "Tower of Babel"; or a patient, hope-filled builder of a "civilization of love," Pope Leo XIV said in his first encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas."

In the 82-page document, released May 25, the day after Pentecost, the pope also asked forgiveness for the Church's long tolerance of slavery, and he declared that its "just war theory" was now outdated.

"Today, more than ever, without prejudice to the right to self-defense in the strictest sense, it is important to reaffirm that the 'just war' theory, which has all too often been used to justify any kind of war, is now outdated," he wrote.

"Humanity possesses far more effective and capable tools for promoting human life and resolving conflicts, such as dialogue, diplomacy and forgiveness. The use of force, violence and weapons reflects a relational poverty that always has disastrous consequences for civilian populations," the pope's new document said. 

The document, signed May 15, marked the 135th anniversary of his namesake's landmark social encyclical, "Rerum Novarum," which reflected on society, the economy and politics, and ushered in what is now known as the "Social Doctrine of the Church."

"When some objected that the Church should not waste energy on worldly matters, but instead focus on communicating the message of eternal life, Leo XIII responded with realism and wisdom, saying that the proclamation of the Gospel cannot overlook the concrete lives of people," Pope Leo XIV wrote.

While his turn-of-the-last-century predecessor focused on the industrial revolution's impact on the human being and society, Pope Leo looked at the consequences of the digital revolution in the 21st-century and how best to safeguard "the human person in the time of artificial intelligence."

Pope Leo used nearly the first half of the document to outline the role and development of the church's social teaching, and why and how it continues to be needed in a world facing both old and new challenges.

"Today, the Social Doctrine of the Church is a legacy of wisdom, where we find principles for thought, criteria for discernment and judgment, and concrete guidelines for action" to "clearly interpret the challenges of the present and identify appropriate ways for living out a clear Christian witness, with joy and in service to the world," he wrote.

"It is not an inert set of concepts, but a living corpus of truth that safeguards and interprets humanity's vocation to a full and just life. I therefore wish to add my own voice to this living tradition," he added.

Listening to and engaging with the wider world, especially those active in the fields of science, technology, academia and politics, he wrote, is crucial to a process of "shared discernment" to identify and heal the spiritual and cultural roots of present-day problems rather than issuing reactive pronouncements or "risk letting the succession of emergencies dictate the direction of our path."

While the Church is concerned with theological, "anthropological" and social questions, it is also "necessary to establish adequate regulatory tools capable of upholding justice and curbing the distorting effects of technological power," the pope wrote.

"Nevertheless, the issue is not limited to regulation. As Pope Francis warned, we must realistically ask ourselves who holds this power today and how they use it," he added. 

"Humanity, created by God in all its grandeur, is today facing a pivotal choice: either to construct a new Tower of Babel or to build the city in which God and humanity dwell together," he wrote. Every generation has the same duty of "guiding history to become a place where the dignity of every person is safeguarded, justice is promoted and fraternity is made possible."

While the document was embedded "in a time of artificial intelligence," it also included a wide gamut of ongoing, lingering ills such as: the exploitation of people and nature; war; the arms race; disrespect for human life; threats to democracy and the common good; discrimination against the poor and women; and new forms of slavery.

"Human trafficking must be recognized as a contemporary form of slavery and a grave violation of human dignity. Failing to respond firmly, or tolerating these practices in any way, is in some way to become complicit in today's sins, which are akin to those of the past when slavery was being concealed and justified," Pope Leo wrote.

While the Catholic Church constantly affirmed the dignity of every human being, he wrote, "neither can we deny or diminish the delay with which both society and the Church came to denounce the scourge of slavery," noting it wasn't until the 19th century "that a formal, absolute and universal condemnation of slavery was clearly articulated, notably under Pope Leo XIII."

"This development offers a clear example of the Church's growth in understanding the perennial truths of Revelation that she safeguards," he wrote, "even if it took eighteen centuries for its full incompatibility with slavery to be explicitly recognized."

"This constitutes a wound in Christian memory, one from which we cannot consider ourselves detached," he wrote, and "for this, in the name of the Church, I sincerely ask for pardon."

It is "a shared responsibility," he wrote, of all members of the human family to come together and discern "Where are we going? Toward what goal do we wish to orient ourselves? What direction should we choose as a people and as a human community?"

