ChurchGPT: Christian Faith in the Age of AI

The Annual MMGSI Faith and Science Workshop

Mary, Mother of the Good Shepherd Institute hosts its fourth annual Faith and Science Workshop, this year on artificial intelligence. Two professional speakers, one a theologian and one a particle physicist, will help us think clearly about AI from both Catholic and scientific perspectives.

The day is built around three goals: to clarify where the faith and the science actually stand on AI, to give participants room to talk it through in a positive setting, and to point everyone toward good resources for continued learning. Registration includes the speaker presentations, a boxed lunch, and discussion tables.

This workshop is open to anyone interested in understanding AI more deeply and joining an honest, healthy conversation about it. Come and see why it is so timely for Catholics in the Diocese of Cleveland and beyond.

When the workshop ends, all attendees are invited to celebrate the vigil Mass together at St. Sebastian at 4:30 PM.

The Speakers

Jordan Wales is the Kuczmarski Associate Professor of Theology and chairman of the Department of Philosophy and Theology at Hillsdale College. He is a member of the AI Research Group for the Holy See’s Centre for Digital Culture and co-authored Encountering Artificial Intelligence: Ethical and Anthropological Investigations (Pickwick, 2024). He holds a Ph.D. in Theology from the University of Notre Dame and a B.S. in Engineering from Swarthmore College.

Dr. Fernanda Psihas is Assistant Professor of Computer Science & Physics at Franciscan University of Steubenville. She is a member of the Society of Catholic Scientists and the American Physical Society division of particles and fields. She holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Indiana University Bloomington, an M.S. in Physics from the University of Minnesota Duluth, and a B.S. in Engineering Physics from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. She also completed the Faith & Science: The Catholic Approach program at the University of Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life.

Event Details

When: Saturday, November 14, 2026, 11:00 AM to 3:30 PM
Where: Zwisler Hall, St. Sebastian Parish, Akron, OH
Cost: $20, boxed lunch included
Vigil Mass: All attendees are invited to celebrate Mass together at 4:30 PM.

Registration is required for planning purposes and closes one week before the event, on Friday, November 7, 2026.

All are welcome.