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MANGALORE, OCTOBER 17, 2024: The Commission for Social Communication, Diocese of Mangalore, hosted an AI Workshop on October 17, 2024 at Shanthi Kiran Hall, Bajjodi, which saw the enthusiastic participation of around 50 individuals, including priests, religious, parish media teams, professionals, youth and AI enthusiasts. The workshop, themed "Unleash the Power of Artificial Intelligence for Passion, Profession, and Pastoral Creativity," aimed to provide participants with the skills to integrate AI into their personal, professional, and pastoral lives.

The sessions were led by Fr Anil Ivan Fernandes, Director of Canara Communication Centre, a Google Certified AI Coach and media professional, and Mr Leo Victor Zalki, resource team member of the commission, Director of Oxidane Enviro LLP, an Oracle and Google Certified AI professional. Their combined expertise provided valuable insights into the practical and ethical applications of AI in various fields.

“The goal of this workshop was to help parish media teams, religious, and other participants understand how AI can be a powerful tool to enhance pastoral communication, catechism, evangelisation, and even church administration,” said Fr Anil Fernandes. He added, “AI can be a bridge between technology and spirituality, empowering the Church to communicate more effectively in the digital age.” Fr Anil explained the fundamentals of AI and prompting. He demonstrated AI tools for text-to-content creation, graphic designs and presentations.

Mr Leo Victor Zalki demonstrated AI tools for image creation, Text to animation and video, Text-to-voice and music. He emphasised the ethical dimension of AI: “As we adopt AI tools, it is important to use them responsibly, ensuring that we maintain ethical standards in both pastoral work and educational environments. AI should be a tool for good, not a replacement for human connection.”

The workshop offered hands-on training with AI tools, allowing participants to create content for parish communication platforms, catechism materials, and evangelisation efforts.

“The workshop was an eye-opener,” said Mr Vernon Mendonca, a high school teacher from Venur. “We learned how AI can help us create engaging content for parish communication and make our work easier and more efficient. I am excited to apply these tools in my professional life and teaching.”

Fr Anil Walter D’Mello from Castle Rock Church, Karwar Diocese, noted, “I now see how AI can aid in evangelisation. It’s not about replacing our efforts but enhancing how we reach out to the community. The practical insights shared during the workshop were truly helpful. I look forward to attending more empowering workshops on AI.”

Adding a fresh perspective, Jasmine Dias, a student from Naravi, said, “It was worthwhile attending today’s AI workshop. I’m sure it will help me in my studies and improve how I approach my academic projects.”

The event also fostered networking among like-minded individuals and AI professionals, creating opportunities for future collaboration. Participants left with a deeper understanding of how to harness AI for ministry, while also being mindful of its ethical implications.

For more information on future workshops and events by the Commission for Social Communication and Canara Communication Centre, visit http://scayogmangalore.in or http://cccmangalore.in