In this third concluding part, Fr Roger Mamani Choque, CM, shows us how integrating IA into the Vincentian mission means discerning its role and usefulness in evangelisation and service to the most needy, without losing sight of the fundamental values of human dignity and justice.
Artificial Intelligence and Vincentian Charism: Reflections in a Technological World – Part I
Artificial Intelligence and Vincentian Charism: Reflections in a Technological World – Part II
Being open to God’s calls in events
Mission, by its very nature, implies movement, going out to meet others, and setting out towards new horizons. St Vincent de Paul illustrated this dynamism through his works and institutions, which moved and adapted to make the Kingdom of God present in specific contexts, responding with agility to new evangelising needs. His commitment to the poor was not passive, but active and even sacrificial: “loving them at the cost of our arms, by the sweat of our brow” (SVP, XI, 733), and even more, “it is our fault that they suffer, if we do not sacrifice our whole life to instruct them” (SVP, XI, 121).
For those of us who follow Jesus Christ, Vincentian style; events are channels through which the Lord reveals his will. Pope St. John Paul II used the expression “new cultural areopagi and frontiers of history” to describe the new realities of contemporary civilisation where the Gospel must be sown: the family, culture, the world of work, the economy, politics, science, technology, social communications, and the great problems of life such as solidarity, peace, professional ethics, human rights, education and religious freedom (John Paul II, 1987). The Church’s mission, therefore, resembles a road to be travelled, with attention to cultural diversity and the particularities of peoples, adapting to God’s pace in each person, listening to the calls of the most urgent needs, and encouraging the participation of all.
Mission cannot be limited to a single place, activity, or form of evangelisation or service. Fidelity to mission demands personal availability, renewed fidelity and constant creativity (Sagastagoitia, 2006). St. Vincent de Paul showed how to walk in step with Providence and generate new responses to emerging situations.
In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), this challenge of adaptability and creativity intensifies. AI, with its rapid innovations and applications in various aspects of life, poses new requirements for mission. Integrating AI into our mission involves discerning its role and usefulness in evangelisation and service to those most in need, without losing sight of the fundamental values of human dignity and justice.
AI can be a powerful tool for mission if used wisely and ethically. For example, in pastoral care, AI systems can help analyse community needs, optimise resource allocation, and offer ongoing training through customised e-learning platforms. In care for the poor, AI can improve the management of services such as health, providing early and personalised diagnostics and facilitating access to basic resources.
However, the integration of AI also requires a critical approach. It is essential to assess the ethical implications of its use, ensuring that the technology is applied in a way that respects human dignity, promotes social justice, and avoids creating new forms of exclusion or inequality. I believe that St. Vincent de Paul urges us to form ourselves as missionaries not only in doctrine and charity, but also in the ability to use new tools responsibly and effectively in the pursuit of the common good.
Finally, being open to God’s calls in current events means adopting a flexible and proactive stance in the face of the opportunities and challenges that AI and other technologies present. Following the example of St. Vincent, we are called to discern God’s pace in these scientific and technological advances, to innovate our missionary response, and to commit ourselves to integral formation that enables us to use these tools to better serve the poor and to proclaim the Gospel in the new cultural and technological contexts of our time.
Conclusion
Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept but a pervasive reality transforming today’s society of digital natives and digital immigrants. In this context, the Church has shown remarkable adaptability, responding creatively and responsibly in integrating these technologies into its pastoral mission. AI is not only used to improve operational efficiency, but is also explored as a tool that can assist in spiritual accompaniment and ethical reflection.
The mission of the Church, influenced by the Vincentian charism, has been able to expand and adapt to the technological challenges of recent centuries. St. Vincent de Paul, known for his ability to innovate in response to the needs of his time, inspires Vincentians today to use technology creatively and responsibly. This adaptability is reflected in the integration of AI technologies in various missionary contexts: parishes, chapels, shrines, seminaries, mission sites, universities, schools, and in the virtual environment through the creation of educational and evangelising content.
The Church and the Vincentian charism have a valuable potential in the richness of their contents: from the Holy Scriptures, the Fathers of the Church, and ecclesiology, to the writings of St. Vincent de Paul. Creativity in the use of AI tools offers new opportunities to disseminate and make accessible this content, facilitating a more effective evangelisation that is closer to contemporary reality.
The use of AI in the Vincentian mission should not be limited to the adoption of technologies for their own sake, but requires deep formation and reflection on their influence on the daily life of God’s people. Vincentian missionaries are called to receive an integral formation that encompasses both theological and pastoral knowledge as well as a critical understanding of emerging technologies. This formation will enable us to use AI in a way that respects human dignity, promotes social justice, and strengthens the evangelising mission in an increasingly digitalised world.
In short, AI represents a challenge and an opportunity for the Church and the Vincentian charism. It impels us to renew our missionary commitment with a vision that integrates tradition and modernity. In this way, we can respond to the needs of the present with the same dedication and creativity that characterised St Vincent, making the Kingdom of God present in every corner of the physical and digital world.
P. Roger Mamani Choque, CM
Peruvian Province
Bibliographic reference
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