"As Augustinian educators, we guide our students toward an encounter with the True Teacher." The University of San Agustin in Iloilo (USA), Philippines, hosted the first international congress on education held in the Asia-Pacific region. Over five days, more than two hundred participants from various continents —academics, directors, teachers, and pastoral agents from educational centers of the Order worldwide— reflected on the risks and opportunities Artificial Intelligence poses for the evangelizing, educational, and pastoral mission.
The Order of Saint Augustine is a venerable institution that has spread the seed of the Gospel in numerous countries and nations over the centuries. In 1521, it took root in the Philippines, where it managed to remain uninterruptedly for 459 years. Today, the presence of the Order in the Philippines is solid and promising in a region, known as the Asia-Pacific, that represents a source of hope for the Church.
Therefore, after the international education congresses held in Rome (Italy) in 2005, in Lima (Peru) in 2012, and in Villanova (USA) in 2017, the International Commission on Apostolate and Evangelization, coordinated by Father Javier Pérez Barba, General Assistant, decided to turn its attention to this vast part of the world, eventually focusing on the “island of abundance” (Pan-ay: there is bread, in Spanish) and the “city of love.”
The celebration of the 120th anniversary of the University of San Agustin in Iloilo provided an exceptional occasion, making it worthy of the great challenge of hosting what would be the first Augustinian International Congress on Education and the second International Congress ever held by the Order in the Asia-Pacific region.
The congress, held from July 22nd to 26th under the title AiVangelization: Learning, Evangelization, and New Technologies, aimed to promote a profound reflection onto Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact on education and evangelization, exploring the theological, anthropological, and ethical implications of the most advanced technology for humanity today, as well as its foreseeable reach in the pedagogical and didactic fields.
Hartened by the Prior General, Father Alejandro Moral, who presided over the inaugural Mass, and the General Assistants from Southern Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific —Fathers Javier Pérez Barba, Joseph Farrell, and Tony Banks— more than two hundred attendees from over twenty circumscription areas of the Order deepened their understanding of the nature, design, development, practical application, and impact of these new technologies in our daily lives, especially in the educational and pastoral environment.
“When structuring the program,” explained Father Javier, “the Commission, which had the invaluable collaboration of Dr. Nenita Habulan and Father Elías Neira OSA, acted with the intent to provide a comprehensive sight, integrating diverse perspectives. After the general overview released by the opening lecture, the flow of the congress was to arise —as far as practical requirements allowed— from the source of human nature and the impact it may receive from AI, thus immediately delving into the stream of Augustinian anthropology, which opens the way to ethical approaches and theological reflection. It would then cross the bridge connecting technology with sound pedagogical practice, reaching, finally, the estuary where the original current branches out into countless possible didactic applications.”
“What No Artificial Heart Can Appreciate”
The congress set a complete challenge both in form and content. From its modern (and experimental) simultaneous translation system using Artificial Intelligence, connecting the Philippines with Portugal, to its live-streaming on multiple platforms, everything contributed to giving space, voice, and opportunity to the attendees to broaden the horizon of what can be achieved by knowing our environment and its circumstances. “I believe it was providential that the congress was held here in Iloilo,” noted Father Javier. “You have given us a lesson in humanity that no artificial intelligence can impart and that no artificial heart can appreciate.”
Father Javier wanted to highlight, in particular, the work carried out during and in preparation for the congress by the local team at the University of San Agustin in Iloilo and their “very numerous” volunteers, mainly students, alumni, and staff who generously dedicated themselves to showing the hospitality of Iloilo.
The congress, as Father Javier Pérez Barba recounted to the Curia Communications Office, “was much more than an academic or training gathering. It was, above all, an Augustinian gathering and, for those of us who came from outside the Philippines, a rich opportunity for cultural immersion. We were amazed by the spectacular range of talents and skills the people of the University had the opportunity to showcase during the spectacular cultural evenings. I would also highlight the exquisite care in the liturgy and the mastery of the choirs. They dazzled everyone with the high artistic quality of their polyphonic singing. During the closing Mass, the union of two choirs gave us a sort of sensitive foretaste of heavenly liturgy. The rendition of Handel’s Hallelujah after the final blessing was truly apotheotic and will remain in the memory of the attendees,” said the congress leader on AI. “We are very grateful for the warmth, hospitality, and care of the people of Iloilo, their constant attention, generosity, diligence, and concern,” said Father Javier. “The local team was deeply committed to the organization, preparing every detail with attention and creativity.”
After thanking all participants, the many Augustinian brothers present, and particularly the religious community of the University, Father Javier extended special acknowledge to the President of the University of San Agustin in Iloilo, Father Arnel Dizon, and to the former Rector until July 1st, Father Frederick Comendador, his “patient travel companion,” to the Province of Cebu and its Provincial Prior, to the presidents and members of the various work teams, and to all the volunteers, “for the amazing work they accomplished, their dedication and expertise, their magnificent display of talent and enthusiasm.”
