The Pontifical Missionary Union (PMU) of the Catholic Church is convening an online international conference on October 31, 2025, dedicated to exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) can be harnessed positively in the Church’s missionary work. The gathering marks the second annual online international conference organised by the PMU, coinciding with the 110th anniversary of its founding and the 100th anniversary of the establishment of World Mission Sunday.
The focus of the conference is the theme “Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities for Missionary Animation, Collaboration, and Formation.”Presentations will include how AI can support missionary formation and animation programmes, and practical applications in pastoral and educational contexts. The conference is aimed at national and diocesan directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies, secretaries of the PMU, and other personnel involved in missionary formation globally.
This event is also the first in a series of three conferences through 2026 that will focus explicitly on how AI can be used ethically and effectively for missionary formation, self-formation of those engaged in missions, and animation of the Christian mission in a digital age. From a broader perspective, it represents a significant intersection of faith, technology and global mission work—acknowledging that AI is not only a technological concern but also one with deep implications for culture, education and evangelisation.
For India and other large-mission countries, this initiative signals a shift towards integrating advanced digital tools into mission structures—while emphasising ethical reflection, local adaptation and human-centred approaches. It suggests that missionary organisations should prepare for both the opportunities and challenges of AI—such as relevance, accessibility, cultural sensitivity and ethical use—rather than simply reactive adoption.
