Catholic Futurist

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Catholic Futurist

9 episodes

3 weeks ago

What should Catholic priests actually do with AI — right now? Ignore it? Fear it? Or use it strategically to amplify evangelization? In this episode, Benjamin Crockett is joined by ministry innovators Edmundo Reyes and Edmund Mitchell. Together, they present a simple but transformative insight: AI can handle “Mission Support,” freeing pastors to focus on “Mission Direct”—the human, sacramental, irreplaceable heart of ministry. They share real examples of AI supporting homilies, RCIA programs,...

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Christianity

Religion & Spirituality

Episodes (10/9)

Catholic Futurist

AI, Loneliness, and the Need for Real Presence

Artificial intelligence promises efficiency and connection, but many people feel more lonely than ever. Why? In this episode of Catholic Futurist, host Benjamin Crockett is joined by Fr. John Paul Mary Zeller, EWTN chaplain, to reflect on why technology, including AI, cannot replace real human presence, confession, or healing. Drawing on pastoral experience, personal vulnerability, and Catholic spiritual wisdom, this conversation explores the rise of anxiety and isolation, the temptation to r...

4 days ago

41 minutes

Catholic Futurist

AI in Parish Life: What Every Catholic Needs to Know

1 month ago

51 minutes

Catholic Futurist

What AI Can’t Teach: A Catholic Priest on the Future of Education

AI can write an essay in seconds — but what happens to the mind that never learns to think? In this episode, host Benjamin Crockett sits down with Fr. Kenny Ang, Research Professor at the Pontifical University of Santa Croce, to confront one of the most pressing questions of the AI era: What makes human intelligence different? Fr. Kenny argues that real learning is embodied, relational, and formed through struggle — something no algorithm can simulate. He explains why universities are facing ...

1 month ago

56 minutes

Catholic Futurist

AI May Flatter But It’s Not Your Friend

Can AI offer companionship—or just the illusion of it? In this episode, host Benjamin Crockett speaks with Fr. Michael Baggot, LC (Assistant Professor, Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum) about the rise of artificial intimacy: chatbots that mimic empathy, “companions” that never challenge you, and digital relationships that replace real ones. Fr. Baggot explains why AI can simulate attention but never suffer with you—and why authentic friendship, love, and even suffering remain irreplace...

2 months ago

32 minutes

Catholic Futurist

The Pope, Deepfakes & the Future of Media

In the age of AI, discerning what’s real from what’s fake has never been more urgent. With mass-produced content and convincing deepfakes everywhere, how can Catholics find the truth online? In this episode of Catholic Futurist, host Benjamin Crockett joins José Manuel De Urquidi (Juan Diego Network) and Matthew Harvey Sanders (Longbeard) to explore tools for discernment, the responsibilities of tech platforms, and the need for strong Catholic formation. 01:30 – AI’s Promise & Peril03:33 ...

3 months ago

25 minutes

Catholic Futurist

What we lose when we outsource our humanity to AI

AI is tempting us to outsource our thinking, our labor, and even our relationships. As technology makes life "easier," are we losing what it means to be human? In this episode of Catholic Futurist, host Benjamin Crockett sits down with Alessandro Di Santo (Co-Founder of Hallow), Brett Robinson (Associate Professor of the Practice, University of Notre Dame), and Matthew Harvey Sanders (CEO of Longbeard) to discuss the profound challenges of emerging tech. They explore how AI is creating a cris...

4 months ago

45 minutes

Catholic Futurist

Unlocking the Church’s Ancient Libraries with AI

The Church’s history holds centuries of wisdom—but much of it has remained hidden in archives. Now, a groundbreaking project in Rome is changing that. Join host Benjamin Crockett in conversation with Father David Nazar, SJ (Rector of the Pontifical Oriental Institute) and Matthew Harvey Sanders (CEO of Longbeard) as they reveal how the Alexandria Digitization Hub, the library platform Vulgate AI, and the world’s leading Catholic AI, Magisterium AI, are making ancient texts accessible to all. ...

4 months ago

54 minutes

Catholic Futurist

AI’s Impact: Creativity, Jobs, and Faith

What is Artificial Intelligence—really? AI isn’t just about faster processors or smarter machines. It’s about the nature of creativity, the future of work, and how we respond to changes that could reshape society in profound ways. In this conversation, host Benjamin Crockett sits down with Matthew Harvey Sanders to explore what machines can and can’t do, whether they can ever truly “create,” and how the job market might be transformed in the years ahead. We also ask how society — and the Chur...

4 months ago

1 hour 10 minutes

Catholic Futurist

Building Magisterium AI: A Catholic Response to ChatGPT

Secular AI often misunderstands Catholicism. That’s why Matthew Harvey Sanders and his team built Magisterium AI — a chatbot rooted in the Church’s authentic documents, designed to provide faithful answers. In this episode of Catholic Futurist, host Benjamin Crockett dives into the story of how it was created, what makes it different from ChatGPT, and how Catholic technology could shape the future — from digitizing archives to “chatting” with AIs of the saints. 01:34 – The Origins of Ma...

4 months ago

1 hour 3 minutes

Catholic Futurist

AI, Job Loss & The Meaning of Life

AI isn’t just changing work — it’s changing what it means to live a meaningful life. In this episode of Catholic Futurist, Benjamin Crockett sits down with Fr. Philip Larrey (Philosophy, Boston College) and Matthew Harvey Sanders (CEO of Longbeard) to confront the greatest disruption in human history. From mass job loss, to AI “companions,” to the Church’s vision of human dignity, they explore how faith can guide us through the age of machines — and why our ultimate purpose is not something A...

4 months ago

1 hour 29 minutes