Catching Foxes

We discuss our amazing MEETUP and LIVE RECORDING at Deacon Baldy's on March 8 that all of you should buy a plane ticket and come out and hang out.  A big THANK YOU to our fans who have downloaded this show from iTunes. We are ranked Number 178 out of the Top 200 in the Religion and Spirituality category. This means we were ranked higher than Bishop Barron's Sermons! Take that! (I love you, bishop Barron, please be on our show).  In this episode, Gomer goes pee and Luke literally talks to himself, but I drown him out with The Girl from Ipanema. Like a gentleman. We talk about Trump and the Johnson Amendment. Just remember that the Johnson Amendment was pushed by LBJ in 1954 to protect his re-election because the local Christian groups in Texas were calling him a communist and he didn't want pastors preaching against him. Interesting, but it still has merits. I do not want my pastor telling me who to vote for, but at the same time, until 1954 all pastors and non-profits were able to do this. Blah.Luke asks about how to talk to teens about death, and since my parish just experienced the death of a 20-year-old, it was a very pertinent question. Hard, though. 

They are YouTube's dopest Catholic couple proving that Fun is Universal one video at a time. Luke and I interview "That Catholic Couple" for today's show, which is a dream-come-true (for them). This fine couple works hard to create a fun and Catholic show that respects the YouTube culture. We discuss "The Incident" that almost ended their show and how Luke saved the day (yeah, we retell that old story). Then we talk about how handsome Gomer is and that's pretty much where the show picks up.You can find their YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/ThatCatholicCouple

For the first hour, we talk about the life and trials of a man who is a Catholic musician that travels the world bringing his own powerful presence to the stage. The second hour we talk about being a black son of African immigrants in America. This leads us into conversations about culture, being rootless, identity and the walls we Earthers tend to put up around us.Special Guest: Ike Ndolo.

We argue while agreeing the whole time. I think I said, "I 100 percent agree" like 18 times.

Luke and I interview Brad and Kellie Farley, founders of www.ModernTestament.org and a couple in the midst of fighting to save their marriage from alcoholism and infidelity. They drew strength by hearing other people's nightmares, and how they made it out alive. Inspired by their stories of brokenness, hurt, and recovery, they began to fashion a website for people to do the same thing on a new kind of website. The Modern Testament is how you describe the Holy Spirit working in the midst of your brokenness. I'll let Brad tell it from his post on Medium: “For me, 2016 was getting fired for the first time, coming to the realization that I was a piece of shit person whose arrogance and selfishness put those around me in bad spots, dealing with a failing marriage, coming clean about 7 years of secrets and lies, and my wife’s first-hidden then public alcohol abuse.Religion was my turning point. Always a casual Christian, I dove deep and found the inspiration to make real, substantial change. That’s not everyone’s driver though, but a simple fact remains: when we are vulnerable and honest with each other, pretensions fall and real connections can be made.I have shared my testimony with many people and it has fostered much deeper relationships than I ever had before. So that’s what we want to do; connect people together through humility and vulnerability. We’re creating our own platform for it at www.moderntestament.org, but Medium is also a great vehicle too.So, we want to publish stories of people being REAL — not just social-media-perfection-real, but really real with their struggles, pains, hopes, and saving graces. Let’s unite for good on the Internet, finally. Let’s connect those who need help to those who can.” — medium.com/themoderntestament

The single life as a Catholic adult can be difficult, even isolating. We interview Maggie, a friend from college, and have a conversation with her about that sweet, sweet freedom she still has (never let it go!). We talk loneliness, hobbies, happiness and family (Luke hits on her mom, again!). We talk about how break-ups change from your 20's to your 30's, and how Luke is a terrible, terrible dater.We don't talk about chastity. Ever.

"Father Mike was my brother..."And with these words from Father Dave Pivonka, Franciscan TOR, we begin our Catching Foxes memorial of Fr. Mike Scanlan. To us, he was a spiritual giant, shaping our entire lives as well as the landscape of Catholicism in America. A Harvard Lawyer, a Roman Catholic priest, a Franciscan Friar, a Dean, a pivotal figure in the Charismatic Renewal, a pro-life legend, Fr Michael Scanlan, born 1931 in Long Island and died last Saturday, January 7, 2017, after a protracted illness, lived a singular life of grace.In this episode Luke and I speak of his impact on our lives, which curiously ebbed and flowed with the homily Fr. Dave Pivonka gave at the University’s Memorial Service on January 11. So I commingled Fr. Dave’s words with our own discussion, as well as including a few choice quotes Franciscan University had gathered together so that you can get a sense of the man.It is our sincere hope that you pray with Fr. Dave at the end of this episode and let Christ be the Lord of your life and let his Holy Spirit lead you into the path of peace. Fr Mike was a good man, a true priest, and a beautiful witness that God is still moving in our world today.So here, on the day he was laid to rest at his Motherhouse in Loretto, Pennsylvania, Thursday, January 12, 2017, we hope that you too can trust God enough to LET THE FIRE FALL." Franciscan University of Steubenville prepared a lovely homepage, "A Life of Grace," for Father Michael Scanlan, TOR to remember him and honor his life. You can find that here. Well done, Alma Mater!This is the website to the Third Order Regular Franciscans to which Fr. Michael and Fr. Dave Pivonka both belonged: http://franciscanstor.org/ Lastly, buy this book: Let the Fire Fall, third edition 

Explicit at parts, this is the official highlight reel of our show so far. I thought the end of 2016 would be a good time for a retrospective. You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll learn. Enjoy my sound effects from one clip to another. We cover about 30 shows in here, so obviously we couldn't get everything and everyone we interview, but here are some gems.Remember: Catching Foxes (only Luke though) and That Catholic Couple will be doing a Meet Up at the SEEK 2017 Conference in Bar Rojo at The Grand Hyatt Hotel. Head to the Facebook event page in case they need to switch locations at the last minute! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1895267024038164/" target="_blank">

This is Gomer's embarrassing moment. First we talk about accompanying someone who is trying to overcome a drug addiction, which leads us to the topic of interventions, which Gomer twists into a topic on his weight management problems. Also, WTF is wrong with gym/wrestling coaches from Oklahoma in the 90s?!Reminder: That Catholic Couple and Catching Foxes* will be at the SEEK 2017 conference for a Meet Up on January 7th. Location To Be Determined by Luke responding to Daniel's text messages.  <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/58540ed8ebbd1abde9cadfc8/1481903834483/" data-image-dimensions="1600x1600" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="58540ed8ebbd1abde9cadfc8" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/58540ed8ebbd1abde9cadfc8/1481903834483/?format=1000w" />

The episode you've all been waiting for! (Mostly because we haven't released a new episode in two or three weeks. I blame the Russians!) In this episode we deal with divorce. What happens when one person in a marriage simply and totally does not want to stay married? How can one person fix the problems the other has no intention of working on? And, for all of us, how do we treat the divorced and/or single parent families in our lives?Yeah, it's a big episode, but it's a good episode.ANNOUNCEMENT: Join Luke and That Catholic Couple for a MeetUp at the FOCUS: SEEK Conference in San Antonio on January 6th!THANK YOU SPONSOR! We want to thank Cherubalm.com for their continued support of the show. Head to cherubalm.com/pages/our-mission and find out more about their mission and the organizations they support.

