CV NEWS FEED // Catholic apologetics apostolate Catholic Answers released an AI desktop app this week, which features an AI-generated priest named Fr. Justin who engages in conversations with users to provide answers to questions about Catholicism.
“Our goal with the Father Justin app is to leverage the power of large language models—or ‘LLMs’—to create an engaging and informative experience for those exploring the Catholic faith,” Catholic Answers’ IT director Chris Costello said, according to a post on X announcing the app’s release.
“Although this is not a substitute for human interaction with a priest, teacher, or spiritual advisor, we believe it can be a valuable tool to help our users better understand and articulate the teachings of the Catholic faith,” he continued.
Costello also explained the reasons behind using a parish priest as the AI character on the app.
“We wanted to convey the spirit and nature of the responses users can expect—authoritative yet approachable, drawing from the deep well of Catholic tradition and teaching,” he said. “We believe that the presentation of Father Justin honors real-life priests and the role they play in people’s lives, yet we are confident that our users will not mistake the AI for a human being.”
screengrab of Fr. Justin / Catholic Answers
While some X users reacted positively to the new app, some expressed concerns about using AI for evangelization and apologetics.
“I have enough trouble taking advice on parenting from people who aren’t parents or on marriage from people who’ve never married but to take “advice” on deeply human issues from something that has never been nor can never be human? [N]o way,” posted Kristin Collier, MD, a Catholic convert and director of the University of Michigan’s Program on Health, Spirituality, and Religion.
A U.S. Army chaplain, Fr. Mike Palmer, CSC, added that the app should have been a search engine instead of an AI-generated priest.
“Dressing it up as a soulless AI avatar of a priest does absolutely nothing except cause confusion and invite mockery of your otherwise excellent work,” he posted on X.
Others supported the app, calling it a creative way to keep up with changing times and technology.
Catholic Answers also defended the app, but posted that the apostolate understands AI “isn’t everyone’s thing.”
“But as long as it’s around, we might as well put it in the service of the Kingdom,” Catholic Answers said.
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