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New Year, a birthday, Star Wars, Epiphany, and a Scouting event mean a busy week for the Betts as Dom and Melanie relate their Epiphany gift-giving tradition; talk about how a family outing to see Star Wars made Lucy’s birthday; and share an awesome homemade coconut chicken soup.
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The season finale of The Mandalorian finds Fr. Andrew, Andrew H., Thomas, Angela, and Mike talking about redemption for the characters, Din’s mysterious Mandalorian past; and the shocking final reveal that raises many questions and sets up season 2.
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Father Cory Sticha couldn’t join our regular panel for the discussion of the premiere of the latest season of Doctor Who, so he’s recorded a brief message containing his thoughts and discoveries as special bonus extra for listeners.
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The new season of Doctor Who is here and Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli are excited to talk about the premiere two-part episode, especially the great writing, the James Bond theme, and the big reveal of an old “friend”. Find out why they think this is a promising start to the 13th Doctor’s second season.
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James Braddock was a rags-to-riches-to-rags-to-riches story of the 1920s and 30s, and was heavyweight boxing champion, winning in a stunning upset victory. But as Tom and Noelle Crowe tell us, he was also a devoted family man and devout Catholic who never forgot the charity he received at his lowest time of his life.
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Jimmy Akin, Dom Bettinelli, and Fr. Cory Sticha discuss this first O’Brien-centric DS9 episode, which also was an early inspiration for the Jem’Hadar. They also talk about what the episode is saying about big-game hunting and the nature of free will.
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We regularly give Patrons the opportunity to ask Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli to answer their questions and make them available exclusively to them first and then later to the whole audience in a special bonus release. This time, we have a very broad range of questions.
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The 1982 book Holy Blood, Holy Grail claimed a secret conspiracy to control the future of Europe would undermine the Bible and the Christian faith. It would eventually be the basis for the Da Vinci Code. Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli look at what the book said and whether any of its claims could be true.
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We wrap up our Big Finish to 2019 with a story of the Master that not only brings back a classic Who actor, but also the actors from the 8th Doctor TV movie as UNIT agents. Jimmy Akin, Dom Bettinelli and Fr. Cory Sticha discuss how the sinister Master recounts a tale of being trapped in 20th century America. But what’s his plan?
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The Betts wish you a Merry Christmas as Dom and Melanie relive Christmas Eve midnight Mass and Christmas Day, including several great meals, which they give you tips for; plus re-reading for comfort when you’re sick and the awesome readings from the Feast of the Holy Family.
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Fr. Andrew, Andrew H., Thomas, Angela, and Mike all share their experience of seeing Episode IX and discuss the universal themes of family, friendship, good, evil, sacrifice, and redemption that are present in all Star Wars movies, but in a particular way in the conclusion of the Skywalker Saga.
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On January 1, 1892, Annie Moore was the first immigrant to pass through the gates of Ellis Island and as Tom and Noelle Crowe tell her story, they also tell the story of Catholic immigration to the US in the late 19th century, including the hopes, the challenges, and the helping hands.
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Darmok is one of the most beloved episode of TNG. Jimmy Akin, Dom Bettinelli, and Fr. Cory Sticha explore why this is so loved as well as the concept of a culture that communicates only in idiom and metaphor. Plus the unusual circumstance of Starfleet being more aggressive during first contact.
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It’s time for more weird questions with Jimmy Akin, including this time new books in the Bible; Heaven on another planet; impeaching the Pope; time travel & the Eucharist; marrying aliens; zombie apocalypses; and more.
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Merry Christmas! Jimmy Akin, Dom Bettinelli, and Fr. Cory Sticha are discussing this set-at-Christmas audio play featuring the Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann), his Companion, and a strange Edwardian household. How does it compare to televised Christmas specials? Our Big Finish of 2019 continues.
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Christmas is here (or almost, as we recorded) and Dom and Melanie reveal how their Advent has gone and what the plan is for Christmas Eve (including the Feast of Seven Fishes); talk about a great audio course on language; and discuss what to do when one person has seen the Star Wars movie and the rest of the family has not yet.
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Would you like some tea? Fr. Andrew, Thomas, Angela, and Mike get philosophical and discuss whether or not droids are determined by their programming (by nature) or whether they can be taught to act differently (by nurture) and how this applies to us as human beings. They also discuss the nature of Force acts and whether The Child’s Force abilities are influencing the characters around them.
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You may know his name as director of It’s A Wonderful Life, but as Tom and Noelle Crowe reveal, Frank Capra was a talented Catholic storyteller dedicated to revealing the truths of the Gospel through the cinema and thus created an enduring character that remains part of Christmas traditions today.
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This brief animated episode both pays homage to some Original Series stories, but also prefigures The Motion Picture as well. Jimmy Akin, Dom Bettinelli, and Fr. Cory Sticha discuss planet-eating stellar clouds with digestive and nervous systems, mind melds, and saving the children.
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The Skywalker Saga has ended and Dom Bettinelli and Fr. Chip Hines are here to give you their first impressions, fresh out of the theater. First, some spoiler-free comments and then, after a warning, a spoiled discussion that delves into the universal themes we find here and in all of Star Wars.
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