Work Your Values

Episode Overview

Given the recent excitement and "sudden" interest in the intersection of Faith and AI, driven by the Pope's Encyclical to be released tomorrow, our own CTO Frank Connelly releases this episode - revealing that a small group of civic technology developers have been developing human centered AI that counters the Big Tech narrative - instead envisioning a future or work and society that uses effective acceleration (e/acc) of morally guided AI (and open source development) that is designed to help support humanity and our endeavors the way God intended - a completely different version of the future that embeds Catholic Social Teachings not as guardrails but actual infrastructure to how this amazing technology has been supporting hard to reach communities since 2011. Yes, that's not a typo - over a decade. We are thrilled that Pope Leo is surfacing our work. Welcome to the future we want and how Christ's social teaching will save us all, regardless of faith.Click here to view the episode transcript.

• Host: Frank Connelly, Chief Technology Officer at Sunday to Sunday Productions and co-founder of two media tech AI companies.
• Theme: Exploring the intersection of faith, work, and the moral implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• Core Message: AI should be designed to empower and build capability around humans ("human in the middle"), rather than just keeping a "human in the loop" as a tangential component.

Key Discussion Points

• The Vatican's Stance: Discussion of the theological treatise Quo Vadis Humanitas, which addresses moral questions raised by AI, transhumanism, and the future of humanity.
• Techno-feudalism: A warning against an emerging digital economy where a small number of tech firms act as "feudal landlords," controlling the data and platforms everyone else must use.
• The Role of Catholic Social Teachings: The host argues that these teachings provide a necessary morality engine for technology, emphasizing that the economy exists to serve the human person.
• Dignity of Work: Work is presented as a God-given vocation and a primary way for humans to participate in creation and exercise dignity.
• Human-Centered AI: A call for businesses to take the lead in implementing AI that enhances human creativity and supports meaningful participation rather than just seeking algorithmic optimization and efficiency.

Featured Resources Mentioned

Frank's Articles about Faith + Tech on His Medium Channel Hero One Eleven

The Mystery of Faith

Frank's Articles about Faith + Tech on Substack

Big Tech Becomes Feudal Lord

Other Resource Materials Mentioned

• Treatise: Quo Vadis Humanitas by the International Theological Commission.
• Encyclical: Laborem Exercens by Pope John Paul II.
• Articles: "Techno-feudalism" by economist Yanis Varoufakis.
• Corporate Programs: HeroBridge and Hero 111, frameworks focused on wrapping technology around the individual.

Sponsor Information

• Sunday to Sunday Productions: A media ministry founded by Father Mike Russo, dedicated to supporting Catholic digital missionaries, artists, and podcasters.
• Contact: [email protected]

In this episode of "Work Your Values," Frank explores the rise of Catholic digital missionaries and their role in modern evangelization. This episode is a call to action for rising voices of digital evangelization, and interesting for anyone interested in the growing movement of online encounter that is leading young and returning, back to the pews in record numbers!

Whether your a digital missionary or just interested in this Holy phenomena, this episode explores the real work, perseverance, importance and perils of this massive and growing "field of mission" as Pope Leo refers to it as. It is fertile ground where young and old, clergy and laity are finding their voice, and working their values. AMDG!

SHOW NOTES

The three articles about Faith &Technology Frank mentions

Part 1: Faith & Tech: Odd Bedfellows

Part 2: Faith & Tech: Called to Preach

Part 3: Faith & Tech: The Mystery of Faith

The Pope's July 2025 address and statements on Christian Humanism that Frank mentions

Catholic Digital Missionaries & Influencers
Christian Humanism - not just creating content, creating an encounter of heart

More about how Sunday to Sunday Productions' mission is to assist and grow the new voices of digital missionary work

How Sunday to Sunday Productions Supports Catholic Digital Missionaries

• Scholarship Opportunity: Sunday to Sunday Productions offers support, media production assistance, and growth strategies to established Catholic digital missionaries through the Father Mike Russo scholarship.
• Criteria
  1. You've been building your voice and audience long enough to show us you have the commitment and a defined evangelization. It doesn't matter if it's writings, or podcasts, or videos, or art - if it's where you're being called to preach and you've proven your committed, that's the first step.
  2. Your voice is informed and well formed. You have a specific audience that you intend to reach. You've reached that audience and it is resonating. We're not going to get caught up in the numbers of followers, but if you have  evidence that your message is resonating with hearts and minds, then that's the second step.
  3. You're open to our approach of how to build an attentive heart that strategically leads to authentic interactions and encounters with Christ in the world, and daily life. We'll look at what you've built, see what infrastructure and strategy you need to take your voice from inspirational to activational. There with you every step of the way.  Check out the CALLED site www.preachingjourney.com and you'll see we create digital and real world opportunities to build community and fellowship not just likes, follows and shares. Committing you mission to building attentive hearts benefits both the missionary (the evangelizer) and the evangelized to co-exist in Christ's love and learn together how everyday is an opportunity to encounter Christ through each other.

If you've read this far, and this feels like it's you, please reach out to me [email protected] or our Director Dominic Ambrosio at [email protected]

EPISODE SUMMARY

Part 1: The Rise of Digital Missionaries

• Diverse Voices: A new wave of Catholic digital missionaries, including priests, laypeople, artists, and podcasters, is emerging on social media with a clear, courageous message.
• A Living Church: These creators are helping people rediscover the sacraments, prayer, and Catholic intellectual tradition, emphasizing that the Church is a living community, not a relic.
• Increasing Engagement: Reports from 2025 and 2026 indicate sharp increases in adults entering the Catholic Church across various dioceses, with digital outreach cited as a significant factor in this trend.
• Historical Precedent: Frank identifies Saint Paul the Apostle as the first "social media influencer," noting that the Holy Spirit has always used people and the available media of their time to spread the Gospel.