"The search for the truth in public life, education in the digital environment, the transformation of work, the fragility of families and new forms of slavery are not isolated phenomena," he wrote. "Rather, they reflect a common underlying issue, namely that if technology becomes the ultimate criterion, the human person risks being reduced to data, a cog in a machine or a commodity."

"If, however, technology is integrated with a wise perspective, it can become an instrument of growth, justice and fraternity," he added.

Innovation can genuinely serve integral human development and integral ecology, Pope Leo wrote, "rather than becoming a source of exclusion and dominance."

Referring often to St. Augustine's teachings, Pope Leo clearly defined the two "cities" people today must choose to contribute to: either a worldly, selfish land dedicated to building a "Tower of Babel" or a Christian "civilization of love in the digital age."

He decried today's "culture of power" that was "normalizing" war, ballooning military arsenals, and fomenting fear and polarization; he reinforced the Vatican's long-standing opposition to leaving the decision to use lethal force to AI or "to opaque or automated processes."

The pope also condemned today's "false realism," calling it "truly irresponsible" to stoke resignation by pretending war is inevitable and peace and dialogue are "utopian or irrational positions that ignore the risks at stake." 

"In fact, peace is neither a naïve hope nor merely the absence of war; instead, it is always possible as the fruit of justice and charity," he wrote.

Pope Leo underlined the need for everyone to take responsibility in building a better world by quoting the wizard Gandalf in J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings. The Return of the King." "It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till."

Pope Leo then proposed five paths toward daily and public responsibility: "the need to disarm words; building peace through justice; adopting the perspective of victims; cultivating a healthy realism; and reviving dialogue and multilateralism."

Fundamentally, he added, what is needed is the Christian view of humanity and understanding of God's plan for his creation.

"As a believer among believers, I invite everyone to contemplate, in the face of the Son of God, the grandeur of humanity that shines a light also on the era of AI," he wrote. "In Christ, we are called to cooperate in the work of creation, rather than be disinterested observers of technological processes that limit our freedom and responsibility."

"The dignity inscribed in each of us by the Holy Spirit can also be seen in our capacity to reflect critically, choose and love freely, and form authentic relationships," Pope Leo wrote.

"No computational system, however sophisticated, can create a heart that gives itself, or a conscience that discerns good from evil," he wrote. "Even when machines excel in efficiency, a human face that asks to be gazed upon remains the center of our history."
 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV celebrated Pentecost by highlighting the role of the Holy Spirit in his repeated calls for peace in recent months, saying the spirit also guides the Church to truth amid a world marked by war, division and ideological fragmentation.

During Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, the pope said the Holy Spirit continues Christ’s work in the world by restoring peace through forgiveness and transforming fear and confusion into communion with God and others.

"Pentecost truly appears as the feast of the New Covenant, the Covenant between God and all the peoples of the world," the pope said May 24 in his homily marking the end of the Easter season.

Reflecting on the Gospel passage of Christ appearing to the apostles after the resurrection, Pope Leo said Jesus restored peace between God and humanity through his Paschal Mystery and poured that peace into the world through the Holy Spirit.

"This peace stems from forgiveness and leads us to forgiveness," he said, emphasizing that Jesus first offered forgiveness even after being "betrayed, condemned and crucified."

"God’s holy law is inscribed in our hearts, engraved by the spirit with letters of love in the flesh of Christ and in his body the Church," Pope Leo said. "This law is the rule of peace: It is the twofold commandment of love that the spirit reminds us of with every heartbeat."

Turning to the Church’s mission, the pope said Christians are called to continue proclaiming Christ through acts of mercy, virtue and witness in daily life. Calling the faithful "coworkers of the Gospel," he said the Holy Spirit transforms believers into agents of reconciliation and hope.

"The work of God, therefore, is each one of us, who came here today from all parts of the world, invited to the Lord’s table, gathered to listen to his word and called to bear witness to it everywhere," he said.

The pope also described the Holy Spirit as the source of unity and truth within the Church, warning against "partisanship, hypocrisy and fads that obscure the light of the Gospel."

While acknowledging that some changes in the modern world have brought "error and violence," Pope Leo said the Holy Spirit continues to renew humanity and introduce salvation.

"The Church’s mission bears witness to this offer, thereby transforming the world’s confusion into communion with God and among ourselves," he said.

Concluding his homily, the pope prayed for the Holy Spirit to free the world from war, misery and sin.