Father Agustín Herrero de Miguel, speaking on behalf of the large group of teachers and priests who were able to attend the Congress from the distant Province of San Juan de Sahagún, described attending the International Congress as a “unique opportunity to learn about the work being done in such an important Augustinian place for the Order.” Deeply satisfied with the way the congress unfolded, Father Agustín, director of the Colegio de Los Olivos in Malaga, Spain, stated that they are “fortunate to have at our disposal truly good people who possess a unique, beautiful spiritual dimension and extensive preparation and training in the service of the mission.”
Catholic Schools: The Heart of the “New Evangelization”
According to Father Javier Pérez Barba, the main organizer and developer of the Congress, “the so-called Artificial Intelligence” has an increasingly strong presence in “the media, advertising, and digital tools,” which at once evokes admiration and fear, fervent enthusiasm, and restrained precautions. For this reason, he noted, AI will bring (and is already bringing) acute implications in fields as important as “anthropology, philosophy, ethics, technology, human relationships, work, or economics.” Father Andrew P. Batayola (OSA), Provincial Prior of the Santo Niño de Cebu Province (Philippines), wrote in the program for the Congress that “ethics, educational management, pedagogy, didactics, and digital evangelization” present “a great opportunity to examine the interaction between education and spirituality.”
Father Frederick Comendador, President of the University of San Agustin in Iloilo until less than a month before the Congress, recalls those days as “a unique opportunity to gather and meet fellow educators from around the world and experience Augustinian camaraderie at an international level.” “Truly, it was a joy and an honor to have the opportunity to offer our Filipino hospitality to our esteemed guests.”
“The Anthropological Revolution: Challenges and Opportunities of AI”
This lecture, given by Father and University Professor Elías Neira Arellano OSA, Coordinator of Education for the Organization of Augustinians of Latin America, was an in-depth discussion on the ethical dilemmas of transhumanism, the risk of isolation, the impact on the labor market, and the anxiety generated by new technologies. He delved into how large corporations and institutions are already implementing these technologies in their daily operations. “Netflix reported that its AI-based personalized recommendation system saved it $1 billion a year,” Neira noted. Other relevant issues addressed during this lecture included privacy risks and the ideological biases embedded in the programming of these tools. “An IBM study revealed that 74% of organizations already using AI have not taken any measures to reduce unintended biases in their systems, and 60% have yet to develop policies on the ethical use of AI,” he stated.
After the presentations by Professors Daniel Gonzales, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Don Bosco Technical Institute in Tarlac, Philippines, and Jasper Vincent Alontaga, Associate Professor at De La Salle University in Manila, on ethics, authenticity, and emotional connection to humanize the capacities of AI, the audience also had the opportunity to hear from Italian priest Alessandro Picchiarelli, AI researcher and computer engineer, who has been focused on using Artificial Intelligence in the pastoral and religious field. “Technological artifacts appear as cultural products of a hermeneutic process of understanding the world, our own nature, and how humanity adapts to the context in which it lives, shaping it and allowing itself to be shaped by it,” he warned. He then explained, “Technology is never separate from humanity, which exercises its duty as the steward of Creation also through the development and progress of science and technology.” According to Picchiarelli, the “new technological humanism” must aspire to generate “deeper and more meaningful relationships.” In any case, he called for an expert, responsible, and wise use of these technologies, which, like the radio and television before, not only expand evangelization possibilities but, as tools, imply the obligation to know how to use them, as they are talents and opportunities granted to us.
Augustinian Pedagogy, Classical Education, and Artificial Intelligence
Father Mauricio Saavedra OSA, Academic Vice-Rector of the Augustinian Fundación Universitaria Unicervantes in Colombia, wanted to delve into how adopting a correct anthropological and theological perspective can add essential value to the technological field. Referring to his university, he stated: “We are developing a new School of Engineering with undergraduate programs in software systems, data analysis, and artificial intelligence.” “As a Catholic institution, we distinguish ourselves by our classical humanistic education based on the principles of Augustinian pedagogy. Humanity is made in the image and likeness of God; we are not simply homo faber, and we, as Augustinians, are ‘gardeners’ of an academic ecosystem in which the best of each person who passes through our centers and our educational approach can bear fruit.” For this reason, “in all educational experiences illuminated by Saint Augustine’s thought, we must strive to create a vibrant educational environment where wisdom, virtues, and order are cultivated.”
