DEEPAGAM, KILPAUK-CHENNAI, JUNE 15, 2025: A one-day seminar on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Catechizing was conducted at Deepagam, the Don Bosco Catechetical Centre of the SDB-Chennai Province (INM). The seminar, led by Rev. Fr. Selvakumar, Alaigal Media, Trichy, provided valuable insights to over sixty-two Sunday Catechism Teachers from various parishes across the Chennai region (INM), exploring innovative AI-driven methods for religious instruction at Catholic Parishes in Chennai. 

Seminar titled “Catechizing with Artificial Intelligence - செயற்கை நுண்ணறிவு உதவியுடன் மறைகல்வி” was animated by Fr. Arockia Selvakumar and Don Bosco Arts and Science College (DBCK), Kilpauk on June 15, 2025 in the presence of Sunday catechism teachers.

Invoking the Holy Spirit, the Sunday Catechism Teachers community under the quintessence guidance of Fr. Jesudoss P. SDB, began the journey of one-day learning on AI-aided Catechesis. Fr. Selvakumar greeted everyone with his “Welcome Screen of a boy and a girl” an AI generated image. He played அன்புதான் அன்புதான் உலகின் கடவுள் – (Anbudhan) composed by Srikanth Deva a visual song in tribute to Saint Teresa of Calcutta.

He captivated the audience with two animated short films: ‘Piper’ 2016 by Alan Barillaro and ‘The Bridge’ 2003 (based on Jn 3:16) with lots of inertial meanings.

On reliance (of AI) and situation today, Fr. Selva pointed to the wrong practices of online masses and ‘AI Jesus’ hearing confession at a chapel in Switzerland (Source: Catholic News Agency).

He said, “Everyone should use social media” while stating,  'today’s new playground is new media and people search continuously for meaning, happiness and newness in them.'

Will Jesus of Nazareth [the man of agrarian parables and world of master-slave paradigm] use technology as signs of time today? Not keeping up with the trends, often people fret that ‘no one is listening to us’.

On emotional influence of media - where ‘seeing is feeling’ - Fr. Selva quoted Mel Gibson’s Passion of Christ and said: “media makes everything beautiful and attractive”. He screened as proof of concept, the profound reality of macrocosmic and microcosmic universe with a short film: Cosmic Eye – state of art view of universe by Danail Obreschkow 2012/2018. Media creates a plethora of opportunities to explore, discover and invent. Antiqua et Nova - note on the Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence was published on January 28, 2025 addressing how AI and technology are transforming the way we learn norms, values, and role and insists that these transformations must remain anchored in human dignity, ethical reflection, and cultural continuity.’ (Source: Bing Search)

The animator went on to demonstrate to the Sunday Catechism teachers, the awesomeness of AI online spaces namely, Slido.com (Live Quiz Maker), SUNO.com (Generative AI music creation program), Bing Image Creator (Free AI Image Generator), Canva.com (All-in-one, conversational AI assistant), lexica.ai (AI-powered image search engine and text-to-image generation tool), Descript.com (AI co-editor for video/podcast), Gamma.app (AI design partner for presentations, websites etc.), elevanlabs.io (realistic voice AI platform), Replika (generative AI chatbot) and finally the Magisterium AI (Catholics AI).

As technology highlights, Fr. Selva did a quick walkthrough of technologies such as, OTT (Over the Talk Platforms), AR (Augmented Reality) VR (Virtual Reality), XR (Extended Reality), and Metaverse-Digital Universe (e.g. Facebook/Meta) and IoT (Internet of Things, e.g. VisionPro).

Podcasts (e.g. Spotify.com) is most useful for catechetical ministry; because, multi-tasking is possible and podcasts are shareable on WhatsApp. Sermons, homilies and audio books, catechetical lessons and biblical passages can be made available as podcasts.