"Dear friends, with fervent hearts, let us pray today that the spirit of the Risen One may save us from the evil of war, which is overcome not by a superpower, but by the omnipotence of love," he said.

In his Regina Caeli address after Mass, Pope Leo said the Holy Spirit "opens doors," saying it gave the apostles the courage to leave the locked room following Jesus' death and proclaim Christ. 

The pope said the Holy Spirit opens three doors: the door to encountering God personally, the door of the Church so it can remain welcoming to all and engaged with the modern world, and the door of the human heart, overcoming "selfishness, mistrust and prejudice."

"We need to rediscover God as the father who loves us, so that we can form a Church where everyone feels at home, and build a fraternal world where peace reigns among all peoples," he said from the window of the Apostolic Palace, a day before releasing his first encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas" on the care of the human person in the time of artificial intelligence. 

After the Regina Caeli prayer, Pope Leo commemorated the Day of Prayer for the Church in China and prayed for victims of a mining accident in northern China that reportedly killed 82 people. He also prayed for Christian communities in the Holy Land, Lebanon and across the Middle East suffering due to the ongoing conflict.

WASHINGTON - Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of the Most Reverend Alejandro D. Aclan, 75, from the Office of Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles.

The resignation was publicized in Washington, D.C. on May 22, 2026, by Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, apostolic nuncio to the United States. 

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is in the State of California.

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV knows an ethical approach to artificial intelligence and digital technologies is not enough, and he will stress the need for embracing the Christian vision of humanity and creation in his upcoming encyclical, the head of a papal academy said.

A set of ethical guidelines by itself is just "a cold code of regulations" that are difficult to enforce, Bishop Antonio Staglianò, president of the Pontifical Academy of Theology, told reporters May 18, the day the Vatican announced Pope Leo's first encyclical would be titled "Magnifica Humanitas," ("Magnificent Humanity"), and would focus on the protection of the human person in the age of AI.

"It’s clear that if we were to organize a code of ethics," he said, then profit-driven tech giants "would manipulate it, bypass it and exploit it as they please." After all, "how many charters of fundamental human rights have been written? They’re beautiful. But then, who has abided by them?"

"We must change the human heart," which requires a "true great political and social revolution" of recognizing the earth as a gift and all human beings as children of God who deserve love, solidarity and protection, he said at a press conference held at the Vatican News' headquarters May 18. 

Bishop Staglianò and others spoke during the presentation of a new initiative the academy created of an "observatory" or "hub" dedicated to bringing multiple stakeholders together to monitor and propose concrete proposals for building a sustainable "digital" ecology that respects all of creation, including the mental and relational well-being of young people.

Pope Leo had told members of the papal academy Sept. 13, 2025, that the social doctrine of the Church must be at the service of all of humanity "in all its dimensions -- personal, social and political" -- as well as "provide wise answers to digital challenges."

"Theology must be directly involved because an exclusively ethical approach to the complex world of artificial intelligence is not enough," the pope had said. "Instead, we need to refer to an anthropological vision that underpins ethical action and, therefore, return to the age-old question: What is a human being? What is his or her inherent dignity, which is irreconcilable with a digital android?"

The Pontifical Academy of Theology then created an "observatory on the contribution of digital technologies to the environment," which quietly launched three months ago, well before the Vatican announced the creation of an inter-dicasterial commission on artificial intelligence.

That commission, which will be made up of representatives of four dicasteries and three papal academies -- for life, of sciences and of social sciences -- will engage in "activities and projects concerning artificial intelligence, including policies on its use within the Holy See, promoting dialogue, communion and participation," according to the Vatican announcement May 16. 

The Pontifical Academy of Theology operates independently under the "umbrella" of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, which is part of the new commission. Even though the academy did not receive a "direct invitation" or placement within the new commission, its work "will certainly be valuable" for this "synodal journey" of facing the new challenges of AI, Bishop Staglianò told Catholic News Service. 

"Today’s digital world is closely intertwined with the issue of conflict: there can be no true peace without technology that respects human beings, relationships and creation," he said in a written press release.

The observatory will offer "a space for dialogue and theological reflection capable of raising awareness in the world of business and the economy regarding a use of technology that is truly sustainable, ethically oriented and attentive to the dignity of the human person," he said in the statement. "Only in this way can innovation become an ally in the care of creation and a promoter of a truly peaceful, just and supportive coexistence."

