Fr. Brendan McGuire is a Catholic priest, author, and national speaker known for uniting faith, leadership, and innovation. A native of Ireland, he holds degrees in Engineering and Computer Science from Trinity College Dublin, Theology from St. Patrick’s Seminary and University, and completed the Executive Program at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.

Ordained in 2000 for the Diocese of San José, Fr. Brendan currently serves as Pastor of St. Simon Parish in Los Altos. He previously spent sixteen years as Pastor of Holy Spirit Parish and more than twelve years as Vicar General and Special Advisor to two bishops, leading diocesan efforts in strategic planning, education reform, and stewardship.

He is the founder of the Drexel School System, which transformed Catholic elementary education in the diocese by helping schools thrive collaboratively rather than struggle independently. The model’s success reshaped the entire diocesan school network and became a national benchmark for Catholic education. He is also the founding Board Chair of St. Joseph Financial Services (SJFS), serving Catholic and nonprofit organizations nationwide.

In addition to his parish and diocesan leadership, Fr. Brendan helped establish the Institute for Technology, Ethics, and Culture (ITEC)—a partnership between Santa Clara University and the Vatican Dicastery for Culture and Education. ITEC convenes thought leaders from business, academia, and faith communities to discern the moral challenges of artificial intelligence and disruptive technologies. Its publication, Ethics in the Age of Disruptive Technologies: An Operational Roadmap (The ITEC Handbook), offers practical frameworks for applying ethical standards that honor human dignity and the common good.

Fr. Brendan believes the Church has a vital role in bringing people of good will together to develop principles ensuring technology serves humanity rather than controls it.

A sought-after speaker, he leads parish missions and clergy retreats nationwide on topics such as Stewardship: From Gratitude to Joy, Atomic Habits of Prayer, Forgiveness, Parish Leadership, and Death and Dying: How to Live and Die Well. He is the author of Weaving the Divine Thread and the forthcoming From Here to Eternity: How to Live and Die Well.

He lives in Los Altos, California, where he continues to write, preach, and guide communities toward gratitude, belonging, and joy.