Catholic Futurist

Catholic Futurist
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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.

  1. "Don't Hire Humans" — A Catholic Response to AI

    3D AGO

    "Don't Hire Humans" — A Catholic Response to AI

    A student sees a billboard: "Don't hire humans. Hire us robots." He walks into class and asks his professor: What's the point of this degree? That question—captured in this conversation—is the question of our era. And without a robust understanding of the human person, institutions struggle to answer it. In this episode of Catholic Futurist, Benjamin Crockett sits down with Dr. Aaron Dominguez, Provost of Catholic University of America, and John Brahier, a Catholic educator and Director of Partnerships at Longbeard, to explore what happens when an entire generation of students begins to wonder if humans are becoming obsolete. Timestamps: 0:00 - The Mirroring Effect of LLMs5:54 - AI as a New Industrial Revolution7:11 - Human Soul vs. Digital Simulation12:15 - Responding to the "Hire Robots" Narrative16:11 - Three Pillars for Human-AI Teams19:47 - Protecting Human Dignity Amidst Job LossThe conversation examines how the Church's understanding of Imago Dei serves as a safeguard against digital reductionism—the belief that humans are just a collection of automatable tasks. Drawing on the launch of new AI degree programs at Catholic University and real challenges facing educators, they discuss: why education must remain an incarnational encounterthe three pillars for ensuring technology leads to human flourishinghow to prepare for a world where work is disrupted but dignity remainsand what it means to find purpose when your profession may not exist in ten years

    26 min
  2. Will AI Create a New Super-Elite?

    FEB 6

    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
  3. Star Wars & Catholicism: Is anyone beyond redemption?

    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
  4. AI, Loneliness, and the Need for Real Presence

    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
  5. AI in Parish Life: What Every Catholic Needs to Know

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

    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
  7. AI May Flatter But It’s Not Your Friend

    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
  8. The Pope, Deepfakes & the Future of Media

    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
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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Catholic Futurist
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Catholic Futurist
  • Show Website
    Catholic Futurist