Maria Vittoria Trussoni, head of sustainability and "green tech" at the Japanese-owned NTT Data in Italy, said sustainability and safeguarding must start at the design stage of technology and not be an afterthought, tacked on only after problems have emerged.

Carlo Simeone, secretary of the academy's council of higher studies, said the observatory wants to "build a bridge to those companies that demonstrate a certain sensitivity and are already developing products and solutions" that truly serve all people and care for creation.

The academy plans to hold an international forum in October, he said, "bringing together the key players in this sector to present the contributions that can alleviate and resolve the many problems we face today across the globe."

Maria Siclari, director general of Italy's public Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, emphasized the importance of the observatory including scientific study, as well as making that data comprehensible and publicly available.

Having an arsenal of accurate facts helps drive public engagement and gives people the "courage" needed to be vocal and active in the public sphere, both in regard to governance and accountability, she said. 

The observatory will seek to amplify the voices of those who have long been knowledgeable practitioners of sustainability, such as local farmers and Indigenous peoples, said Daniela Alba, secretary for social justice and ecology for the Society of Jesus in Rome.

"It's not that we don't have a voice; it's because we were silenced," she said. "We are at the table waiting for others to come talk with us."

Bishop Staglianò told CNS people must choose between a "Hobbesian," dystopian world made up of "wolves" or a civilization of love, "where humanity shows itself in the care to others, in the care of creation, in solidarity, in recreation, justice and peace in our human relationships,"

Christian ethics goes beyond a "rational" ethics dictated "from above," and instead is rooted in the heart, he said.

Theology is about feeling truly responsible and giving of oneself out of love to serve others as Christ did, he said.

"We welcome the new encyclical," which will be published May 25, he said. "Pope Leo will surely give us guidelines, not only ethical but theological guidelines for the future of our humanity in a new world ahead, a new world in times to come with a peace that's disarmed and disarming."

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Christ is present in the liturgy -- in the word that is proclaimed, in the sacraments, in the ministers, in the community and most of all in the Eucharist, Pope Leo XIV said.

"Let us allow ourselves to be shaped from within by the rites, symbols, gestures and above all by the living presence of Christ in the liturgy," he said during his general audience talk in St. Peter's Square May 20.

Before the pope began his catechesis, he welcomed Armenian Apostolic Catholicos Aram I of Cilicia, who sat next to him during the audience. 

The Great House of Cilicia for the Armenian Orthodox Church includes Lebanon, Syria, Cyprus, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, the Gulf region, Iran, Greece and the Americas, so Pope Leo called on everyone to pray for peace in Lebanon and the Middle East, which are "once again torn apart by violence and war."

Pope Leo expressed his joy in receiving Catholicos Aram and his delegation, calling their visit "an important occasion to strengthen the bonds of unity that already exist between us, as we draw closer to full communion between our Churches."

In his main talk, Pope Leo continued his series of catechesis on the Second Vatican Council, but introduced the next conciliar document he wanted to focus on: the council's constitution on the sacred liturgy, "Sacrosanctum Concilium."

"This document teaches that the liturgy immerses us in the mystery of Christ's passion, death, resurrection and glorification," he told English-speakers in his summary.

"Indeed, Christ is present in the word that is proclaimed, in the sacraments, in the ministers, in the community, and most of all in the Eucharist," he said. 

In drafting this constitution, he said the "Council Fathers sought not only to undertake a reform of the rites, but to lead the Church to contemplate and deepen that living bond which constitutes and unites her: the mystery of Christ."

"Indeed, the liturgy touches the very heart of this mystery: it is at once the space, the time and the context in which the Church receives her very life from Christ," he said in his main talk in Italian.

"The Christian mystery: the Paschal event, that is to say, the passion, death, resurrection and glorification of Christ, which is made sacramentally present to us precisely in the liturgy, so that every time we take part in the assembly gathered 'in his name' we are immersed in this mystery," he said.

The liturgy helps sustain the faithful, encouraging and renewing them "in their commitment to faith and in their mission," and it helps form "an open community, welcoming to all," Pope Leo said.

The liturgy that is celebrated must be translated into and lived throughout one's daily life, "in an ethical and spiritual dynamic," he said. It demands "a faithful existence, capable of making concrete what has been experienced in the celebration: it is in this way that our life becomes a "living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God," fulfilling our "spiritual worship."