We talk about needing one another and what that looks like, and why so many things are against it. One of our refined episodes, because we get into a lot of interesting stuff. Also, I think there's one F-Bomb in this episode from your old pal Gomer. Thank you, Cherubalm.com for sponsoring our show. Head over to CHERUBALM.COM/FOXES before the end of November for a 20% off discount! Thank you, Cherubalm for supporting this show. What ever happened to communityThe Homeless ModernHome-Making for Home-ComingSatan was the First PhilanthropistMy Comments on Satan was the First PhilanthropistSimone Weil, The Need for Roots <a href="http://www.cherubalm.com/foxes" target="_blank"> <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/582f0b3b893fc022aa08afa8/1479478134322/" data-image-dimensions="600x600" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="582f0b3b893fc022aa08afa8" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/582f0b3b893fc022aa08afa8/1479478134322/?format=1000w" /> </a>

This is our first time back in three weeks, having recorded the last two episodes originally as one long episode. Then Luke’s internet completely died in their classy, old apartment building, so we recorded late on Saturday night. But you’ve patiently waited on us, so we will gift you with a special 2 hour episode! We start off with a return of 10 minute topics as our Hero Luke launches a GoFundMe Campaign for That Catholic Couple which met its goal in just 32 hours. Immediately following that we begin to argue with one another about Community Groups for 45 minutes, breaking the 10 minute limit. After that, we regrouped, I drank more wine, and we discuss Dr. Strange and crappy Marvel villains, Pop Culture, Who Gomer voted for in the Early Elections, Jimmy Eat World, and the podcast State of the Union.SPONSORWe want to thank our unsponsor who unadvertised with our unpodcast, Cherubalm, makers of baby lotion bars that are great on skin and safe for cloth diapers, for giving us money not to talk about their family product. 

We dive into the Trumpster and the significance of his absurdist campaign, mocking the corrupt GOP (and DNC) who pretend to give us choice. Except Trump's money and celebrity allows to him bypass the entire Establishment and point a tiny finger at the absurdity at the heart of American politics. Also, I'm sick, so these are the show notes.Thanks to BenSound.com for the theme music!Thanks to the artist of this weird mashup of Trump and Hillary that I am using for the artwork. <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/5812d30403596eed2599354f/1477628686027/" data-image-dimensions="1600x1600" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="5812d30403596eed2599354f" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/5812d30403596eed2599354f/1477628686027/?format=1000w" />

Tom <LastNameRedacted> is a friend and lawyer. You'd think the second one would invalidate the first one, and it almost did when he wrote us an angry letter last week! He invokes the Lukan Privilege to not mention last names or employer. Tom does mostly labor issues and personal injury defense litigation, which Luke pounces on to talk about the hottest topic at his office, what are his thoughts are on the new overtime labor law for salaried employees, like youth ministers. Then we dive into the complicated nature of Catholics who favor social justice issues and used that to justify their vote for Obama 8 years ago, only to watch the Obama Administration restrict religious liberty only to those organizations that do services and promulgate the faith directly, so bye-bye hundreds of soup kitchens, homeless shelters, halfway houses, orphanages, and the corporal works of mercy!Finally, we end with a rousing conversation about community, life, and family, which ends the civil part of the show.https://www.dol.gov/featured/overtimehttps://blog.dol.gov/2016/05/18/who-benefits-from-the-new-overtime-rule/https://www.dol.gov/WHD/overtime/final2016/Thanks to BenSound.com for the theme music! <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/5809a98959cc68829b5acbae/1477028238318/" data-image-dimensions="1600x1600" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="5809a98959cc68829b5acbae" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/5809a98959cc68829b5acbae/1477028238318/?format=1000w" />

Our first family member on the show, Luke's sister Emily shares the pain, embarrassment, and isolation from being a victim of sexual assault. She shares with us the struggle of being ignored or blamed instead of loved. She also shares how this crap is still going on in her life with a previous employer at a billion dollar company.Also, every time Luke and Emily walk down memory lane, I play "The Girl from Ipanema" elevator song. So yeah, you're going to love that song by the end of the show.Finally, Trumps comments from 11 years ago are disgusting, but what is even more disgusting is the way people are defending those comments. I have to delete my Facebook account. This is too much. And yes, I'm a bear. <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/580073fc5016e1907a30e1ac/1476424702986/" data-image-dimensions="1600x1600" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="580073fc5016e1907a30e1ac" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/580073fc5016e1907a30e1ac/1476424702986/?format=1000w" />

We are the Syro-Phoenician Woman. You are the scraps that fall from the Master's table. Wait. This sounded better in my head a minute ago. In this episode we talk COMMUNITY GROUPS! ...or Life Groups... or Cell Groups, or House Church Groups, or Small Faith Groups, or 242 Groups or Connect Groups or Discipleship Groups or ...whatever.Then Gomer tells Luke he is done with his need for approval from people at the parish. He's ready to take it to the next level, job be damned! (but pleeeease don't let it be damned! I love working there.) session one// The Gospel.pdf Here's the talkie talk I gave at the Encounter Houston young adult conference called Intimacy with God.

This is a fun episode with two moderately decent people. Jackie is a famous Catholic musician and speaker, who performs for groups large and small. Bobby is a Catholic School teacher, a bearded gentleman, and a lover of Mumford and Sons. This episode is light-hearted, except that Gomer drank a few beers and started dominating the conversation.  <a href="http://jackieandbobby.com" target="_blank"> <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57ee7a2c893fc0c995dc3c2f/1475246660102/" data-image-dimensions="843x843" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="57ee7a2c893fc0c995dc3c2f" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57ee7a2c893fc0c995dc3c2f/1475246660102/?format=1000w" /> </a>

Sexual addiction is more than just the acting out, yet we tend to focus almost exclusively on the external results of an internal wound (or wounds). Like many people who talk about their sexual addiction, such as Audrey Assad, a lot of this starts with family of origin issues. The man we interview, whom we respectfully call Joey Joe Joe Shabadoo, started attending Sex Addicts Anonymous when he was 19 years old. He was living a double life and hated it: giving a theology of the body talk in the evening, and then meeting strangers for sexual hookups in dangerous places. This is a powerful interview. “Before coming to Sex Addicts Anonymous, many of us never knew that our problem had a name. All we knew was that we couldn’t control our sexual behavior. For us, sex was a consuming way of life. Although the details of our stories were different, our problem was the same. We were addicted to sexual behaviors that we returned to over and over, despite the consequences.” — Sex Addicts Anonymous, p. 3 John Paul II Healing CenterTheology of the Body InstituteIs SAA right for you? Do you have a Sexual Addiction? <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57e4c771579fb35bcfcf59e2/1474611060340/" data-image-dimensions="1600x1600" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="57e4c771579fb35bcfcf59e2" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57e4c771579fb35bcfcf59e2/1474611060340/?format=1000w" />

