The Institute of Integral Formation for Lay People (IIFL) of Mexico invites you to a conference on Moral Theology, entitled: The AI in our life, some moral challenges and opportunities for the mission, on Thursday, May 28, given by Fr. Rogério Gomes CSsR, superior general of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.
The Conference is part of the cycle of training conferences for our lay people of the province of Mexico, from our Institute of Integral Formation for Lay People (IIFL), a project of us Redemptorists of Mexico, also with the purpose of making the institute known, so that they can register for the new cycle that we start in November.
The Institute for Integral Formation of Lay People (IIFL), run by the Redemptorist Missionaries in Mexico, is a theological and pastoral formation program designed for lay people. Its main headquarters are located at the Parish of the Most Holy Redeemer, at Río Danubio 13, Col. Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City.
The program is notable for the following aspects:
- Focus: Offers regular cycles of free lectures on Theology, Ecclesiology, Moral Theology and Sacred Scripture.
- Format: They have a hybrid format (in-person and virtual), which allows participants to connect from anywhere using platforms like Zoom.
- Digital Platform: Some of its courses and support materials are managed through its online platform, the official IFIL website https://ifilmx.com/
To learn more about their events, topics, and schedules, you can check the weekly updates on the Facebook page of the Santísimo Redentor Parish CDMX or directly on their Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/p/Instituto-de-Formaci%C3%B3n-Integral-para-Laicos-IFIL-61577908913560/
Fr. Dilan Alberto Calimayor Ruiz, CSsR.
The context of the May 28 Conference is very special, because…
On May 15, 2026, the Holy Father published “Magnifica Humanitas,” his first encyclical on the dignity of the human person in the age of artificial intelligence. The Pontiff calls for freeing AI “from logics that transform it into an instrument of domination, exclusion, or death” and invokes the “disarmament” of technologies so that they may be placed at the service of the “common good.”
Moral theology has much to offer regarding the current situation. Father Rogério Gomes, answering a question about the Church’s role in the ethical and moral guidance of the faithful in the face of this new frontier of mind-machine interaction, in an interview published on the website of the Theological Institute of São Paulo (ITESP), Brazil, in April 2024, says: “The first element is understanding the technology and how to use it. It is impossible for the Church and religious institutions to guide their faithful if they do not understand reality. And here, it is fundamental to overcome prejudices, both in the ecclesiastical and scientific spheres. Otherwise, we will fall back into the disputes of the past and become embroiled in a narcissistic dialogue of the deaf. Today, interdisciplinary dialogue represents an opportunity for mutual enrichment.”
Few passages from the Conference by Father Rogério Gomes CSsR:
“Digital transformation is not just a technological change, but also an anthropological, cultural, and social one. Today, technology is entering our lives and changing everything, including how we relate to everything. Currently, AI is present in many dimensions of human life: in communication, in daily life, in translation, in natural language processing, in digital platforms, social networks, image production, music, robotics, health, education, scientific research, security and surveillance, transportation, social and economic organization, emotional stress, intellectual production, industry, religion, and pastoral ministry. This means that AI is part of how people work, learn, and create.”
“It’s important to avoid comparing AI to humans. They mimic some functions of human intelligence. It’s true that they are faster than humans, and this benefits society in many fields. But some of these AI systems can enter my mind and could manipulate my consciousness in a profound way… But they are not capable of INTIMIDATING!!!! Only a human being is capable of this.”
OPPORTUNITIES for the Mission
“It can be used for inter-institutional relations to discover the real needs of missionary communities. For communicating the Gospel: it allows for the faster and more effective creation of multimedia content to share on social media. In popular missions, it can help missionaries reach people more closely by understanding their needs and resources. As Christians, we are called to understand this reality as a continuation of creation. Humankind is a co-creator, by God’s mandate, in this world through science and technology. Therefore, technology must be at the service of life, human dignity, and the common good.”
Conclusion
“As long as AI remains an ambivalent instrument—for good or for evil—the Gospel and ethics will be fundamental criteria. Technology does not save humanity, nor does it replace essential values such as love, solidarity, compassion, justice, and fraternity. As Christians, we have and must cultivate a critical conscience to guide us on how the instruments created by humankind can truly contribute to the common good, life, and the dignity of the human person.”
(Read also from Scala News: Fr. Rogério Gomes comments on the theological and moral aspects of modern technology ).
