Society is experiencing rapid and far-reaching developments in artificial intelligence (AI). These technologies offer significant opportunities, raise profound ethical questions, and remind us of the need to prioritise human dignity and the common good.
Kildare Ministries strongly affirms that every person is created in the image and likeness of God (Imago Dei). This conviction is the foundation of Catholic Social Teaching and of the mission entrusted to Kildare Ministries. Human worth is not determined by usefulness, productivity, performance or achievement; it is intrinsic to every person simply because they are human.
Throughout his ministry, Jesus affirmed the dignity of every person, especially those who were vulnerable, excluded or overlooked. His life and ministry reveal that authentic human flourishing is found in relationships marked by justice, compassion, hope and love. Through the Brigidine and Presentation traditions, this vision is at the centre of how we lead, educate, serve and build community.
AI is fundamentally different from human intelligence. AI can analyse information, recognise patterns and generate responses, yet it cannot know what it means to love, to suffer, to hope, to forgive or to act with moral responsibility. As Pope Leo XIV reminds us, AI systems “do not undergo experiences, do not possess a body, do not feel joy or pain … do not know from within what love, work, friendship or responsibility mean” (Magnifica Humanitas, §99). Making this real, known and understood in our Kildare Ministries communities is imperative.
Decision-making must therefore remain a function of our humanity, calling on us to exercise our human gifts of wisdom, compassion, hope and wonder. These are not technical functions but expressions of our humanity, and they remain central to the life and mission of Kildare Ministries. AI can inform and support decision-making, but it must never replace human judgement, ethical discernment or responsibility for the consequences of those decisions. Each of us must remain responsible and accountable for decisions that affect other people.
The challenge raised by AI is therefore not simply what this technology can do, but what its increasing use asks of us as human beings. Its use should always protect, prioritise, promote and enhance the dignity of the human person and contribute to the common good. We are called to transform the world together through relationship and dialogue.
Accordingly, the Trustees encourage every ministry of Kildare Ministries to:
- foster ongoing formation that develops AI literacy alongside ethical discernment, grounded in Catholic Social Teaching and our Kildare Ministries values;
- engage with Magnifica Humanitas and other Church teachings on AI;
- review policies, practices and governance arrangements to ensure the responsible, transparent and ethical use of AI;
- remain attentive to the impact of AI on those who are most vulnerable, recognising that technology can both reduce and deepen existing inequalities; and
- continue discerning how emerging technologies can support, rather than diminish, the mission entrusted to Kildare Ministries.
We commit ourselves, and encourage every ministry of Kildare Ministries, to approach AI with wisdom, courage and hope, ensuring that every use of these technologies honours the dignity of every person and strengthens the common good.
The choices we make in our use of AI are the truest indicators of our priorities and values.
“Technology must never eclipse what is human.”
Pope Leo XIV