Catholic Twitter was delivered a crushing blow by one of its own members. Turns out, dozens of people, especially a college student and author named Chad, were catfished, which means essentially that you form a relationship with someone via social media and the whole time they are only pretending to be that person. (Here's an actual Catholic News Agency article on it.)Luke finds it hilarious. I do too, but only because I wasn't involved and am not really a part of Catholic Twitter, being too busy watching the Apple Keynote a few dozen times. But Luke masterfully connects this incident of catfishing to a wider issue, the ANIMA TECHNICA VACUA.Also, Luke is annoyed somewhat that people are taking this waaaay too seriously. For example: "As I consider ThisCatholicGirl in light of Exaltation of the Holy Cross, I am going to be honest—this is a conversation I am hesitant to have, because behind the public personas of the handle and Chase’s blog," (Marina Olson, Patheos Eating Peaches blog, emphasis mine)Also, there some South Park references and a whole slew of "tiny penis" jokes, but I can neither confirm nor deny their validity.Finally, Matt Fradd is apparently catfishing all of us. The real person behind the mask? An actual catfish named Whiskers. Also, buy his book, Pints with Aquinas. Also, OUR APOLOGIES TO RAYMOND ARROYO FOR THE INCORRECT INSINUATION. <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57dcb9eae3df28c822ba9704/1474083318477/" data-image-dimensions="1600x1600" data-image-focal-point="0.48214285714285715,0.375" data-load="false" data-image-id="57dcb9eae3df28c822ba9704" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57dcb9eae3df28c822ba9704/1474083318477/?format=1000w" />

Everett Fritz likes to lob grenades at our presuppositions regarding large group ministry. He took a long, hard look at his youth group and realized only 10% or less were actually following Jesus Christ. Those that were following Christ were not just youth group attendees, but also personally mentored by him or others. That's when he realized discipleship isn't a program or an event. It's getting involved in people's lives and letting them get involved in yours on a personal level. And that cannot be done for the crowds.Discipleship matters. He even wrote a book about breaking free from pornography through his discipleship approach. His book Freedom: Battle Strategies for Conquering Temptation looks at victory over porn and masturbation addiction through the lens of following Christ. It's written for men because those are the people he mentors.This episode has some controversial stuff born out of a frustrations and also out of love. Just give it a listen, take a breath, and snag whatever insight you can. Also be on the lookout for his next book on discipleship in Catholic youth ministry, which should be out by November.Then there is this... The Big M by Lust Control

So the regular host, Matt Fradd, couldn't be here today. So we had to drag Luke back out from the freezer, thaw him out, and unleash him on AMERICA'S FAVORITE PODCAST THEME: 10 MINUTE TOPICS!And we don't really stay to 10 minutes on any of them.Thanks to BenSound.com for the show music. Also, thanks to YouTube for letting me fair use the crap out of the Stranger Things Main Title song! <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57c90d80414fb58de2d51459/1472793988569/" data-image-dimensions="320x320" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="57c90d80414fb58de2d51459" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57c90d80414fb58de2d51459/1472793988569/?format=1000w" />

Gomer gets to interview Matt Fradd, America's Favorite Austrailian, for the show. I thought we would talk about his amazing new book, Pints With Aquinas: 50+ Deep Thoughts from the Angelic Doctor, the entire time, but it turns out he wanted to talk about how to argue philosophically without being a jerk. Only slightly choice language in this episode.http://mattfradd.com/http://theporneffect.com/http://integrityrestored.com/PINTS WITH AQUINASPints with Aquinas the book: http://amzn.to/2ckAuoVPints with Aquinas the podcast: http://mattfradd.com/new-book/pints-with-aquinas/ Thanks to BenSound.com for the royalty free music! 

Americans divorce most often at 18 months and at 8 years. Luke is coming up on 18 months and I just rounded by 7th year, so we take stock and reflect on our marriages. WARNING: sexy questions and occasional sexy answer ahead. Please do not listen in the presence of a minor, the elderly, and without a glass of alcohol in your hands! <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57b72fc5579fb39bc0e43e9c/1471623113090/" data-image-dimensions="800x800" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="57b72fc5579fb39bc0e43e9c" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57b72fc5579fb39bc0e43e9c/1471623113090/?format=1000w" />

The editor-at-large for America Magazine and author of numerous books on the faith, we interview Fr James Martin, SJ. From corporation living to Jesuit Order, he tells us why he left the world of finance for p;overty, chastity and obedience. We also dives into what the 12 years of Jesuit formation is like, which is crazy fascinating and sounds exhausting.Then we break into the topic of Pope Francis. We talk about his Jesuitness, what it did for the Jesuits internally, and his relationship to the last two popes. This leads us into a great discussion of a common theme here on Catching Foxes: the division of Catholics into Conservative and Progressive, Right and Left, blah blah blah.Finally, we talk about haters on Twitter who call him a heretic for his more controversial tweets, and how he deals with it. ("I can't come to Compline, there's someone wrong on the Internet!") <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57addacf15d5db54452f3519/1471011539872/" data-image-dimensions="1400x1400" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="57addacf15d5db54452f3519" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57addacf15d5db54452f3519/1471011539872/?format=1000w" /> Where you can find him onlinehttps://twitter.com/JamesMartinSJhttps://www.facebook.com/FrJamesMartinhttp://jamesmartin.hc.com/Some Books of his that we mention...Jesus: A PilgrimageMy Life with the SaintsIn Good Company: The Fast Track from the Corporate World to Poverty, Chastity, and ObedienceLourdes DiaryThis Our Exile

We open talking about Apple products and their over-design that just doesn't make sense and is making Gomer kind of crazy in a First World Problem sort of way.Songs of Gomer's heroismI need a herowe could be heroes - david bowie or the wallflowersTURTLE POWERMariah - and then a hero comes alongNickleback - heroRemember that terrible Puddle of Mudd song where they sing,  "I like your pants around your feet?" Well we got a story about that. But more importantly, Luke thought it said, "I like your pants around your face." WELL IT TURNS OUT IT'S NICKLEBACK!!! It's called "Figured You Out" apparently. Apparently...Spider-Man 3’s demo scene https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtx18tPNda4 Then we talk about accidental racism, sexism, bigotry, and how we tend to defend our motivations instead of changing our actions. Also, "people first."Luke gives us a Ghostbusters review from The Incomparable podcast, episode 310 “I hated Mrs Slimer”.FINALLY, Gomer is a Hero and he tells his self-aggrandizing tale of intervening in a domestic dispute. Luke longs for a news report to be about a "local podcaster" being a hero and encouraging everyone to leave iTunes reviews. But more importantly, we talk about her reactions to the abuse and assistance. She is constantly apologizing for being abused. Luke connects this to a common thing in movies where women are constantly trying to prop up men's emotional states and apologize for everything, even if it isn't their fault. This horrible tale ends with my innocent daughter Kateri making fun of me.Possible Alternative Show TitlesNuMetal Harry PotterA gomer can save youA gomer- some people hear it, some people fear itThe HumblebragYour thoughts?

