In this week’s edition:

• 🤖 “Fr. Justin” ordained and quickly defrocked

• 💰️ Catholic Charities deemed not religious enough

• 🗽 UN invites Pope Francis to the US

• ➕ and more!

Catholic Answers unveils, quickly shuts down Fr. Justin 

Summary: Catholic Answer’s debuted an AI priest named Fr. Justin. Not even two days later, the apostolate pulled the plug after negative reviews, performance issues, and Fr. Justin straying out of bounds.

Details:

• Catholic Answers created the model to answer questions about the faith in the form of a respected Church authority figure.

• Some were excited about the development, while many on social media rained down criticism on the character.

• While Fr. Justin was able to answer questions and cite scripture as evidence, technical issues and heretical answers made using the model less than ideal.

• Fr. Justin was reported to say baptism with Gatorade was fine and was caught offering the Sacrament of Confession and absolution to users.

• Catholic Answers announced its decision to “defrock” Father Justin, replace him with a lay character, and continue to work on the way it works with AI.

Why we care: AI is all the rage these days, and it seems everyone is looking for a way to incorporate it into their workflow. Even the Pontifical Oriental Institute is looking into ways the Church can evangelize through AI. The Father Justin debacle demonstrates two main points: The first is that priests are highly respected by the faithful, and the Church ought to be careful to to treat them flippantly; secondly, that AI is not a solved problem. Technological and model performance issues can negatively impact user experience, and when it comes to matters of faith and our eternal souls, that’s not something to be taken lightly. We’re supportive of AI in the Church, but we’d like to see it implemented more carefully.

Wisconsin Supreme Court rules against Catholic Charities

Summary: The Wisconsin Supreme court ruled that the work Catholic Charites (CCB) does is not religious and therefore must pay state unemployment taxes.

Details:

• The law in Wisconsin exempts qualified religious organizations from having to pay the tax.

• CCB has had to pay the tax since 1972 based on a form that described their operations as “charitable”, “educational”, and “rehabilitative” rather than “religious”.

• A county circuit determined in 2015 that a CCB affiliate did qualify for the exemption, prompting a petition that has led to a chain of litigation.

• Prominent law firm Becket plans to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Why we care: If the U.S. Supreme Court takes on the case, their decision could have significant consequences not only for Catholic Charities across the nation but for other non-profit ministries as well. Many of these organizations rely on their tax-exempt status to keep the doors open, and a revoking of that status could mean having to shut their doors. Faith aside, we think it’s in the State’s best interest to have organizations that serve the less fortunate in society. While the Wisconsin Supreme Court doesn’t seem to think acting out the Corporal Works of Mercy qualifies as propagating the Catholic Faith, we’d beg to differ.

Pope Francis Invited to Speak Before the UN

Summary: While the Vatican has not confirmed a visit, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres invited Pope Francis to speak before the UN and the Holy Father is reportedly open to it.

Details:

• The trip would take place during the UN’s “Summit of the Future” from September 22-23.

• The “summit’s objective is to strengthen the structures of the United Nations and global “governance” to face more fully the “new and old challenges” of the coming years”

• This would be Pope Francis’ first visit to the U.S. since 2015.

Why we care: The Holy Father speaking on such a large international stage is always a matter of interest, even if we’re not sure how the Church fits into the picture here. That said, we’re hopeful His Holiness will take the opportunity to promote the faith across the globe in a positive and clear way. Pope Francis’ health is also of concern, and he’s reported to have a busy travel schedule prior to the summit, so please keep him in your prayers.

Other stories

• Ft. Worth Carmelites reject Vatican oversight

• Mausoleum for babies who passed away opens in Florida

• EWTN’s exclusive interview with RFK

• Baptisms up 24% in South Korea

• Russell Brand announces he’s getting baptized

Saint of the Day

April 29th - St. Peter of Verona

• Also known as St. Peter, Martyr

• 13th century Dominican

• Celebrated preacher in northern and central Italy

• Preached against heresy, especially Catharism

• Assassinated by Carino of Balsamo on behalf of the Milanese Cathars

• Died on April 6, 1252 and was canonized on March 9, 1253 - the fastest canonization in papal history

• His assassin later repented, converted, and became a lay Dominican

What’s going on:

• The USCCB is hosting a conversation on The Synod and The Eucharistic Revival. You can register here.

• This month is Child Abuse Prevention month

• April 21st was the World Day of Prayer for Vocations - don’t forget to keep our religious and those discerning their vocation in your prayers!

• Notable Feast Days: