Catholic exorcists and religious leaders are increasingly warning that artificial intelligence could be exploited for dark purposes, including the spread of satanic content and the manipulation of vulnerable people online. These concerns will be addressed at a major international training event for exorcists taking place in Rome later this year.
According to The Times, priests and religious leaders from multiple faith traditions will gather in May at the Course on the Ministry of Exorcism and Prayer of Deliverance, an annual training program held at the Ateneo Pontificio Regina Apostolorum, a Vatican-affiliated university in Rome. The event typically attracts around 170 participants, including Catholic priests, rabbis, imams, and evangelical ministers interested in learning about spiritual deliverance and the dangers posed by occult activity.
Father Luis Ramirez Almanza, a Mexican priest who oversees the training program, said that the rise of artificial intelligence presents a new and complex challenge for those involved in spiritual ministry.
“Artificial intelligence is a great power — a force for both good and evil — and can therefore be used for devil worshipping,” Father Ramirez said, according to The Times.
One of the key speakers at the conference will be Father Fortunato Di Noto, a Sicilian priest known for his efforts to combat networks that combine satanic practices with child exploitation. Di Noto warned that technology is already being misused in disturbing ways.
Our Important Lenten Message – Please Watch
“We believe these groups are using AI to generate images of children involved in satanic rites,” he said, adding that “using children appeals to them because it’s a form of power being exercised over the innocent,” according to The Times.
Experts who track occult activity say technology is also being used to help such groups avoid detection online. David Murgia, who leads the research organization Catholic Risk and Insurance Services, said authorities are already seeing this trend.
“Police tell us satanists are using AI to hide their content online and communicate with each other,” Murgia said, according to The Times.
Other speakers at the Rome course will examine how artificial intelligence can be used to produce occult symbols and imagery. Academic Beatrice Ugolini is expected to present research on how occult groups in Italy are reportedly turning to AI to generate ritual symbols. According to The Times, researchers estimate there may be more than 260 occult groups operating in Italy.
The training program will also address the pastoral realities faced by exorcists. During a press conference announcing the event, a woman spoke publicly about her experience of alleged demonic possession. Exorcists say such cases sometimes include unusual phenomena such as sudden strength, hostility toward sacred objects, or the unexpected ability to speak languages the individual has never learned.
At the same time, the Church’s concerns about artificial intelligence extend far beyond occult misuse. Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly warned that the rapid development of AI could threaten human dignity and the stability of society.
The pope has cautioned that powerful technologies could be used without regard for the human person. He has warned of “the extremely rich people who are investing in artificial intelligence, totally ignoring the value of human beings and of humanity,” according to The Times.
He has also warned that unchecked AI development could reshape culture and even historical understanding. The pope cautioned that the technology could lead to AI “rewriting human history — including the history of the Church — often without us really realising it,” according to The Times.
Church leaders say the challenge now is to respond wisely. Bishop Paul Tighe, a senior official at the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education, recently warned that the technology could open the door to dangerous new threats if not carefully regulated.
While urging caution against alarmism, he noted that artificial intelligence could enable “biological weapons, propaganda, disinformation and systems which are beyond human control,” according to The Times.
For exorcists and pastoral leaders preparing to gather in Rome, the message is clear: modern spiritual threats may increasingly appear through modern technology. The Church, they say, must be ready to confront both the spiritual and technological dimensions of those dangers.
Your support brings the truth to the world.
Catholic Online News exists because of donors like you. We are 100% funded by people who believe the world deserves real, uncensored news rooted in faith and truth — not corporate agendas. Your gift ensures millions can continue to access the news they can trust — stories that defend life, faith, family, and freedom.
When truth is silenced, your support speaks louder.
