John Grosso, Associate Director of Communications, joins the On Mission hosts to talk about communications and Pope Leo's views on AI in our parishes.
Hosts Chris Pierno, Father Frank Donio, S.A.C., and Sarah Scalfaro are joined by John Grosso, Associate Director of Communications for the Catholic Apostolate Center, for a wide-ranging conversation on how artificial intelligence is reshaping parish life. They explore the Church's evolving relationship with AI — from the novelty phase of AI-generated bulletins and flyers to deeper questions of ethics, human dignity, and authentic encounter. The discussion covers Pope Leo's encyclical Magnificat Humanitas and its framework for evaluating AI through the lens of our shared humanity, the pitfalls of outsourcing outward-facing communications to algorithms, and practical, behind-the-scenes uses where AI can genuinely help overworked parish staff — from database management to brainstorming and accessibility tools. The episode also previews an upcoming webinar, Where Does AI Belong in Parish Life? A Framework for Discernment and Decision-Making.
To register for the 10/7 webinar: https://app.livestorm.co/p/c86cd4fc-280a-47bd-aab3-47f56ceb4b52