The Chariot Returns

In the Book of Acts, chapter 8, the Holy Spirit sends Philip to a road in the wilderness. There, he finds a man of influence and intelligence—an Ethiopian official—reading the prophet Isaiah aloud but not understanding it. Philip draws near, climbs into the man’s chariot, and opens the Scriptures to him. By the end of that encounter, the man asks to be baptized.

This is not just a beautiful story from the early Church. It is a roadmap for modern evangelization.

Today, countless people are on the digital road—scrolling, watching, searching. Their questions are often spiritual. Their tools are modern: podcasts, search engines, and increasingly, AI-powered platforms. These digital roads are the highways of our time, and artificial intelligence is one of the fastest-moving chariots on them.

The question is not whether AI will shape hearts. It already does.
The question is whether believers will step into the chariot and offer the Gospel along the way.

What the Church Teaches: Light, Media, and Mission

“You are the light of the world.” - Matthew 5:14

“All the children of the Church should make use of the media for the apostolate.” - Inter Mirifica §13

“The duty of avoiding evil increases the obligation of working with all to build a more human world.” - Gaudium et Spes §57

These texts, taken together, form a bold call. Christ gives the identity (“light of the world”), the Church provides the instruction (use media for the apostolate), and the Council provides the urgency (build a more human world with everyone willing to work toward it).

AI is not separate from this call. It is central to it.

How AI Can Serve the Gospel

Artificial intelligence is often viewed with suspicion—and rightly so. Used carelessly, it can reinforce bias, depersonalize relationships, or distort truth. But used prayerfully, wisely, and missionally, it can serve as a new kind of missionary. Not a replacement for human presence, but a multiplier of it.

Here are five areas where AI can empower Catholic evangelization and deepen the Church’s mission:

1. Conversational Catechesis

Language models can offer accurate, compassionate responses to theological questions at any time, in any language.
A young adult who’s too shy to ask their priest can still ask: “Why do Catholics fast?” or “What’s the purpose of confession?”

2. Personalized Prayer Companions

AI can recommend Scripture passages based on a user’s current struggles or intentions. It can remind the faithful to pray the Angelus, log intentions into a prayer chain, or suggest saints to invoke for a specific cause. While not a substitute for spiritual direction, it can be a bridge to it.

3. Creative Tools for the Poor in Spirit (and Budget)

Parishes without design staff or budget can use text-to-image tools to create artwork for feast days, flyers, or liturgical reflections. AI can also compose music for parish videos, generate voiceovers, or help young evangelists produce content with minimal equipment.

4. Smart Translation

Automatic translation can break down barriers between dioceses and cultures. Homilies from the Philippines can reach a parish in Brazil. A priest’s podcast in French can become a catechetical tool for teens in Côte d’Ivoire.

5. Data for Works of Mercy

AI can analyze community data to identify underserved areas—food deserts, elderly shut-ins, underfunded schools and help Catholic organizations direct resources more effectively.

Discernment: Guarding the Heart of the Mission

The Church must not adopt AI blindly, but neither can it afford to ignore it. The right path is prayerful discernment. Here are three foundational guardrails:

1. Form the intention before the prompt

What is this tool meant to serve? Is it feeding my ego or building communion? Does it serve Christ or just attention metrics?

2. Protect human dignity

Never build or deploy tools that extract, manipulate, or dehumanize. Avoid datasets that were gathered without consent or that promote harmful ideologies. In every case, the dignity of the human person must come first.

3. Keep a human in the loop

AI can assist, but not replace, discernment. It is a tool, not a moral compass. Final decisions—especially in teaching, pastoring, and forming—must remain with people shaped by Scripture, Tradition, and the Holy Spirit.

A Realistic Path Forward

You don’t need to launch an AI ministry overnight. Start simple. Think small. Measure impact by fruit, not likes.

Here’s a suggested starting list:

• ☑️ Try a Catholic chatbot that explains basic teachings
• ☑️ Enable auto-caption and translation for livestreams
• ☑️ Create prayer prompts with AI and test them in small groups
• ☑️ Use image-generation tools for a digital rosary or Gospel art series
• ☑️ Host an evening of reflection on "Faith and AI" in your parish

These are small steps. But they are how missions begin.

A Closing Reflection: The Chariot Is Moving

“Do you understand what you are reading?” - Philip
“How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” - The Ethiopian Official

People today are still asking spiritual questions. They are still searching the Scriptures, just through different devices.

AI is not the answer. Christ is.
But AI can help carry the questioners closer to the answer.
It can bring the Gospel within earshot.

The Church has always embraced new languages—Greek, Latin, the printing press, radio.
It is time to embrace code as well.

So let us pray, learn, and step into the chariot.
And let every line of code, every response, and every design decision whisper one name:

Jesus.