Cebu priests explore AI for homilies with caution

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The pulpit meets artificial intelligence.

Catholic priests are exploring an unlikely ally in their ministry: Large Language Models (LLMs). These AI-powered tools, designed to generate text, are now being used for tasks far removed from their original intent, including crafting homilies.

LLMs can now write anything from essays to letters and office reports – but should they craft homilies too?

“Definitely,” said Monsignor Raul Go, judicial vicar of the Metropolitan Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Cebu.

Go explained that while priests can use AI tools to organize their ideas and ensure grammatical accuracy, the responsibility of theological reflection remains with them.

Go uses AI as a “tool for exegesis” or the critical explanation of text.

“It helps me connect the three readings on Sundays. There were times I asked AI to locate in a Church document something that is connected to a specific theme in a homily,” Go said.

For example, Go asked AI to identify the key points of aggiornamento in Sacrosanctum Concilium. He then selected a point suited to his audience, paired it with a relevant experience or situation, and added insights from other sources. Once the points were organized by AI and the flow of ideas satisfied him, he said he used it.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, in an interview with Rappler in 2024, said priests can use AI but cautioned against reading the output word for word. He emphasized the need for deep reflection and discernment. Palma said he has explored AI tools himself.

Father Leinad Castrence Garces, principal of Academia de San Miguel Arcangel in Argao, southern Cebu, said he “does not object” to using AI for researching facts or outlining homilies.

“But I strongly disagree with simply reading out an AI-generated homily since it takes away an important aspect in homiletics, especially in Filipino culture, where homilies are often grounded on personal experiences and aim to expound on the Church’s teaching through moral examples,” Garces told Rappler.

He explained that Gospel values are drawn from situations and experiences to make abstract doctrine more relatable, which is why priests often favor storytelling over the less popular lecture-style homilies.

Monsignor Joseph Tan, media liaison of the Archdiocese of Cebu, shared a similar perspective. “In my ministry, I do occasionally flip through the ChatGPT app on my phone for quick references but only as a jumping board for thought,” he said.

Tan said he still relies on more established online resources for deeper analysis of biblical passages, citing tools like the Lutheran Working Preacher’s app. He noted that AI currently provides “somewhat of a ‘dry’ answer to religious queries.”

Garces said he has never delivered an AI-written homily but experimented with the tool.

“I’ve noticed that AI-generated homilies are very generic and personally unsatisfactory, content-wise. It lacks depth and relatability. Not to mention it poses a very real danger of spiritual tepidness for priests,” Garces said. 

He warned that overreliance on AI could diminish priests’ personal spirituality and their ability to ground homilies in unique, lived experiences.

Go, however, believes AI can be a valuable communication tool for priests who struggle with eloquence. “I believe there are priests who have profound faith experiences but may not just be eloquent. If only they can use AI as a communication tool, then their spirituality can be shared more effectively across languages,” he said.

He also emphasized that inspiration often comes while delivering the homily.

“There are things that come to my mind only when I get there. What I make sure of is that I establish my parameters so as not to destroy the organization of my points,” Go said. – Rappler.com