The Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA) attended the 7th International Seminar on Church Communications, held in Santiago, Chile—a continental forum for reflection that brought together communicators, pastoral workers, academics, and church representatives to explore the ethical, cultural, and pastoral challenges posed by artificial intelligence in light of Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas.
The Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA) participated in the 7th International Seminar on Church Communications, held on July 27 and 28 at the Extension Center of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in Santiago. Representing the institution was Fernando Rueda, CEAMA’s Communications Coordinator, who joined communicators, pastoral workers, academics, and church representatives from Latin America and the Caribbean in this space for formation and discernment.
The seminar, organized within the framework of the First General Assembly of the Ecclesial Communication Network of Latin America and the Caribbean (RECLAC), served as a forum for reflecting on the impact of artificial intelligence on the Church’s evangelizing mission, placing the dignity of the human person and ethical responsibility in the use of new technologies at the center of the discussion.
Human Dignity as a Criterion for Communication
The opening of the event featured a message from Pope Leo XIV, sent through the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and addressed to the seminar participants.
In his greeting, the Holy Father encouraged communicators to deepen their commitment to a form of communication that, in the face of the possibilities offered by technological development, “knows how to safeguard the dignity of the human person and place every tool at the service of truth and the common good.”
He also asked that the Holy Spirit enlighten the Church’s discernment so that it may face “the challenges of artificial intelligence with wisdom and responsibility,” ensuring that ecclesial communication continues to foster encounters among people and the proclamation of the Gospel.
Communicating Truth, Goodness, Beauty, and Utility
During the opening ceremony, Cardinal Fernando Chomali, Archbishop of Santiago, Chile, recalled that the main challenge lies not merely in understanding artificial intelligence, but in strengthening communication grounded in truth and human dignity.
Referring to the recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, he noted that it is not simply a document on technology, but a profound reflection on the human person.
The cardinal proposed four criteria that should guide all Christian communication: communicating the truth, promoting the good, conveying beauty, and offering content that is useful to society.
In addition, he invited participants to exercise critical discernment regarding new technologies and warned of the risk that artificial intelligence could deepen social inequalities if it is not placed at the service of the most vulnerable.
“Let us build community in an extraordinarily individualistic society. Let us foster dialogue and fraternity and build Jerusalem, not Babel,” he said.
A Technological Revolution That Challenges the Church
The rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Juan Carlos de la Llera, emphasized that artificial intelligence represents one of the most profound transformations in recent history and that its implications transcend the technological realm to directly challenge Christian anthropology.
Using examples from medicine, education, democratic processes, and digital communication, he demonstrated how this technology can become both an opportunity to serve humanity and a tool that exacerbates manipulation, misinformation, and inequalities.
Drawing inspiration from the biblical accounts of Babel and Pentecost, he explained that artificial intelligence can be used to standardize and control or, conversely, to foster communion while respecting diversity.
“Artificial intelligence can serve either of these two purposes. That decision is not made by an algorithm, but by the one who communicates,” he stated.
Synodality to Address the Challenges of the Present
For his part, the president of the Chilean Episcopal Conference, B Bishop René Rebolledo SalinasB , emphasized that the seminar is a concrete expression of the synodal journey of the Latin American Church.
He recalled that ecclesial communication is called to become a space of encounter and hope, where technological development always has as its principle and purpose the inviolable dignity of every person.
He also invited participants to approach these sessions with an attitude of listening, dialogue, and mutual learning, thereby strengthening collaboration among the continent’s various ecclesial institutions.
A Reflection That Strengthens CEAMA’s Mission
CEAMA’s participation in this seminar reaffirms its commitment to ecclesial communication capable of responding to the challenges of the contemporary world from an ethical, synodal, and intercultural perspective.
For the Church journeying through the Amazon, the development of artificial intelligence represents an opportunity to strengthen evangelization, give voice to the Amazonian peoples, promote care for our Common Home, and foster new ways for communities to come together—always placing the human person and the proclamation of the Gospel at the center.
The presence of Fernando Rueda, CEAMA’s Communications Coordinator, helped strengthen ties with the emerging Church Communication Network of Latin America and the Caribbean (RECLAC) and share experiences in communication at the service of the Church’s mission in the Amazon.
Through initiatives such as this, the Church in Latin America and the Caribbean continues to build a form of communication that—inspired by the Gospel and enriched by synodal discernment—is capable of responsibly addressing the challenges of the digital culture, while promoting truth, fraternity, and human dignity.