Participants at the 17th annual Catholic Communication Collaboration (C3) Conference gathered on the campus of Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary High School in Montebello on August 3-4 to discuss artificial intelligence, following the release of Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas” (“Magnificent Humanity”) on safeguarding the human person.
Keynote Address and the Reception of “Magnifica Humanitas”
Conversations throughout the gathering—which brought together over 1,000 students, educators, clergy, catechists, and parish administrators representing the Archdiocese of Los Angeles—were heavily influenced by this significant papal text. Eric Cross, an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego and a seventh-grade educator at Albert Einstein Academies in San Diego, informed the audience during his keynote speech that the document advises embracing contemporary innovations rather than shunning them.
“The Vatican has just told 2 billion Catholics not to bury technology,” Cross said, referencing the parable of the talents in the Gospel of Matthew. Cross explained that Leo’s encyclical follows earlier historical responses to communications milestones, comparing it to the church’s approach following the 1454 invention of movable type with the Gutenberg Press and the 1891 emergence of the Industrial Revolution.
Did You Know? The C3 Conference’s theme of “Rooted” drew on the idea that uneasiness around technology reflects a deep human emotion, with keynote speaker Eric Cross noting that anxiety about vocation shows how much individuals care about their work.
Workshops and Vatican Teachings on Artificial Intelligence
Workshops throughout the event incorporated additional Vatican teachings, including passages from “Antiqua et Nova” (“Ancient and New”), a note issued by the Vatican in January 2025 regarding artificial intelligence and human intelligence. During a presentation titled “A Practitioners’ Framework,” presenter Wayne Bridges highlighted notes from the document projected on overhead screens.
“AI should not be seen as an artificial form of human intelligence but as a product of it,” Bridges read to session participants. Another cited passage stated that “the physical presence of a teacher creates a relational dynamic that AI cannot replicate, one that deepens engagement and nurtures the student’s integral development.” Matthew Reyes, an incoming middle-school teacher at Christ the King Church near Hollywood, described AI during the sessions as a welding torch—a tool that remains only as good as its human operators.
Awards and Recognition for Humanized Technology
The conference also highlighted practical applications of technology through various awards and presentations across 120 sessions. Fabian Rodriguez, a sixth-grade STEM academy student at St. Louis of France Catholic School in La Puente, was honored for designing an app that baseball players can use to build custom-made batting gloves. Rodriguez previously earned a first-place finish in June in the Sports, Games and Toys category at the RTX Invention Convention U.S. Nationals in Michigan.
St. Louis of France Catholic School received recognition alongside Maria Regina School in Gardena and Immaculate Conception School of Los Angeles with the IGNITE Spirit of Excellence Awards. Additionally, Sister Minh Hang Le, faith formation director for the Lovers of Holy Cross of Los Angeles, received the Visionary Leadership Award from archdiocesan technology expert Dave Moore.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is “Magnifica Humanitas”?
It is Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical focused on safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence.
Where and when was the 17th annual C3 Conference held?
The conference took place on August 3-4 at Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary High School in Montebello.
What Vatican document on AI was cited during conference workshops?
Presenters cited “Antiqua et Nova” (“Ancient and New”), a Vatican note issued in January 2025 regarding the relationship between artificial intelligence and human intelligence.
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