All about comedy, late night, and stand up. Nothing about Trump, so yeah.SHOW NOTESBeth Stelling on her Sexual Assault: https://www.instagram.com/p/_2AwgCQzty/Hannibal Buress and why he called Bill Cosby a Rapist: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/who-is-hannibal-buress-and-why-did-he-call-bill-cosby-a-rapist/The Carmichael Show: http://www.nbc.com/the-carmichael-show/video/fallen-heroes/2995567Interview on Steve Harvey about the Cosby Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jii-iEkWpMILouis CK on SNL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzh7RtIJKZk“Yes And…" https://www.buzzfeed.com/katiejmbaker/standing-up-to-sexual-harassment-and-assault-in-las-comedy-s?utm_term=.ugeQJXJ6L#.nc7yB7BD3Old Dennis Miller: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dennis+miller+hboBo Turnham: Art is Dead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nee0Kg1LGCcChris Rock SNL monologue: http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/chris-rock-monologue/n10906Jim Gaffigan: http://www.tvland.com/shows/the-jim-gaffigan-showLift High the Banners of Love - John Michael Talbot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBCAFx3vXkc

If you wrote a review on iTunes for our podcast: THANK YOU! The contest is officially over, but we still appreciate all that you did for us. <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/5796e160b3db2b0f3f601e9f/1469505892080/" data-image-dimensions="1400x1400" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="5796e160b3db2b0f3f601e9f" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/5796e160b3db2b0f3f601e9f/1469505892080/?format=1000w" /> SHOWNOTESWe covered a little bit of everything from the viewpoint of everyone's favorite only black friend, Greg! First Greg starts us off slow by asserting that Traddies are frustrated whites who want a Euro-centric mass that was perfectly fine till those other people showed up and started worshipping! Then we talk the travails of Franciscan University (DRINK!). Then we walk through a list of First Ladies we think are attractive (answer: Barbara Bush), but this was only a side note.Greg then tells us his fool proof way to get people back into Church: care about the liturgy. I guess one slogan could be, "Make Mass Badass Again". Finally, we get into the Trump. This is over a month before last week's rolling disaster that was the RNC (Scott Baio?!), but Greg wants to give us a measured take on the man and those who vote for him. We even talk about the way black are allowed to be racist vs. Azealia Banks' racism.Andrew Sullivan's Article: America Has Never Been More Ripe for TyrannyFinally we talk about A Comedian's Truth, Cynicism, and the danger of the Bubbles we create.SPONSORSpecial thanks to CatholicBalm.co for their continued sponsorship! Head over now to their website to order their great products, especially the lip balm that Shannon endorsed. Use promo code TEAMMICHAEL or TEAMLUKE (all one word) at checkout to claim your 10% off.

Originally recorded on July 05, 2016Overcome with amazement, we talk Game of Thrones. The Season Six final two episodes were a phenomenal ending to a season. Probably the best ending to any season of any TV show ever. (looking at you, Lost.)We discuss the revelation of fan theories being confirmed (R+L=J), Gomer postulates that the White Walkers will actually win because George R. R. Martin hates us that much, how season six is the rise of the Ladies (Sansa, Cercei, the Sand Snakes, the Unburnt and her dragons, the Queen of the Iron Isles), and how Jamie Lannister will go west, young man, like Michael W Smith.(Game of Throne Theme song is copyright of HBO. Thanks, fair use!)Special Thanks to CatholicBalm.co for sponsoring this episode! Please head over to their website and enter the special promo code "TeamMichael" or "TeamLuke" at the checkout for a savings of 10% on your order!iTunes Ratings Contest! The pot is sweeter as Sarah from Catholic Drinkie and Arleen Spenceley from Chastity is for Lovers are adding their books to the giveaway. Go to iTunes and rate this podcast (hopefully 5 stars!). If posted between July 8 to July 22, 2016, and you're in the continental United States (sorry Alaska and Hawaii, the freak states), you are entered to win a drawing for our Catholic nerd out prize. Thanks to all those who have already submitted their ratings and reviews! <img class="thumb-image" alt="Remember, TeamMichael or TeamLuke at checkout gets you 10% off!" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/578931815016e163b634b609/1468608908422/" data-image-dimensions="1169x1084" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="578931815016e163b634b609" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/578931815016e163b634b609/1468608908422/?format=1000w" /> <p>Remember, TeamMichael or TeamLuke at checkout gets you 10% off!</p>

Luke tells us a hilarious tale about this one time at Franciscan (drink!) that he auditioned for Macbeth and was shunned by theater nerds. This opens us up to talk about Luke's love life and past relationships, a common theme here at Catching Foxes. Then we talk about Lethal Weapon and My Cousin Vinny for a few moments, as well as having the priest face East during Mass.Then we enter the fray. How far is too far? This is the question that drives us back into Luke's love life, but only after Gomer tells a 4 minute story about being a pubescent boy with wild hormones trying to control himself in the presence of a girl. Yes, it's about erections. Yes, it's hilarious. And yes, most humans should probably just skip it. (Get Overcast as your podcast player and it'll show you chapters so you can skip to the next part! or re-listen!)We discuss (not instruct!) about balance, dating, experimenting, failing, and what it means to obey the moral laws on sexuality and to live the virtues within those laws. We end it with Luke's shocking declaration that he is addicted to his iPhone and will be giving it up for at least 90 days. He's getting a dumb phone, an old iPod, and I guess some road maps to figure out how to get around town. He's addicted. We end with a contest: Write a review on iTunes and we will enter you in a contest (US Residents only!) to win After Virtue (or some other book). Only those who enter today (Friday, July 8, 2016) are eligible. I will gather all new reviews, put them in a hat, draw the winner and announce the winner in two weeks (after work trips are done). Direct message us on Twitter or Facebook if you're the name we chose to get your winnings! <img class="thumb-image" alt="That's me in 8th grade. The guy who pants'd me is staring right at me. Probably scheming to do it again!" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/577fc939e3df28bc00496431/1467992418236/" data-image-dimensions="1400x1400" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="577fc939e3df28bc00496431" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/577fc939e3df28bc00496431/1467992418236/?format=1000w" /> <p>That's me in 8th grade. The guy who pants'd me is staring right at me. Probably scheming to do it again!</p>

In April the fine folks of Catholic Drinkie interviewed Luke and Gomer for their own podcast. I told them that I would post it on our podcast as well. So... It's better late than never!www.catholicdrinkie.comThe Catholic Drinkie’s Guide to Homebrewed EvangelismCatholic Drinkie on Facebook

First, Luke apologizes. Second, we start talking about expectations. Third, we stop talking about that other stuff and only talk about MeWithoutYou, the greatest band of all time. <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57639c1df5e231826f0d8c11/1466145830127/" data-image-dimensions="1400x1400" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="57639c1df5e231826f0d8c11" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57639c1df5e231826f0d8c11/1466145830127/?format=1000w" /> I just want you to like this band. They brought Luke and I together. Now look at us! Two pathetically handsome men whining about their problems to a national audience!Sponsor! Catholic Balm Co. <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57639c895016e16156321c15/1466145943684/" data-image-dimensions="1169x1084" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="57639c895016e16156321c15" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57639c895016e16156321c15/1466145943684/?format=1000w" /> Head over to CatholicBalm.co and buy some beard balm, a lotion stick (pretty awesome), and some Little Flower inspired lip balm. This stuff is all handmade in small batches, is all natural, and smells amazing. I'm not kidding you. I love smelling like Chrism.When checking out use the term "TeamLuke" or "TeamMichael" (who's Michael?) and we will see who has the better fans. Be an adult and take care of your beard, your lips, and your skin!

