Christian World | Austria's Catholic bishops adopted their first AI framework in Salzburg, allowing AI only a supporting role in liturgy, preaching and pastoral care

ACW | November 13, 2026 — Austria's Catholic bishops on Thursday adopted their first framework for the use of artificial intelligence in the Church, saying AI may only support, never replace, worship, preaching and pastoral care.

The rules were approved at the close of the bishops' conference autumn plenary in Salzburg on Nov. 12, according to katholisch.at, the official website of the Catholic Church in Austria.

The use of AI in celebrating the sacraments, preaching, liturgy or pastoral care "may only be supportive," the framework says. "Replacing human relationships, pastoral conversations, community or rituals with AI is inadmissible," the bishops said.

Each diocese must appoint a person responsible for AI. A new nationwide working group will bring together those officers, experts in data protection, IT and theological ethics, and the Austrian Conference of Religious Orders.

The rules take effect once they are published in the next official gazette of the bishops' conference.

At the same meeting, the bishops set nationwide parish council elections for March 7, 2027, and named Simon Weyringer as the conference's new secretary general from Dec. 1.

Background: The conference set up an AI working group led by Bishop Hermann Glettler of Innsbruck in November 2025, EWTN News reported. Pope Leo XIV has also addressed AI in his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, according to EWTN News.

Why it matters: It is the first time Austria's bishops have adopted formal rules on AI for the Church and its institutions. The bishops said AI "should serve the human person and strengthen him in his responsibility, not replace him," EWTN News reported.

ACW will continue to follow this story.

Sources: Catholic Church in Austria (katholisch.at) — bishops' autumn plenary statements; EWTN News

Photo: Lukas Cioni/Kathpress