The Order publishes new guidelines to help religious, communities, schools, parishes and Augustinian Recollect Youth live in the digital world with authenticity, critical spirit and fidelity to the Gospel.
The General Curia of the Order of Augustinian Recollects has presented the document The use of technology today and presence in the digital world. Personal, community and pastoral guidelines for comprehensive discernment , a text prepared by the General Commission for Communication and Digital Evangelisation that offers criteria for addressing the challenges of artificial intelligence, social media and digital culture from Augustinian spirituality.
The document, which updates the guidelines published in 2021, is a response to the profound changes the digital environment has undergone in recent years and seeks to help the entire Augustinian Recollect Family discern how to inhabit these new spaces without losing religious identity or the centrality of the person.
In the letter accompanying the document, the Prior General, Fr Miguel Ángel Hernández Domínguez, recalls that technology is a gift that can be placed at the service of the Gospel. “The problem is never the tool. It is how we use it” , he says, inviting us to contemplate technological advances with gratitude, but also with deep discernment.
A call for consistency between real life and digital life
One of the document’s fundamental pillars is the unity between personal identity and one’s presence on the internet. The Commission reminds us that a religious cannot live one identity for the community and another different one for social media. Authenticity, truth and coherence are part of Christian witness in the digital sphere as well.
The text warns of the risk of building a «digital persona» in search of recognition or visibility, and invites each post to reflect the values of the Gospel, Augustinian spirituality and humble service. Before sharing any content, it proposes a simple question for discernment: ” Would I put it on the community door? Would I say it publicly in the homily?” .
Technology at the service of the mission
Far from presenting a negative view of new technologies, the document recognises the enormous possibilities they offer for evangelisation.
Among them it highlights the digital mission, ongoing formation of religious, communion among the Order’s different provinces, closeness to young people, preservation of historical and documentary heritage, and the strengthening of social and charitable action. It also recalls the words of Pope Leo XIV to digital missionaries, inviting them to “mend the nets” by creating authentic bonds, relationships of love and spaces where no one is left out.
Artificial intelligence: a tool, never a substitute
An important part of the document is devoted to artificial intelligence, considered the greatest technological challenge of our time.
The Commission encourages the use of these tools for tasks such as research, translation, creativity or work organisation, but reminds us that they can never replace what belongs properly to the human sphere: prayer, discernment, spiritual accompaniment or preaching born of a personal encounter with the Word of God. It also insists on the need to always act transparently when artificial intelligence systems are used in the preparation of pastoral materials.
Guidelines for the entire Augustinian Recollect Family
The document devotes its final chapters to offering concrete proposals for provincials, local superiors, formators, religious, schools, parishes and Augustinian Recollect Youth.
More than a set of rules, the guidelines aim to foster a culture of discernment, promoting times of disconnection, a quality digital presence, the protection of minors, the responsible use of artificial intelligence and ongoing formation that makes it possible to face the challenges of the digital environment with freedom and critical sense.
In the cover letter, the Prior General invites all communities, Lay Fraternities and JAR groups to open a space for dialogue on the use of social media. “The world needs witnesses more than profiles; brothers more than characters”, he writes, recalling that the real challenge is not to be present on the internet, but to remain recognisable as religious wherever the Gospel is communicated.
A week to reflect together
On the occasion of the publication of this document, throughout this week the Augustinian Recollects’ social media will share a series of reflections, quotes and proposals inspired by its main contents. The initiative aims to open a dialogue with the entire Augustinian Recollect Family on how to live the mission in digital culture, taking advantage of the opportunities offered by new technologies without losing sight of interiority, community and the centrality of Christ.
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