Luke and I get caught up after Luke's stroke, we talk about some fun stuff, then we do our first ad read for a product that we love and currently use, Barbatus Beard Balm from CatholicBalm.co. After the silliness and the product placement, we dive into the Stanford Sexual Assault case with Brock Turner, who is from Luke's home town of Oakwood, Ohio.I have added two news reports throughout the conversation. One is from NBC news recounting some of the sexual assault and the other is from CNN News anchor Ashleigh Banfield as she read the entire 13 page victim statement to Brock Turner. We excerpted it to the relevant parts of the show because it hits like a bomb. You should read her letter in full from Buzzfeed.Show Noteshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G1bNbKRfB0https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/06/08/in-brock-turners-hometown-were-raising-kids-who-are-never-told-no/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/06/09/you-dont-need-the-muscle-of-two-swedish-men-to-stop-a-rape/https://www.buzzfeed.com/katiejmbaker/heres-the-powerful-letter-the-stanford-victim-read-to-her-ra?utm_term=.udZ54V4NW#.na7dxPx9ESponsor: Catholic Balm Co Head over to CatholicBalm.co and buy some beard balm, a lotion stick (pretty awesome), and some Little Flower inspired lip balm. This stuff is all handmade in small batches, is all natural, and smells amazing. I'm not kidding you. I love smelling like Chrism.When checking out use the term "TeamLuke" or "TeamMichael" (who's Michael?) and we will see who has the better fans. Be an adult and take care of your beard, your lips, and your skin!

Luke and Gomer get the great honor to interview The Infamous Sergio, a writer for Patheos and an all around good guy. In this episode he schools Gomer repeatedly on how to understand people who aren't  you, and continuously blows Luke's mind. We talk race, politics, Catholicism, and rap.Follow him on Twitter <img class="thumb-image" alt="Passive Racism. Sergio explains rightly, We don't know they're adopted sisters, so what does this image tell a little black girl on the subway who sees this?" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57525fe7044262fce00d4e1f/1465016369252/" data-image-dimensions="480x360" data-image-focal-point="0.39285714285714285,0.30952380952380953" data-load="false" data-image-id="57525fe7044262fce00d4e1f" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57525fe7044262fce00d4e1f/1465016369252/?format=1000w" /> <p>Passive Racism. Sergio explains rightly, We don't know they're adopted sisters, so what does this image tell a little black girl on the subway who sees this?</p> Articles You Should Read:Wherein We Meet Our "Hero"Some Thoughts on La Virgen de Guadalupe and the Mexican People Prayer is Good Against Barbarism... And CivilizationJustin Bieber BeliebesStarting Off 2016 As Vague As Possible <img class="thumb-image" alt="Image from Poetic Justice." data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/575260583c44d894bc26a45c/1465016418308/" data-image-dimensions="1280x960" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="575260583c44d894bc26a45c" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/575260583c44d894bc26a45c/1465016418308/?format=1000w" /> <p>Image from Poetic Justice.</p> 40 Facts you didn't know about Tupac

Luke is alive. His stroke meant nothing to him. Luke conquers all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBYKwkrqL18

Eye of the Tiber: "We are proud to have recently been nominated for Best Catholic News Satire, narrowly losing out to the National Catholic Reporter, proving thus that, more trusted Catholic news sources aside, Eye of the Tiber is your most trusted Catholic news source."We interview the founder and main author of the great Catholic pressure valve known as Eye of the Tiber. He's hilarious, has the thickest skin, and doesn't even do this for his day job. Hilarious EOTT articles:Woman Wearing Mantilla During Novus Ordo Clearly Batshit CrazyFolk Mass Band Upset Over Masses Interrupting Their ConcertsCardinal Kasper Adds Three SacramentsAll Pope Michael Articles“Pope Michael” Documentary Trailer“Pope Michael” Documentary Short“Pope Michael” Documentary LongMan Fondly Remembers Time When A Man Could Read Bible In Public Without Fear Of Being Ridiculed, BeheadedMichael Voris Hair, Trump Hair Get Together For Drinks <img class="thumb-image" alt="Copyright, EOTT 2016" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57360bdd86db434ac61cd4d4/1463159789942/" data-image-dimensions="600x300" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="57360bdd86db434ac61cd4d4" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57360bdd86db434ac61cd4d4/1463159789942/?format=1000w" /> <p>Copyright, EOTT 2016</p> Franciscan University Of Steubenville Quarterback Exclusively Throwing “Hail Marys”Rubio And Other Christian Birthers Demand To See Trump’s Baptismal CertificateMatt Fradd Named Eye Of The Tiber’s Sexiest Chastity Speaker Alive17-Year-Old Homeschool Boy Figures Out Trinity While Mother Combs His HairMiddle-Aged White Woman Gyrating Near Altar Just Like They Do In KenyaPope’s Peace Doves Attacked By Metaphors <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57360c89f85082cb3f1a357c/1463159951921/" data-image-dimensions="546x330" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="57360c89f85082cb3f1a357c" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57360c89f85082cb3f1a357c/1463159951921/?format=1000w" /> There there is this: Umbert the Unborn <img class="thumb-image" alt="why God?" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57360ae7a3360ce254099793/1463159539284/" data-image-dimensions="760x565" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="57360ae7a3360ce254099793" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/57360ae7a3360ce254099793/1463159539284/?format=1000w" /> <p>why God?</p> Saved by the Bell, Zack Dates a Homeless Girl for a ShowSaved by the Bell, Tori Scott, Bayside’s bad-ass biker chickSaved by the Bell, Zach Delivers Mr Belding’s baby in elevator during earthquake (Fan-vid with Tool song “Aenima” playing on top of episode!)Catholic stuff you should know, a much better podcast: http://catholicstuffpodcast.com/Music by Bensound.com.

