Pope Leo XIV’s recent discussion with the priests of the Diocese of Rome on Feb. 19 offers a timely and important reminder of the human-inspired dimension of priestly ministry in an age dominated by rapid technological advances.
In his remarks, Pope Leo directly addressed two pervasive temptations: relying on artificial intelligence (AI) to craft homilies and pursuing validation through social media metrics by performing for “likes” on platforms such as TikTok.
At the heart of the pope’s message is a simple yet essential truth: Preaching is not merely the delivery of information but the sharing of lived faith.
“To give a true homily is to share faith,” he emphasized, “and artificial intelligence will never be able to share faith.”
He likened human intellect to a muscle that withers without use, urging priests to resist the all too easy shortcut of AI-generated texts that might produce the needed prose.
Still, it will lack the human element and personal encounter with Christ that allows for an authentic proclamation.
A homily borne from prayer, Scripture meditation, and the priest’s own experience of God’s mercy and love carries a spiritual weight no algorithm can replicate.
Pope Leo also pointed to the “illusion” of social media fame. Chasing followers and likes risks turning ministry into performance, where the priest’s image overshadows Christ’s message. “It is not you,” he said.
However, if the content fails to transmit Jesus, serious reflection is needed on one’s mission.
In a culture of instant gratification and curated influencers, priests are called to offer something countercultural: genuine presence, vulnerability, and a life rooted in prayer.
True influence arises not from viral clips but from consistent witness in the parish, in sickrooms, on the streets.
These warnings are not a rejection of technology outright. Pope Leo, who chose his name in homage to Leo XIII’s response to the Industrial Revolution, has shown keen interest in AI’s implications for human dignity and work since his election.
Tools like AI can aid in scriptural study, sermon outlining, or administrative tasks, provided they remain servants to the priest’s prayerful preparation and personal authorship.
Social media, when used rightly, can evangelize, connect the isolated, and share the Gospel creatively.
For priests and the faithful, these words challenge us to examine how digital tools shape our spiritual lives.
Do they deepen communion or foster superficiality? Do they exercise the mind and heart or dull them?
In an era when loneliness has deepened amid growing screen time, as the pope describes, the Church’s response must be profoundly human: priests modeling friendship with Christ and one another.
Pope Leo calls us back to basics: prayer, fraternity, sacrificial outreach, and humble reliance on the Holy Spirit.
In doing so, he was reminding priests that their greatest “algorithm” is divine love encountered personally and shared generously.