Holy Troublemakers is a podcast that goes beyond stained glass and feast days to tell the stories of the men and women who built, reformed, defended, and sometimes nearly broke the Catholic Church across two thousand years of history. Each episode focuses on a single figure — a saint, a martyr, a mystic, a reformer — examining not just what they did, but who they were: the failures that shaped them, the grace that found them, and the lasting mark they left on the faith.

Hosted by Domenico Bettinelli, Holy Troublemakers approaches Catholic history as narrative — immersive, character-driven storytelling grounded in historical research. Episodes move through the full sweep of the Church’s story, from the Apostles and the early martyrs to the great mystics of the medieval period, the missionaries of the New World, and the saints of the modern age. The show explores what drove these figures, what it cost them, and what their lives still have to say to anyone trying to live faithfully in the world today.

As part of the StarQuest Production Network, Holy Troublemakers reflects SQPN’s mission to explore the intersection of faith and culture — in this case, the culture the Church itself created, contested, and carried through history. Whether you’re a lifelong Catholic wanting to know your own heritage more deeply, or simply someone drawn to stories of extraordinary people facing impossible circumstances, this podcast offers history that is rigorously researched, honestly told, and genuinely alive.

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Become a sponsor of Holy Troublemakers and help advance the mission of SQPN in spreading the Gospel and sharing the Catholic faith through these inspiring stories of holy Catholic men and women. Get your name and message in front of a growing audience of Catholic listeners around the world. Find out more at SQPN.com/sponsor.