During session, Most Rev. Fr. Don Bosco, Provincial Superior paid his visit to the seminar to address the Sunday Catechism Teachers. He appreciated the innovative work envisaged by Fr. Jesudoss P. (Director-Deepagam) in taking the catechetical initiative forward. He esteemed Fr. Jesudoss’ effort to get the Deepagam ministry organized into Adult, Family, Youth, Children and Catechist formation. Don Bosco started his Charism/mission by teaching catechism.

Further, Rev. Fr. Bosco stressed the importance of catechism in the context of Parish apostolate. He categorically said, “Every parish is a school of catechism.” He made the Catechism Teachers aware of their role as ‘co-responsible people in faith formation’ as Pope Francis would say. And, they must not consider catechism as a program but ‘spiritual formation’; hence, they need to visit catechism children’s home and their parents. He universally addressed the need for a center that certifies catechism teachers. The action framework for such a center should be Information – Formation – Transformation. Parish Priest must ensure that altar children must be catechism children. “There should be no sectarianism or compartmentalization; but unification. It is unity and solidarity that leads to peace.” Rev. Fr. Bosco added.

Fr. Selva continuing his seminar, in his ‘Brief Introduction to Artificial Intelligence’ stated thus: AI building blocks are Machine Learning, Neural Network, Natural Language Processing and Robotics; actually AI aims to simulate human intelligence and it is primarily applied in finance, surveillance, entertainment, social media, gaming, ecommerce, robotics, space, healthcare, automobiles, education, agriculture and so on. AI, which was on its winter season (1990s) is now in its spring time, post 2010.

By this day, there are three types of AI maturity models. 1) Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI) - Machine Learning 2) Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) – Machine Intelligence and 3) Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI) (Hypothetical) – Machine Consciousness. The type three AI maturity model (ASI) hasn’t been reached yet. As a future-pointer, Replika.com features artificial, virtual and digital human; an AI with emotion as autonomous assistant, a Humanoid Friend. It is far-fetched truth that humanity will ever exist to witness the ASI – machine consciousness.

Delving on Social Media, the animator of the AI Catechesis finds that the main reason for using social media is keeping in touch with friends and family or accessing news content. Professional women spends more time on the Internet now-a-days. The favorite social media platforms are Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook.

“From catechetical point of view, who will tell our faith story, if not us?” he questioned. “It is our responsibility to impart our experiences to the younger generation. Hence, let us cast (our net) into the deep (Duc in Altum) – to catch fish,” remarked Fr. Selvakumar. One of the hallmark of Catholic Social Media is EWTN (in the field of Media and Family Ministry). Our animator focused on two fore-runners: Mother Angelica who founded Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) on 1981 in a garage and Blessed Carlo Acutis. It is paramount that we harmonize technology with our mission. To convince this, Fr. Selvakumar quoted Pope Francis: “Let us boldly become citizen of the digital world.”

He cautioned the catechism teachers, “AI is like a child… especially when using chatbots like Replika”. He concluded the seminar with his one-liner: It is not technology that teaches, but the loving catechist who use it with wisdom and mission. (Selva AI)

Mrs. Amalia Martin gave the vote of thanks and introduced Deepagam initiatives in Folk Arts Catechesis (KVIM), Music Catechesis (IVIM), Lay Apostolate (ITIA) and Sudar Magazine and invited catechism teachers to collaborate in the Deepagam ministry.

Contact Fr. Selvakumar, Alaigal Media, Trichy arosk347@gmail.com / 978675347.

Postscript: Media has perennial human predicaments and perplexities. Treatment of humans can be a pointer to the kind of future men create for themselves with assistive, immersive, intrusive and invasive technologies. For example, AI’s first-hand objective is ‘Creative Control’ that undermines creative expression (aesthetic order and disorder - the human perfections and imperfections). Rest is unsaid. Key is human interiority – the stuff that lies within the persons. And, what it would be the NEW WORLD, 'The Takeover'? Hence, we have an added responsibility of discerning AI Services too.