The Church Podcast

Episode 062 – AI, Faith, and the Future of Hispanic Ministry with Dr. Patty Jiménez

Written by Christopher Wesley | May 26, 2026 12:01:28 PM

In this episode of The Church Podcast, Christopher sits down with Dr. Patty Jiménez, Visiting Professor at the University of San Diego and Founder of Recetas, a spirituality and wellness community for U.S.-born and raised Latinas, through the NFCYM Podcast Network.

Patty shares her 27-year journey in pastoral ministry — from parish volunteer to doctoral theologian specializing in Hispanic/Latino theology — and how her curiosity about technology eventually led her from web development to building AI-powered platforms for Catholic organizations across the country.

Together, Christopher and Patty explore what the Church has always gotten right about engaging new technology, where AI presents genuine opportunities for under-resourced Hispanic ministry, and why the biggest risks have less to do with robots and more to do with what happens to human relationships, critical thinking, and local charisms when we stop being intentional.

In This Episode

  • How the Church has always responded to new technology — from the printing press to social media — and what that history teaches us about approaching AI without naivety
  • What first pulled Patty into AI through her Latina spirituality community and the moment her "wheels started spinning" about ministry applications
  • The real environmental cost of AI — water usage, data centers, energy rates — and how a Franciscan lens shapes the way Patty thinks about how much she uses it
  • Why Patty is more concerned about AI's impact on brain development and decision-making than almost anything else — and what that means for spiritual direction and discernment
  • The specific opportunities AI creates for volunteer-led Hispanic ministry: administrative support, bilingual content, side-by-side learning management systems, and building custom platforms without paying for five different tools
  • Why prompting is everything — how to approach it with intentionality, why a one-sentence prompt is rarely sufficient, and the free resource Patty offers to help people think it through
  • How AI can either amplify or erase a community's local charism depending entirely on how intentional the user is — and what that means for culturally diverse parishes
  • What Patty tells parish and diocesan leaders who want to start using AI thoughtfully: check your guidelines, fact-check everything, and above all, be cautious but have fun

About Dr. Patty Jiménez

Dr. Patty Jiménez is a Visiting Professor at the University of San Diego, where she teaches in the Master of Theological Studies program. She holds a Doctorate in Ministry specializing in Hispanic/Latino Theology and Ministry from Barry University and dual master's degrees from the Franciscan School of Theology. A Franciscan Spiritual Director with over 27 years in pastoral ministry, she is also the Founder of Recetas, an online spirituality and wellness community for U.S.-born and raised Latinas. Her work sits at the intersection of theology, digital ministry, and AI-powered platform development for Catholic organizations.

Resources Mentioned

Connect with Patty

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