According to Saavedra's opinion, the current challenge lies in “integrating these classical humanistic principles with the realities and challenges of artificial intelligence.” The first step involves distinguishing the nature and entity of each type of intelligence, human and artificial, whose essential characteristics and origins are fundamentally different. “Human intelligence, created in the image of God, seeks Truth, Goodness, and Beauty in a transcendent way,” Saavedra clarified. In contrast, “artificial intelligences are useful according to the instructions they receive, but they do not understand problems nor have a purpose.” In this sense, it is essential not to lose sight of the fact that “human beings have purpose, the capacity to love, and possess, as Saint Augustine explained, a soul with three faculties: memory, intelligence, and will (this as the image and mark of the Holy Trinity by whom we were created).” Seen this way, AI cannot “replace the need for well-developed human intelligence, manifested in the profound mastery of knowledge and an active education filled with reflection, awareness, and creativity.”
Saavedra’s presentation emphasized these distinctions. “Despite the advancement of AI, significant human interaction remains necessary in many fields; humanistic or soft skills, such as effective communication, teamwork, leadership, empathy, adaptability, critical thinking, time management, problem-solving, creativity, ethics, professionalism, stress management, and negotiation, are fundamental and cannot be replaced by AI,” he enumerated, point by point. Consequently, one of the risks to be considered is the “dehumanization of learning” that can result from the misuse of AI. “Excessive reliance on AI could reduce the essential human contact for students' moral and spiritual development,” Saavedra noted. Another risk is the temptation to make teaching superficial. On the other hand, “there are also false alarms,” such as “the idea that AI will completely replace teachers,” since this is an “unfounded concern, as AI is intended to be a complementary tool that assists teachers in their educational work.”
At another point in his presentation, Mauricio Saavedra said: “AI may erode unique skills due to its ability to translate and generate content, which can lead to the loss of important cultural and linguistic nuances.” Therefore, he believes that education should maintain and reinforce subjects such as grammar, logic, and rhetoric. Moreover, “while AI can simulate human emotions and behaviors, it does not experience genuine feelings nor possess its own will,” Saavedra noted. This concern is “significant in the Catholic educational context, where authentic human relationships and the development of empathy and compassion are fundamental.” He emphasized the importance of focusing education on inner and critical reflection, the relationship between teacher, student, and community, charity, community service, the transcendent dimension, and the integration of faith and reason: “We must train our students not only to be competent technology users but also to be critical, reflective, and ethical.”
Another resource used was the projection of a video lesson by Professor Mike Wooldridge from the Royal Institute (United Kingdom), explaining the historical development of AI, its nature, and characteristics. One of the specialists in pedagogy and didactics who shared her knowledge at this congress was Nenita V. Habulan, connected to the University of San Agustin since her student days. Habulan has trained thousands of teachers in the Philippines, holds a doctorate in Education with a specialization in Leadership and Educational Management from De La Salle University, and is a reference in transforming the educational landscape and integrating technology, pedagogy, and school management. Also from De La Salle University (Manila), Dr. Miguel Q. Rapatan, a Fulbright scholar at Stanford University and a doctorate from Teachers’ College, Columbia University (New York), participated in the congress, discussing “how AI tools can help educators provide personalized support.”
Toward the Encounter with the “True Teacher”
During the closing Eucharist, Father Andrew Batayola noted how “our ‘task’ after hearing and listening to what has happened during these long days of shared reflection is to respond adequately to God’s action. He plants the seed, but as we see in the Gospel, how well that seed grows will depend on the condition of the soil in which it falls.” For the congress’s fruits to be good and abundant and germinate in the various circumscription areas where Augustinians are present in their schools, the Provincial Prior of Santo Niño de Cebu proposes an ambitious goal: “As Augustinian educators, we will guide our students toward an encounter with the True Teacher. Catholic schools are at the heart of the new evangelization. Catholic schools not only can but must be a primary vehicle for learning and evangelization. They are instruments of grace, sacred places where the Gospel comes to life daily, and where children and families encounter faith.”
In the closing speech of the Congress, Father Javier Pérez Barba responded to the pressing question that remains after an experience of this magnitude: What now? “We now face the task of diving deep, a task we cannot undertake in a few-day congress and that we must therefore address in the concrete reality of each of our institutions and in the rich and complex ocean of our unique educational and evangelizing daily lives. It would be a double joy to continue sharing our discoveries.”
“I hope that the work of these days,” Father Javier continued, “has been helpful in raising awareness of the extraordinary magnitude of the challenge posed by the relentless advancement of AI; that it has sparked interest and motivation to continue exploring its many aspects and implications; and that it has provided us, at least, with some ideas and resources that will allow us to embark, with expectations of success, on the necessary discernment of what is truly aligned with human nature, the demands of Christian ethics and morality, and its Augustinian source; the necessary discernment of real dangers and false alarms, as well as its possibilities and limitations.”
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