Catholic Futurist

Catholic Futurist

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CHRISTIANITY

For all those curious about the world of tomorrow and how to navigate the crucial choices presented by emerging technology, guided by the practical and timeless wisdom of the Catholic faith, join Benjamin Crockett on the Catholic Futurist Podcast.

1D AGO

Will AI Create a New Super-Elite?

What scares people about AI isn’t just how fast it’s moving — it’s how quickly speed can harden into permanent power. In this episode of Catholic Futurist, Benjamin Crockett speaks with Sr. Nancy Usselmann, FSP, about the growing concern that artificial intelligence could consolidate control, influence, and opportunity into the hands of a small group — creating a super-elite that others may never be able to catch up to. 0:00 - The Church’s Mandate for AI 1:10 - Ethics, Equity, and Silicon Valley 2:30 - Why Gen Z is “Checking Out” of Tech 6:12 - Using Magisterium AI vs. ChatGPT 8:30 - Evangelization in a Digital Age 13:10 - The Risk of AI Relationships

15 min
JAN 19

Star Wars & Catholicism: Is anyone beyond redemption?

Is anyone truly beyond redemption? Benjamin Crockett and professor Fr. Alejandro Crosthwaite, OP reflect on Darth Vader’s fall and redemption through a Catholic lens, unpacking how fear and the desire for control distort love, and how mercy can still break through. Timestamps: 02:49 – What is The Force? 06:58 – Jedi Order vs. Religious Life 14:50 – Palpatine as the Biblical Satan? 27:08 – Anakin: The Judas Archetype 45:36 – Mustafar: A Vision of Hell53:13 – The Path to Redemption

57 min
JAN 6

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 retreat into screens, and why authentic relationships, silence, and prayer remain essential for human flourishing. Technology can help us. It cannot replace us. Timestamps: 0:00 - Building vs. Tearing Down1:08 - The "Wake" of AI 10:10 - The Iceberg of Secrets14:14 - Can AI Simulate Healing?24:38 - Reclaiming Silence

42 min
12/11/2025

AI in Parish Life: What Every Catholic Needs to Know

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, and pastoral care — and explain why people are turning to AI instead of humans for emotional support, and what that means for the Church. Timestamps: 0:40 - Tech and Evangelization3:11 - Parish Ministry and Tech6:52 - "Digital Continent" vs. "Digital Culture"12:52 - Mission Support vs. Direct Explained34:43 - AI: Tool vs. Thinking Partner40:06 - Why People Confide in ChatGPT42:43 - The Parish in 2035

51 min
11/20/2025

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 a hidden crisis of attention, why essays are becoming “AI-vulnerable,” and why he’s shifting his classroom toward oral exams, dialogue, and genuine intellectual formation. This conversation explores what education must protect in the age of AI and why the Church may be one of the last institutions capable of defending the artisanal, human pursuit of Truth. Together, they explore why human intelligence is fundamentally relational, how to combat the classroom “attention deficit,” and why the Church may be uniquely placed to defend education as the pursuit of Truth—not just the production of answers. Timestamps: 0:49 Education for Freedom vs. Utility18:05 The AI-Proof Classroom 21:53 Human vs. AI: 'Embodied' Knowledge23:32 Losing the "Artisanal Mind"44:37 The Church's Role in AI

57 min
10/23/2025

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 irreplaceably human. They explore how the Church can guide us toward deeper connection in a lonely, increasingly automated world. Timestamps: 02:30 - Why Catholic AI Matters06:40 - The Moral Status of AI08:00 - Dangers of Artificial Intimacy19:00 - AI and Future Unemployment24:20 - Hopes for Catholic AI30:15 - AI's "No-Fly Zones"

32 min
09/16/2025

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 – The Deepfake Problem05:50 – How to Fight Deception12:54 – Rise of "Digital Missionaries"18:37 – Online Faith, Offline Community

26 min
09/04/2025

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 crisis of meaning, the dangers of transhumanism, and why humanity's search for purpose could lead to an "existential cliff." Discover the Church's crucial role in providing hope and a vision for human flourishing in the age of machines. What's the biggest challenge you see with AI? Share your thoughts in the comments. 00:18 – Outsourcing Humanity05:05 – The "Existential Cliff"09:48 – A New Gnosticism?18:55 – AI for Evangelization28:46 – Raising Kids with AI37:22 – Human vs. Machine Labor

45 min
09/03/2025

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 (Administrative Director of the Pontifical Gregorian University) 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. Through advanced AI, this initiative is uncovering lost voices, correcting historical errors, and opening new doors for research and education. What could this new access to Church history mean for you? Share your thoughts in the comments! 1:47 - The Alexandria Digitization Project4:41 - How AI Transformed the Possibilities of Digitization13:03 - Correcting History: The Case of Nestorius20:34 - The Church on the Cutting Edge of Tech34:04 - AI in Catholic Education46:05 - Discovering "Lost Voices"

54 min
09/02/2025

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 Church — can help build a concrete vision of the future that is not just reactive, but positive. The discussion goes deeper into the importance of fidelity in AI systems, and how a desire to make the great Catholic texts more accessible has inspired the development of Catholic AI. If you’ve been searching for clarity on what AI really means for our humanity, our work, and our faith — this episode is for you. If you found this helpful, share it with someone asking big questions about AI — and let us know your thoughts. 18:25 - Extrapolation versus true AI innovation.19:57 - AI's impact on all jobs.28:07 - The geopolitical race for AGI.31:52 - Defining AGI and ASI.38:40 - The Church's role in stewarding AI.42:33 - What is Catholic AI?51:57 - The problem of AI hallucination.1:06:07 - How saints would use AI.

1h 10m
09/01/2025

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 Magisterium AI13:15 – How a Catholic AI is Different from ChatGPT24:46 – Digitizing the Church's Hidden Archives44:51 – The Future: “Chatting” with AIs of the saints 55:07 – The Church's Vision for the Age of AI

1h 3m
08/31/2025

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 AI can replace. 00:00 – Intro: AI Companions & Loneliness01:42 – Utopia vs. Dystopia16:53 – The Crisis of Mass Job Loss30:04 – The Church’s Answer to the AI Challenge1:00:00 – Transhumanism vs. Catholic Anthropology1:21:50 – Solving Alignment & The Meaning of Life

1h 29m

12 Episodes

For all those curious about the world of tomorrow and how to navigate the crucial choices presented by emerging technology, guided by the practical and timeless wisdom of the Catholic faith, join Benjamin Crockett on the Catholic Futurist Podcast.

Creator

Catholic Futurist
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

12
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© 2026 Catholic Futurist
Show Website

Catholic Futurist