Have you ever found your faith ...stalled? You see other people having "experiences" of God, but you are running on E with the gas light on and there seems to be no station in sight to refuel your faith. After dancing around the whole super-sensitive college student thing, Luke tells Gomer how recently in a time of rather dramatic prayer, he told God that he hates Him and hates feeling this way. If you can relate, then you should give this episode a listen.In the end, we talk about the new Marvel movie, Captain America 3: Civil War, which I'm taking my wife and another couple out on a date to go see, and yes, I'm taking off of work to do it.Super Important AnnouncementI'm trying to build something big and beautiful at my parish called The Pentecost Vigil. It consists of gathering a bunch of Jesus followers in the church and begging God for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our parish and in our city. It is a time of praise and intercession AND I WANT YOU TO BE A PART OF IT!Starting today, Friday, May 6, I would love it if you started praying for your own parish's renewal by taking up the Novena to the Holy Spirit and praying it till the Vigil. Also, if you can get some people in your parish together for the prayer vigil, head over to our old friend Fr. Dave Pivonka's website www.thewildgooseisloose.com for more resources and you can register your parish in this worldwide Vigil. So for 9 days will you join us in fasting, prayer and praise in order to allow God's anointing to fall on our Church? <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/572c3dc360b5e93586b25d0e/1462517224335/" data-image-dimensions="507x294" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="572c3dc360b5e93586b25d0e" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/572c3dc360b5e93586b25d0e/1462517224335/?format=1000w" />

Kenn Cramer is the Senior Director of Parish Life for the St Paul Mission who, alongside his wife Laura, the Director of Religious Education and all around financial planner and bookkeeper, ministers to the needs of the Native American Nakoda and A'aninin people living on a reservation in Montana. Kenn explains how his community of 4,000 is 80% Catholic, but only 4% ever step foot in a Church outside of his or her own baptism and funeral. The community is has a 75% unemployment rate and a barely subsistent life. There is a widespread sense of hopelessness and a lack of personal dignity, which leads to crushingly high levels of suicide, drug addition and alcohol abuse.And in the midst of such poverty, Kenn has encountered the utter uniqueness of these people and the Church's dire need of them in her life. "How can the body of Christ function missing an entire limb?" Yet that is what is happening in the Third World poverty of these reservations in the middle of the world's richest nation. Modern Native AmericansCongress Raids Ancestral Native American Lands with Defense BillNatives Against John McCain: An investigation into living conditions in the Navajo nation of the southwestern United StatesDiocese of Gallup serves the nation’s largest reservation: The Diocese of Gallup has a rich history, especially when it comes to the many Native American tribes contained within its borders. These tribes, including Navajo, Zuni, Hopi, Apache, and Pueblo peoples, form a unique and important part of the Diocese… The purpose of this office is to assess and meet the spiritual needs of the Native American members of the Diocese.Pine Ridge Reservation, the Poorest in the country: From 1980 to 2000, the counties that make up Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota comprised the poorest of our nation's 3,143 counties. The 2000 census found them the third poorest, not because things got better on Pine Ridge, but because things got worse on two other South Dakota Indian Reservations.Extreme Poverty: The poverty on Pine Ridge can be described in no other terms than third world. It is common to find homes overcrowded, as those with homes take in whoever needs a roof over their heads. Many homes are without running water, and without sewer.

The State Legislature of North Carolina passed a law that interferes with a Charlotte discrimination bill that, in part, allowed for transgendered people to choose which bathroom and locker room to use. Donald Trump thinks North Carolina should have left well enough alone, and Ted Cruz is all for the law.(Also, This episode has chapters... although I forgot to URL them. If you have a podcast app that supports chapters, I think you should be able to skip around.)CHAPTERS00:00:01    Bill in North Carolina00:01:37    Isn’t America Exploding Already00:04:54    The Extremes aren’t extreme anymore00:06:08    Luke bashes the anti-trans meme00:09:35     Gomer goes epistemological on Transgenderism00:14:15    Luke is so done with people who think they own truth00:20:44    Gomer offers some stolen advice00:21:29    JD Flynn is so great00:24:11    Christianity, GOP and Left/Right Dualism00:29:16    Obama is not the Devil00:33:20    Joy of Love and Consciences00:41:55    The Boss and Bathrooms00:443:01    Brave New World00:45:54    I Hate The Benedict Option00:49:01    Star Wars Rogue One00:51:00    Music Recommendations00:54:55    That Catholic Couple YouTube Interview00:55:35    Dadness00:56:44    Closing Remarks!Luke launches into pure rage mode, but against the anti-trans memes that are going around, because it sounds like we're saying, "Here. Let me tell you how dumb you are. Now join our side!"Gomer dives a little bit into the Left/Right Dualism in America that is so divisive, and why the GOP chose to make Abortion a central platform issue since the 80's.Then we talk Rogue One, a Star Wars Story.Also, on Saturday, April 24th, at Noon Central Time, we will be interviewed by That Catholic Couple live on YouTube.  <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/571a280f3c44d8e556c7e04d/1461331999328/" data-image-dimensions="2048x1253" data-image-focal-point="0.32,0.27976190476190477" data-load="false" data-image-id="571a280f3c44d8e556c7e04d" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/571a280f3c44d8e556c7e04d/1461331999328/?format=1000w" />

Why do some ministries die and some thrive? Lisa Brenninkmeyer, author and founder of Walking With Purpose shares with us how she built a grassroots women's ministry and not just another program. Leadership training and mentoring form the backbone of Walking With Purpose and are precisely what makes it so powerful. The show starts off with me, your old pal Gomer, thank you, our beautiful listeners, for being amazing. LayEvangelist.com is a continued experiment in bringing about the new evangelization and as we expand our number of shows to, you know, more than one, we hope that it can change your life, your faith and your city. Then Lisa, out of no where, just starts affirming Luke, which made me very uncomfortable, because, it's Luke.We dive into the Call, Revival, and even our recent interview with good, old Father Dave Pivonka of www.thewildgooseisloose.com. Lisa brings up a very good point about the Church and women. Often teachers and preachers tend to focus on chastity when the girls are young, and maternity when the girls become women. They are basically locked in a sexual viewpoint. Lisa's presentations are powerful because she goes beyond sexual value or maternity and focuses on the foundation: my identity as a woman in Christ. Thus her ministry is wide open to women of all vocations and backgrounds.Oh yeah, she's that good. This is one of my favorite interviews yet.#BlessedFrom the website...What is Walking with Purpose?Walking with Purpose is a women’s Catholic Bible study program.Walking with Purpose endeavors to meet women where they are, giving them practical Biblical teaching that is consistent with Church doctrine and uses the Catechism of the Catholic Church as an additional resource. All materials have received the imprimatur from the Archdiocese of Baltimore.Walking with Purpose aims to bring women to a deeper personal relationship with Jesus Christ by offering personal study and small group discussion that link our everyday challenges and struggles with the solutions given to us through the teachings of Christ and the Catholic Church.Walking with Purpose has three elements: at-home study, weekly small group meetings (if in the parish-based or small group programs), and a monthly talk on relevant course material. Most courses contain 22 lessons; one short course contains six lessons.Walking with Purpose has over 130 parishes involved in our Leadership Training Program in the United States, Europe and Canada and has helped thousands of women grow closer to Christ.