WASHINGTON – Following the shooting at the San Diego Islamic Center yesterday, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops expressed sorrow at the senseless violence and assured the Muslim community of prayerful solidarity.

Archbishop Coakley’s full statement follows:

“On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, I extend our profound sorrow and prayerful solidarity following the tragic shooting at the San Diego Islamic Center. We stand with Chief Imam Taha Hassane, the entire Muslim community, and all who mourn in the wake of this senseless violence, affirming our shared commitment to the dignity of every human life and the rejection of hatred in all its forms. 

“In moments such as these, we are reminded of the call to be instruments of peace; as Pope Leo XIV has said, ‘Where violence wounds the human family, compassion and unity must be our steadfast reply.’ May God console the grieving, strengthen the injured, and guide us all toward greater understanding, justice, and peace.”

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WASHINGTON - The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will gather for the 2026 Spring Plenary Assembly in Orlando, Florida, June 10-12. The public sessions on June 10 and 11 will be livestreamed on the USCCB website.

The public portion of the assembly will begin with an address by Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, who will deliver his first remarks as president of the Conference. Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, the Papal Nuncio to the United States, is also expected to deliver an address to the body of bishops.

The plenary agenda has not yet been finalized and is therefore subject to change but is expected to include votes on a number of action items:

• Two items pertain to a consultation on causes of beatification and canonization: Monsignor Joseph Francis Buh and John Rick Miller. 
• The Committee on Divine Worship will also present elements of a new edition of the Lectionary for Mass and the 2025 Roman Missal-Liturgy of the Hours Supplement for approval by the body of bishops. 
• A revision to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which was first discussed by bishops in regional meetings in November 2022. The action item addresses elements of the Charter that the bishops have determined are in need of improvement or further development. The proposed revisions align with the Charter’s original intention of safeguarding minors and underscores the bishops’ continued commitment to addressing the prevention of abuse and ensuring the structures continue to be in place to respond to allegations. The Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People has emphasized that the revision attempts to balance its care of and sensitivity to victim-survivors, with an awareness of due-process, the rights of the accused, pertinent aspects of the revised Book VI of the Code of Canon Law, Vos estis lux mundi, and the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s Vademecum.

Also expected to be addressed at the plenary are updates on the following: 

• Synod implementation and evaluation
• The feedback received during the bishops’ fraternal dialogues at the November 2025 plenary about Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship
• Catholic prison ministry
• The USCCB’s engagement with the Intercontinental Guadalupan Novena
• World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul, South Korea
• The 25th anniversary of the implementation of Ex Corde Ecclesiae in the United States. The presentation is expected to provide a reflection on Pope John Paul II’s apostolic constitution to guide Catholic colleges and universities on theological and pastoral principles.

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. bishops will consecrate the United States of America to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Thursday, June 11. To prepare for this occasion, the bishops will have time to hear reflections on the Sacred Heart from several of their brother bishops before the special Mass of consecration, which will be livestreamed on the USCCB’s YouTube channel. The bishops’ livestream event is intended to be a catalyst to encourage parishes and individuals to participate in the America 250 commemoration by contributing to 250 Hours of Adoration and/or 250 Works of Mercy.

The livestream of the public portions of the plenary on June 10 and 11, and the bishops’ Mass consecrating the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus will be available at www.usccb.org/meetings. Those wishing to follow the meeting on social media may use the hashtag #USCCB26 and follow on Instagram (@USCCB), Facebook (@USCCB), TikTok (@USBishops), Threads (@USCCB), Bluesky (@usccbofficial.bsky.social) and X (@USCCB).

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ROME (CNS) -- Catholic exorcists and occultism experts warned that artificial intelligence is increasingly being used for rituals, divination and even forms of worship, raising concerns that some people are replacing God with technology.

At a five-day conference in mid-May on the ministry of exorcism and deliverance prayer hosted by the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome, some speakers said the rapid rise of AI chatbots and online occult communities has created new pathways for spiritual confusion, isolation and what some described as demonic influence.

Auxiliary Bishop Cesare Di Pietro of Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia del Mela in Italy said social media and artificial intelligence can foster the illusion that freedom comes from distancing oneself from God.

"When AI or the internet help us access evil, we are not protected, we are exposed," he told Catholic News Service May 11, adding that modern culture often lacks the discernment needed to recognize spiritual dangers.

