By Fr. Kasmir Nema, SVD, and Sr. Helen Ann Palacay, FMIJ – Manila
A new book, Artificial Intelligence and the Catholic Church: Challenges, Discernment and Hope in a Digital Age, explores the ethical, theological and pastoral questions raised by the rapid expansion of AI in society and in the life and mission of the Church.
Published by Claretian Communications, the volume is written by Leo-Martin Angelo R. Ocampo, OP, and Ivan Efreaim A. Gozum, OP, both faculty members of the Institute of Religion and research associates of the Center for Theology, Religious Studies and Ethics at the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas in Manila.
Drawing on theology, ethics and the social sciences, the authors approach AI not merely as a technological innovation but as a development that is transforming human relationships, work, education, communication, governance and social life.
Beyond fear and fascination
The book comes as the Catholic Church continues to deepen its reflection on the opportunities and challenges posed by artificial intelligence.
In his Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo XIV places AI and other emerging technologies among the defining “new things” of the present age. He calls for wisdom and shared discernment so that technological development remains oriented towards human dignity and the common good.
The Pope warns against both uncritical enthusiasm for technology and an unfounded fear of it. Instead, he calls for an approach rooted in human dignity, the preferential option for the poor, care for creation and the pursuit of peace.
At the heart of this discernment is a fundamental question: How can humanity remain fully human in an increasingly technological world?
Ocampo and Gozum take up this question throughout their book. Rather than asking simply whether AI should be accepted or rejected, they examine how it can be designed, governed and used in ways that serve people and communities.
Their discussion considers questions of freedom and responsibility, human relationships, education and employment, communication, governance and the common good. They also examine the implications of AI for religious education, pastoral ministry, evangelization and theological reflection.
For the authors, therefore, AI is not simply a technical issue. Its development raises fundamental questions about what it means to be human and about the kind of society humanity wishes to build.
‘Wisdom, moral clarity and evangelical hope’
In the book’s foreword, Cardinal José F. Advincula, Archbishop of Manila, describes artificial intelligence as “one of the most important transformations of our age.”
AI, he observes, is rapidly changing how people work, communicate, govern, learn and understand themselves. For the Church, this transformation calls not for withdrawal but for engagement.
The Church, the cardinal writes, is called to meet the challenges of artificial intelligence “with wisdom, moral clarity, and evangelical hope.”
He commends the authors for showing how the Church can accompany humanity faithfully as AI becomes increasingly woven into everyday life.
The volume has also received positive assessments from theologians beyond the Philippines.
Fr Daniel Patrick Huang, SJ, coordinator of the Specialization in Missiology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, describes the book as a valuable introduction to artificial intelligence at a time when its impact on human life is becoming increasingly evident.
He highlights the authors’ attention to both the possibilities and risks of AI, as well as what he describes as their approach of “realistic hope,” which he associates with the Dominican intellectual tradition.
Stephan van Erp, OP, Professor of Fundamental Theology at KU Leuven and Professorial Fellow at Australian Catholic University, likewise describes the volume as “a timely and well-informed introduction to artificial intelligence.”
He particularly highlights the book’s exploration of AI’s implications for education and the economy, as well as its engagement with questions of truth, justice, human dignity and hope.
A Filipino voice in a global conversation
For Ocampo and Gozum, the conversation about artificial intelligence ultimately cannot be separated from the Church’s mission to defend human dignity and accompany people amid rapid social change.
Their work also reflects the growing engagement of Catholic theologians in the Philippines with questions emerging from the digital transformation of society.
As AI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life, the challenge is no longer simply to understand what the technology can do. It is also to discern what human beings should do with it — and which values should guide those choices.
The new volume adds a Filipino theological voice to this global conversation, calling for technological progress to remain at the service of the human person, human relationships and the common good. – Vatican News