Part 2: Papal Support and Guidance

• Affirmation of Digital Mission: On July 29, 2025, Pope Leo addressed digital missionaries, affirming their work as a real field of mission to nourish Christian hope in online spaces.
• Christian Humanism: The Pope emphasized that digital culture must remain human, calling for a "culture of Christian humanism" where witness is authentic and leads to true understanding.
• Authentic Encounter: Missionaries are urged not just to create content for likes and follows, but to foster an "encounter of hearts" and build genuine community.

Part 3: Authentic Digital Mission Work

• Beyond Analytics: Authentic mission work avoids treating people as consumers or metrics; instead, it sees every online interaction as an encounter with a soul.
• Real-World Application: Effective digital ministry serves as a conduit back to real-life engagement, such as parish life, the Eucharist, confession, and vocations.
• Relationship Poverty: Frank highlights "relationship poverty" as a root issue in modern society and argues that digital missionaries are called to foster the real relationships that people are yearning for.

TRANSCRIPT
Click here to view the episode transcript.

🎧 Episode Summary:

In this compelling inaugural episode, host Frank Connelly sits down with Chaplain Justin Roberts—a combat veteran, ordained minister, and acclaimed documentary filmmaker—for a conversation about "service" that spans battlefields, belief, and filmmaking. As the world grapples with ongoing war and conflict, Justin shares how his calling led him to the frontlines in Afghanistan, Ukraine, and hurricane-devastated Louisiana.

Frank and Justin explore what it means to “work your values” when your daily work means carrying no weapon into war zones, comforting the wounded, or crafting stories that heal. Justin discusses how he became a chaplain, why storytelling became a sacred calling, and how spiritual vocation can shape public witness.

This is a raw, riveting conversation about faith in action, how suffering refines purpose, and why “the Ministry of the Knight” matters now more than ever.

🔥 Key Topics:

• How Justin’s traumatic childhood and his grandfather's legacy shaped his faith and sense of service and purpose
• The unique role of military chaplains—serving without weapons on the battlefield
• Directing No Greater Love, a raw combat documentary that won critical acclaim
• Filming Fighting Spirit with the U.S. Military and executive producer Chris Pratt and Paulist Productions
• The "Do Good" mission-continues initiative and series that spotlighting unsung heroes after natural disasters
• Ministry beyond the pulpit: finding purpose in secular work
• Why storytelling is sacred and film is a modern sanctuary
• The concept of the "Ministry of the Knight"—those whose work is to defend justice with honor
• Reconciling our brokenness with our divine purpose
• Turning trauma into transformation through vocation

📽 Featured Films:

• No Greater Love (Directed by Justin Roberts): A powerful look into combat, brotherhood, and post-war trauma.
  📺 Watch on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, or YouTube
• Fighting Spirit (A Paulist Productions Film, Directed by Roberts, Executive Producer: Chris Pratt):
  A poignant documentary journey exploring the lives of U.S. military chaplains through the ages.
  📺 View via Paulist Productions

💬 Memorable Quote:

✍️ Connect + Explore:

• Learn more about Justin's new initiative: Do Good (Spotlighting the unsung heroes. Frank, an Executive Producer)
• Justin talks a bit about "the order of the knight" which is a general reference to those who are sworn "responders" and defenders of a free society. If you're interested in service, check out the Knights of Columbus, of which I am a member. It's not some stodgy secret society it's actually a really well organized responder/ defender lay mission of the Catholic Church, stepping in where the world needs our assistance. 
• Discover the CALLED program if you want to explore how to better encounter Christ in your daily life: PreachingJourney.com
• Explore Sunday to Sunday Productions

🙌 Join the Work Your Values Journey:

👉 Subscribe, share, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.
 👉 Interested in being a guest or sponsoring a work-faith episode topic? Contact Frank Connelly — [email protected]
 👉 Follow us on social media and join our mission to bring faith and values to everyday work.

🎙️ Work Your Values – Teaser Episode
Host: Frank Connelly, CMO of Sunday to Sunday Productions

Description:
What if your daily work was more than just a job? What if the everyday grind was actually sacred ground—a place where your values, leadership, and purpose come to life?

In this teaser episode, host Frank Connelly introduces Work Your Values—a new podcast that explores how Catholic social teachings (understood in their universal sense) offer timeless wisdom for leading a purpose-driven professional life. Whether you’re Catholic or not, this show dives deep into the why behind the what—why people across business, tech, entertainment, sports, and service choose to work the way they do.

We won’t just ask for a resume. We’ll ask what they stand for.

Subscribe and tune in if you want to:

• Explore what purpose looks like in real-world work and life
• Learn how everyday people live out big values to inspire you and activate
• Discover how to integrate faith, ethics, and leadership in a secular workplace

New episodes dropping soon. Because how you work… is who you are.

🔗 Connect:

• Website: www.sundaytosunday.com
• CALLED App: www.preachingjourney.com
• Instagram: @sundaytosundayproductions
• Twitter/X: @wyvpodcast   (coming soon)
• About Frank's secular life