The conference came just months after the Rome-based International Association of Exorcists reported to Pope Leo XIV a rise in cases linked to occult practices and Satanism, urging dioceses worldwide to appoint trained exorcists to meet growing demand.

Bishop Di Pietro said he has personally seen an increase in requests for exorcisms, which he linked to declining religious practice among young people.

"When prayer is reduced, when fewer people go to church, the sacraments and prayer no longer serve as an umbrella protecting us from evil," he said.

One of the conference’s keynote speakers, Beatrice Ugolini, an adjunct lecturer in "Occultist-Esoteric Languages" at the University of Bologna, warned that some online communities are using artificial intelligence as a tool for magic and spiritual experimentation.

Ugolini described these users as "technomancers" who ask AI chatbots to generate rituals, demonic seals and occult texts, treating the systems as "ritual altars."

"I can even ask them to create a ritual for me through chats," she said in a May 14 interview with CNS.

Drawing on years of research into online occult communities, Ugolini said some users believe AI systems inhabit a hidden spiritual dimension populated by entities or demons.

She said chatbot errors or nonsensical responses are sometimes interpreted by occultists as supernatural communication rather than technical glitches.

"For a computer scientist, it’s an error," she said. "To an occultist, it becomes the moment the demon speaks."

Ugolini also warned that some movements have begun treating artificial intelligence itself as an object of reverence. Some media outlets have reported on internet communities devoted to worshipping AI after frequent, sometimes constant, communication with chatbots. There are online communities, forums and blogs dedicated to this belief. 

These believers give reverence to -- "as if it were a divinity" -- a kind of "superintelligence that will finally relieve all human toil," she said.

While she stressed that AI itself is not inherently evil, Ugolini warned against investing the technology with spiritual or metaphysical meaning.

"Technology must remain a tool at the service of the human person, without transforming into a substitute for the sacred," she said in a follow-up email.

Concerns about artificial intelligence replacing authentic human and spiritual relationships have also surfaced repeatedly in several papal addresses.

Pope Leo XIV warned in his message for the 2026 World Day of Social Communications that artificial intelligence systems "not only interfere with information ecosystems, but also encroach upon the deepest level of communication, that of human relationships."

"Although AI can provide support and assistance in managing tasks related to communication, in the long run, choosing to evade the effort of thinking for ourselves and settling for artificial statistical compilations threatens to diminish our cognitive, emotional and communication skills," he wrote.

While the pope has warned that artificial intelligence systems can weaken human relationships and critical thinking, his predecessor often spoke more directly about the influence of evil in everyday life.

Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis repeatedly insisted that the devil is not merely symbolic, but active in politics, relationships and personal struggles, exploiting human pride, greed and isolation. He frequently warned against becoming spiritually numb in a culture increasingly shaped by distraction, individualism and dependence on technology.

Bishop Di Pietro said Pope Francis helped legitimize the work of exorcists within the church at a time when some Catholics either dismissed the reality of evil altogether or sensationalized it.

"There are those who deny or minimize it, and others who inflame it with inappropriate preaching," he said.

Pope Francis similarly cautioned against replacing authentic human and spiritual relationships with digital dependence. Speaking to students in Bahrain in 2022, he urged young people not to seek answers first from the internet.

"Before you go to the Internet for advice, always seek out good counselors in life," he said, pointing to parents, grandparents, teachers and spiritual guides.

That concern echoed throughout the conference, where many speakers warned that AI chatbots are increasingly becoming substitutes for prayer, reflection and human connection.

Sean Tobin, a therapist who conducts psychological evaluations before exorcisms in Los Angeles, said the constant affirmation and personalization offered by AI systems can leave users spiritually vulnerable, because they lack true community in this digital era. 

"But I think the biggest danger is not being able to think critically," Tobin told CNS May 11.

He compared society’s growing dependence on AI to the widespread reliance on satellite navigation, which diminished many people’s ability to navigate independently. Over time, he warned, excessive dependence on AI could weaken people's ability to reason, discern and make decisions for themselves.

"Then we’re going to atrophy," he said.

Tobin said social media and digital isolation have already eroded in-person communities, deepening loneliness and division.

"We're under the influence of the devil's own mental illness, his own cognitive dissonance," he said.

Still, despite the concerns raised throughout the conference, Tobin said he remains hopeful, mentioning reports of a recent increase in people joining the Catholic Church.

"I think people are really searching for the sacred again, and for peace," he said.