Pope Leo XIV has urged priests not to use artificial intelligence for preparing homilies or seeking validation on social media, emphasising that true preaching comes from personal faith and human connection.
Pope Leo XIV, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has advised priests not to rely on artificial intelligence to prepare homilies or seek validation through social media platforms like TikTok.
Speaking in a closed-door session with clergy from the Diocese of Rome, the pope emphasised that priests should resist “the temptation to prepare homilies with artificial intelligence.”
“Like all the muscles in the body, if we do not use them, if we do not move them, they die. The brain needs to be used, so our intelligence must also be exercised a little so as not to lose this capacity,” he said as cited by the Vatican News on February 20. “To give a true homily is to share faith,” he added, noting that artificial intelligence “will never be able to share faith.”
Faith and human connection over online validation
Since the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Leo has shown interest in the intersection of artificial intelligence and the dignity of work, recalling his inspiration from Pope Leo XIII, author of the social encyclical Rerum Novarum during the first industrial revolution.
“If we can offer a service that is inculturated in the place, in the parish where we are working,” he told the priests of Rome, “people want to see your faith, your experience of having known and loved Jesus Christ.” He warned against seeking “likes” and “followers,” describing such pursuits as an illusion. “It is not you: if we are not transmitting the message of Jesus Christ, perhaps we are mistaken, and we must reflect very carefully and humbly about who we are and what we are doing,” he said.
The pope’s emphasis on prayer and authentic pastoral life
The pope highlighted the importance of a “life of prayer,” defining it as meaningful time spent with the Lord rather than a mere routine of reciting the breviary. During the February 19 dialogue, four priests of different ages asked questions about ministry and pastoral life.
Addressing young priests, Leo urged awareness of the challenges faced by today’s youth, including family crises, absent or divorced parents, and feelings of abandonment. “Be close to them in this sense, accompany them, but do not be just one of the young,” he said, stressing the priest’s role as a life model. He encouraged outreach beyond the parish through sports, art, and cultural activities to engage the youth.
Building fraternity and addressing ethical duties
Pope Leo also stressed building genuine friendships among priests, warning against “invidia clericalis,” or clerical envy. “Let us not be afraid to knock on another’s door…reflect together, have a moment of prayer and then a good lunch,” he said.
On ethical matters, he spoke against euthanasia, urging priests to witness the value of life, and called on clergy to personally bring Communion and the anointing of the sick to parishioners, noting that “today, with fewer priests and more elderly, it has become: ‘Well, let’s send the lay people, they will do it.’”
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