Venerable Mary Aikenhead Oration: ‘From Dublin to Digital’, Presented by Maggie Doherty

The 2025 Venerable Mary Aikenhead Oration, ‘From Dublin to Digital: Mary Aikenhead’s Vision in the AI Era’, will be presented by Maggie Doherty, Director of the Centre for the Art of Living and Dying Well, St Mary’s University London.

In the early 19th century, the Venerable Mary Aikenhead could not have predicted a future in which telemedicine, wearable technology and virtual wards would be used to provide care; virtual learning would be accessible for all; secure schools would take the place of juvenile detention facilities; and virtual reality headsets would allow us to explore new worlds.

She and her Sisters of Charity would, however, perhaps recognise the driving purpose of these developments: to enable everyone to access the care and education they deserve, regardless of where they were born or their individual circumstances in life.

This oration will explore the challenges and opportunities of our times, through the lens of the life, mission and work of Venerable Mary Aikenhead in the Age of AI, and will include time for Q&A at the end.

Register by 22 July for online attendance. Attendance is free.