Luke and I start out with the Qatar death scandal involving the World Cup, but don't worry, plenty of people die, Qatar and FIFA authorities assure us. Just not on the same project. At the same time. At all. Then I mock the worship of Sports (#1 of America's Top 7 Gods) and Luke pivots the conversation to a quote from Archbishop Chaput: “This difference between production and consumption is what sociologist Zygmunt Bauman calls the gulf between solid and liquid modern life. Older, “solid” societies based on production find their security in ownership, delayed gratification and rational organization. They seek methodical progress, and they put a high value on durable goods. “Liquid,” consumer-based societies—creatures of the tech revolution and its rapid rate of change—feed on “incessant new beginnings” and experiences.” — Archbishop Chaput I express how I get nervous with quotes like these because, to be honest, a fear of technology is essentially a fear of our native strength. Robots, AI, and all these iPhones are extensions of our selves, they are our creations. Anywho, Zygmunt Bauman's thesis sounds interesting, so here's a link to his book Liquid Modernity that benefits our ministry. And we shouldn't fear them.Now on to Mars, ELON MUSK, GET MY FAT ASS TO MARS!Then we talk about our upcoming two guests: Sergio Bermundez and Lisa Brenninkmeyer from Walking With Purpose.Then Gomer pulls out the GREATEST ANSWER OF ALL TIME WHY LUKE HAS BAD TASTE IN MUSIC/BEER. Thanks 'Stina!Finally, we end with the New Evangelization and why we aren't really implementing it and how Gomer has no patience for this.

Emma Fradd is one to two artists for the band Interior Castle, self-described as "Dynamic Dream Pop", which is just about the coolest genre I've ever heard. In this interview you'll hear what it is really like trying to make it in the UK music scene, as well as the influences, tastes, and processes that drive a modern musician like Emma. You can find them on Facebook and here on the Interwebs. Here's an interview that he ugly brother, Matt Fradd, did on his website.You get their 3 EPs on iTunes and Apple Music (Finished Dreaming, Listen and Talk, Buy Me Free) and they sound fantastic. She recommends some music, like:HAIMWarpaintDear OtherAnd near the end Luke and I get into a huge argument over which is better, Vinyl vs. CD (clearly CD), and I shame all with science. SCIENCE! (sciiiiiiiience)

Luke leads us in a very personal and very necessary discussion on the Clergy Sexual Abuse scandal. What does it look like for Catholics to seriously love their Church and to seriously support the victims of abuse? Luke puts the emphasis on the role of the laity, especially to not try and sidestep this deep scandal by attributing it to the "gay agenda" or other stupid crap.Get Safe Environment training. Luke and I both have VIRTUS certification and training, and all of our volunteers who work with youth have it as well. Even if you don't work with kids, you should get the training at a local parish so this never happens again.Let's make sure we honor Luke's dad and not look away from this horrific crime in the Church's life today. From the USCCB... “ A Statement on the Protection of Children Bishop Edward J. Burns of Juneau Chairman of the USCCB Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People March 3, 2016This week brought painful, but important, reminders that we must remain vigilant in our efforts to protect children from the scourge of abuse. The movie “Spotlight” won the Academy Award for Best Picture. It chronicles the courage of the victims and the journalists who told their story. In statements from Cardinal O’Malley in Boston and the Vatican newspaper in Rome, the Catholic Church renewed our determined and firm resolve to protect children and felt deep sorrow for the tremendous pain.On Tuesday, we received news of a grand jury report out of Altoona, Pennsylvania. Although I can’t speak to the specifics in Altoona and would defer to the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference as to any statewide impact, like everyone, I read the news with great pain.It is heart wrenching and shocking to hear of this grand jury report or of any incidents of abuse, and it is even more disturbing when we learn that innocent children were abused by priests within the Church. Once again, the wounds inflicted through these heinous crimes have caused great pain and further mistrust in the Church. We must never lose sight of the fact that every victim/survivor has personally experienced profound injury, suffering, and betrayal.These moments are a reminder why the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, adopted by the U.S. bishops in 2002, exists and must be followed. This highlights all the more the importance that we never grow complacent. As stated in the Charter, we are to cooperate with law-enforcement agencies, permanently remove those who have offended, and effectively create a safe environment for our children. Only with vigilance can we ensure that children are kept safe and so allow the Church to help our people in a process of healing and address the mistrust that rises from these cases.” — http://www.usccb.org/news/2016/16-026.cfm

The Ancient Celts had a nickname for the Holy Spirit, "Dave Pivonka". Oh wait, no, that's not it. It's "The Wild Goose." And Father Dave Pivonka takes us on a tour of his vocation, ministry, the skills of religious discernment, and finally, his new project "The Wild Goose is Loose", unleashing the power of the Holy Spirit in everyone's life. <a href="http://thewildgooseisloose.com/" target="_blank"> <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/56d9379360b5e9db654d3003/1457076128637/" data-image-dimensions="300x283" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="56d9379360b5e9db654d3003" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/56d9379360b5e9db654d3003/1457076128637/?format=1000w" /> </a> A List of Father Dave's Books:Spiritual FreedomHiking the CaminoBreath of God: Living a Life Led by the Holy SpiritEncounter Jesus from Discovery to Discipleship <img class="thumb-image" alt="Look at this picture of Father Dave and I. Yes, I'm taking a selfie, but you know who isn't there? Luke. LUKE! So take that!" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/56d93a8f86db43b3796768d9/1457076900619/" data-image-dimensions="3600x2400" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="56d93a8f86db43b3796768d9" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/56d93a8f86db43b3796768d9/1457076900619/?format=1000w" /> <p>Look at this picture of Father Dave and I. Yes, I'm taking a selfie, but you know who isn't there? Luke. LUKE! So take that!</p>

Luke leads the discussion inspired by two things: the notion of ongoing conversion and things like focus and work, and how they interrelate. Gomer applies it to his life and then cries because he is so disorganized.Minecraft on XboxAnd the YouTube videos that literally make 50,000+ dollars a month! Stampy LongheadGetting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free ProductivityDeep Work: http://calnewport.com/books/deep-work/    Audiobook    Kindle    PaperbackMerlin Mannhttp://www.slideshare.net/merlinmann/inbox-zero-actionbased-emailhttp://www.43folders.com/izeroThe inbox zero Tumblr http://inboxzero.tumblr.com/Back 2 WorkMerlin Mann - “Technology for Smarter Ignoring”Merlin Mann - You want to cry and be inspired for reals, “Cranking” From Merlin Mann's inboxzero.tumblr.com <img class="thumb-image" alt="Merlin Mann's Tumblr inboxzero.tumblr.com " data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/56d146f28a65e2c2b912c8dd/1456555769522/" data-image-dimensions="800x600" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="56d146f28a65e2c2b912c8dd" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/56d146f28a65e2c2b912c8dd/1456555769522/?format=1000w" /> <p>Merlin Mann's Tumblr inboxzero.tumblr.com </p> Buzzfeed Article on SnapchatCatholic Stuff You Should Know: Anima Technica Vacua

