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Hyderabad
Hyderabad Salesian Priests Explore AI for Faith Formation and Evangelisation
News reported by: Muthyala Sudhakar [INH]
Young and newly ordained Salesian priests of the Salesian Province of Hyderabad met at Don Bosco Provincial House on August 18 and 19 for a two-day formation on “Artificial Intelligence in the Service of Faith Formation and Evangelisation.” The programme aimed to equip priests to engage more effectively with young people in an increasingly digital environment.
Fr Garlapati Michael Kishore, Vice Provincial of the Salesian Province of Hyderabad, inaugurated the meeting. He stressed that the Salesian mission calls its members to meet young people wherever they are, including in digital spaces. He urged participants to approach emerging technologies with faith, wisdom and ethical responsibility.
Fr Thomas Aquinas animated the programme, while Rajesh and Rakesh from the Department of Computer Science at Don Bosco Degree College, Moti Nagar, Hyderabad, provided technical input and practical training that supported the sessions.
A major component of the meeting focused on Church teaching and the ethical principles governing artificial intelligence. Fr Michael Kishore guided participants through relevant Vatican documents and guidelines, highlighting human dignity, truth, transparency and the common good as principles for responsible technological engagement.
The participants also explored practical pastoral applications of AI. Sessions included preparing catechetical materials and faith-formation modules in regional languages, creating digital content such as videos and infographics, assisting with homily preparation and biblical research, and developing strategies to engage people seeking answers to faith-related questions on digital platforms.
The gathering also examined how AI could support evangelisation while preserving the human and relational dimensions of pastoral ministry. Discussions encouraged the priests to view technology not merely as a technical tool but as a means of accompanying young people and communicating the Gospel in contemporary contexts.
The spiritual focus of the meeting was a Holy Mass celebrated by the newly ordained priests. This was followed by a sharing session in which they reflected on their first months of ministry, including the joys of accompanying young people, the challenges of parish ministry, and experiences of walking with families and communities.
The sharing strengthened fraternity among the priests and encouraged them to approach their ministry with renewed pastoral commitment in the rapidly evolving digital age.
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Publisher: Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Year of publication: 2026
Available from: 4 March 2026
Pages: 928 pp., Paperback
