I Built a Catholic AI
Finally, there is a better alternative for Catholics relying on ChatGPT.
Last time, I asked whether Catholics can use AI for spiritual guidance. A few of you replied (thank you—I read every one), and the responses confirmed what I suspected: people are already doing this, but they’re not sure they should be.
Before I go any further, let me say this clearly: AI will never replace a spiritual director. It won’t replace a priest. It won’t replace the sacraments. If you have access to a good human spiritual director, keep seeing them.
But here’s the reality: spiritual questions don’t always come on a schedule. It’s 11pm, and you’re replaying a conversation that left you unsettled. You’re facing a decision and need to process it now, not in two weeks when your next appointment opens up. You want to pray the Examen, but you’ve never done it and don’t know where to start.
In those moments, most people either do nothing—or they type their question into ChatGPT.
So let me tell you what I’ve been building.
Over the past year, I’ve been developing an app called precat.io, which is Latin for prayer. At its heart is an AI spiritual companion named Iggy—yes, named after St. Ignatius of Loyola—designed to guide users through Ignatian prayer practices like the Daily Examen, discernment, and even custom novenas. On the Ask Iggy page, you can even ask your deepest spiritual questions, and Iggy will respond in a warm, Spanish accent!
I know what you might be thinking: Isn’t that just ChatGPT with a Catholic skin?
It’s not. And the difference matters.
When you ask ChatGPT a spiritual question, it draws from everywhere—the entire internet, with no filter. You might get a response that sounds authoritative, but you have no idea if it’s rooted in authentic Catholic teaching or a mix of New Age spirituality, pop psychology, and someone’s blog post from 2014.
Iggy is different. He’s been trained to draw from specific sources that Catholics already trust: the Spiritual Exercises, Ignatian tradition, Scripture, and solid Catholic teaching. When Iggy guides you through an Examen, he’s following the actual five-step structure Ignatius developed. When he helps with discernment, he’s drawing on the Rules for Discernment of Spirits—not an algorithm’s best guess based on internet averages.
You’re not being asked to trust AI. You’re being asked to trust Ignatius, the Exercises, and Catholic tradition—delivered through AI.
There’s another difference too. ChatGPT loves to give advice. Ask it a question, and it will confidently tell you what to do. But that’s not how real spiritual direction works. A good spiritual director asks questions. They help you notice what’s happening in your own heart. They don’t hand you answers—they help you find them.
As a spiritual director, that’s how I designed Iggy. He asks. He listens. He guides. He doesn’t preach.
Is it perfect? No. I’ll be honest about the limitations next time—because there are lines AI shouldn’t cross, and I’ve thought a lot about where those lines are.
But if you’ve ever wanted to pray the Daily Examen and didn’t know where to start, or wished you had someone to help you process a decision without scheduling an appointment or feeling like a burden—Iggy might be worth a try.
The Daily Examen, Novena, and Common Prayers features are free. No account required. And you can access the advanced features for a limited time. Try it right now at precat.io.
I’d love to know what you think.
Peace,
Chad
P.S. — To bring Iggy to life, I gave his voice a warm, slightly Spanish accent, like you’d imagine from the Spanish saint. I would love to get your feedbac
k on it.