We talk with Brian about his doctoral studies in St Thomas Aquinas' philosophy and theology, which opens up conversations about atheism and materialism, Ghostbusters, why Gomer hasn't seen Ghostbusters 1, but he has seen 2, and Thomas Aquinas on Islam. It's a pretty crazy episode, full of grace and truth!Show Notes (all amazon links support the show!)The Regensburg Lecture, An analysis by Fr James SchallAmazon’s James Schall Page: http://www.amazon.com/James-V.-Schall/e/B001H6PN80/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1Movies and TruthThe Coen BrothersEthan Coen http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001053/?ref_=tt_ov_st_smJoel Coen http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001054/?ref_=tt_ov_st_smWes Andersonhttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm0027572/?ref_=nv_sr_2The Royal Tenenbaums 2001 RThe Gospel of Happiness: Rediscover Your Faith Through Spiritual Practice and Positive Psychology Kindle EditionA Catholic version of Mindfulness: The Sacrament of the Present Moment. Bernard J. Baars : The Double Life of B.F. Skinner: Inner Conflict, Dissociation and the Scientific Taboo against Consciousness “Freedom was much in the air at the time. The Calvinism of Skinner’s early upbringing denied freedom, with the hotly-debated doctrine of predestination. Early American novels like Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter play out the conflict between Puritan predestination and the emerging American ethic of individual freedom. This was taught routinely as part of a literary education. Skinner must have been thoroughly aware of this tension as a literature student at Hamilton College. The radical behaviourism of Watson and Skinner is indeed an ideology of rebellion. It defines itself in a militant struggle against the perceived stranglehold of religion, and against religion’s evil twin, the consciousness psychology of the older academic generation — all while proclaiming a determinism as rigorous as Calvin’s theology (Watson, 1925; Skinner, 1987).” — -http://bernardbaars.pbworks.com/f/Double%20Life%20Skinner%20JCS.pdf P 12 Which one? The responsible one or the cool guy with long hair? Saint Augustine’s Confessions, the best translation: http://amzn.to/1SDmqUYGroundhog Day: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107048/Phil? …PHIL CONNORS?! Best clips from YouTube.comThe Universal Call to Holiness in Lumen Gentium, Chapter Five, paragraph 39ffGet to know Thomas AquinasA Glance at St Thomas Aquinas: A Handbook for Peeping Thomists - http://amzn.to/1oObBCX Guide to Thomas Aquinas by Josef Pieper - http://amzn.to/1oObGGI The Dumb Ox by GK Chesterton - http://amzn.to/1oObPdlSumma of the Summa by Peter Kreeft - http://amzn.to/1SVpyfh For people struggling with God…New Proofs for the Existence of God: Contributions of Contemporary Physics and Philosophy by Fr Robert SpitzerHow the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization by Thomas Woods Then Gomer and Luke wander way too far into inappropriate territory that HAD to be edited. Then Aquinas talks Islam...

Luke and I discuss Confirmation retreats, failure in Catholic schools and ministries, and the ongoing need for evangelization. Luke uses the "Who do you say that I am?" verse like 60 times in this episode, and he relates a sad story about the phrase "personal relationship with Jesus".Here's the great Dr. Carole Brown article: The Problem with 'Not' Having a Personal Relationship with Jesus. This was a rebuttal piece to Dr. Jay Boyd's article critiquing Forming Intentional Disciples.  “But in catechetical practice, this model order must allow for the fact that the initial evangelization has often not taken place. A certain number of children baptized in infancy come for catechesis in the parish without receiving any other initiation into the faith and still without any explicit personal attachment to Jesus Christ; they only have the capacity to believe placed within them by Baptism and the presence of the Holy Spirit.” — Pope John Paul II, Catechesis in Our Times, 19 Find Us Online!facebook.com/catchingfoxespodcasthttps://twitter.com/cfoxespodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/catching_foxes/@LayEvangelist@theLukethe (Twitter only on the weekends! See Deep Work for the reason why)Check out these great companies!Catholic Beard Balm Make your beard smell like Baptism!CatholicMatch.com Build community, find love, by visiting our sponsor!

Matt Fradd is a busy man. He got a great family and a huge mission. He's engage in the Lord's work of freeing men and women from pornography at his ThePornEffect.com website. Two books that should draw your attention are Delivered, which is a series of testimonies of people who found freedom from porn, including our recent interviewee, Audrey Assad; and Restored, which is a heart-breaking look at what porn does to the wife of an addict. I read the first two chapters and... whew... it is intense.Follow him on Twitter @MattFradd Check out the great work he is doing: ThePornEffect.com : Get your battle plan, and learn the science of porn addictionMattFradd.com : His personal site, full of Thomism!RestoredBook.com : the addiction of porn from the wife's perspective. Powerful.Delivered : stories of struggle and freedom from porn addictionBlue Label Challenge : a gentleman's bet to put some skin in the game, so to speak! and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Interior Castle.

We answer listener questions about Trump, climate change and other non-controversial things! We really do a fun dive into the heart of Trump Populism and analyze some ridiculous statements he's made. <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/56b4acb52fe131a34f318ee3/1454681271540/" data-image-dimensions="592x255" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="56b4acb52fe131a34f318ee3" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/551def6fe4b09619c3abc306/t/56b4acb52fe131a34f318ee3/1454681271540/?format=1000w" /> Then we hop on the Climate Change train and try to figure out why Republicans hate it, why Democrats milk it, and where we can do something constructive together. There's some other stuff, too, like 90's alternative music and some sad stuff at the end.Find Us Online!facebook.com/catchingfoxespodcasthttps://twitter.com/cfoxespodcast@LayEvangelist@theLuketheCheck out these great companies!Catholic Beard BalmCatholicMatch.com

Luke interviews Shane Claiborne while Gomer is on a flight to L.A. that he wishes he wasn't on. Poor Gomer.Shane is a founder and board member of The Simple Way, a faith community in inner city Philadelphia that has helped birth and connect radical faith communities around the world. He is married to Katie Jo, a North Carolina girl who also fell in love with the city (and with Shane). They were wed in St. Edwards church, the formerly abandoned cathedral into which homeless families relocated in 1995, launching the beginning of the Simple Way community and a new phase of faith-based justice making.Shane writes and travels extensively speaking about peacemaking, social justice, and Jesus. Shane’s books include Jesus for President, Red Letter Revolution, Common Prayer, Follow Me to Freedom, Jesus, Bombs and Ice Cream, Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers – and his classic The Irresistible Revolution. He has been featured in a number of films including “Another World Is Possible” and “Ordinary Radicals.” His books are translated into more than a dozen languages. Shane speaks over 100 times a year, nationally and internationally.His work has appeared in Esquire, SPIN, Christianity Today, and The Wall Street Journal, and he has been on everything from Fox News and Al Jazeera to CNN and NPR. He’s given academic lectures at Harvard, Princeton, Brown, Liberty, Duke, and Notre Dame. Shane speaks regularly at denominational gatherings, festivals, and conferences around the globe. Follow him online at:Facebook: ShaneClaiborneTwitter: @ShaneClaiborne

Luke and Gomer are back and very much hate 2016. Luke has irrational anger problems and Gomer just wants to play Minecraft. We also talk about the "Voice, but no Vote" issue of the Episcopalian Church within the Anglican Communion and the problem of Talking Head culture in the Church today.Support our Sponsor: CatholicMatch.com Faith-Focused Dating!