The Best Star Trek Episodes Ever

To celebrate their 300th episode, Dom Bettinelli, Jimmy Akin, and Fr. Cory Sticha give their lists of the best episodes in each of the Star Trek series, from The Original Series to Strange New Worlds. The ones they agree on are predictable, but where do they disagree?

Listen Now

Forming Intentional Disciples

What is intentional discipleship? Lindsay Sant, Caroline Knight, and Lino Saubolle discuss the book “Forming Intentional Disciples” and the steps toward discipleship or thresholds of conversion. Plus, Caroline draws parallels between the Pikmin video games and real-life biological processes.

Listen Now

Chimera

“I’m a sucker for a DeLuise.” Jack Baruzzini, Fr. Cory Sticha, Lisa Jones, and Victor Lams discuss this story that resolves the Osiris arc and introduces the controversial Pete Shanahan. Do Pete and Sam lack chemistry? Oh and that tablet.

Listen Now

The Beast of Gevaudan (Cryptid)

France, 1764. A terrifying and unknown beast roams the countryside killing more than 100 men, women, and children, and injuring 200 more. A royal reward is even issued for its capture or death. Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli ask what made the beast so ferocious, why it attacked so many people, and what kind of beast it actually was.

Listen Now

Getting Started With Smart Home Automation

Smart home tech is ever more accessible, but if you’re just getting started where do you begin? Dom Bettinelli, Victor Lams, and Fr. Joseph Sund discuss the basic considerations, where to start, and why thinking of the others in your household first is necessary.

Listen Now

The Myth Makers

The First Doctor in the Trojan War! Dom Bettinelli and Jimmy Akin discuss the humor and history of the Doctor’s visit to Troy; the departure of Vicki; connections to the Iliad and the Odyssey; and the “true” origin of the Trojan Horse.

Listen Now

Quenta Silmarillion, Ch. 1 & 2

Continuing their discussion of The Silmarillion, Thomas Salerno, Jeff Haecker, and Patrick Mason discuss the beginning of the Quenta Silmarillion and the themes of fate, free will, creation, and destruction within Tolkien’s universe.

Listen Now

Mudd’s Passion (TAS)

Mudd’s back. Dom Bettinelli and Jimmy Akin discuss the animated return of con man Harry Mudd, including the eyebrow-raising content for a kid’s cartoon, the ethical problems of love potions and their portrayal in popular media, and why Rainn Wilson’s Mudd may have been the best.

Listen Now

Phillip Island’s Penguin Parade

The little penguins of Phillip Island, Australia, are a unique avian population. Lindsay Sant and Lino Saubolle discuss their unique characteristics and life cycle and the role of ecotourism in habitat protection as a testament to effect conservation efforts.

Listen Now

Fallout

Journey to the center of Kelowna! Jack Baruzzini, Lisa Jones, Fr. Cory Sticha, and Victor Lams discuss the return of Jonas, the secret Goa’uld girlfriend, and an underground crisis, along with geopolitical intrigue with real-world parallels.

Listen Now

The Gospel of Jesus’ Wife (Karen King, Walter Fritz, Forgery, Fraud, Hoax)

The 2012 announcement of a papyrus fragment called the Gospel of Jesus’ Wife caused a huge media sensation over the claim that Jesus did have a wife. Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli examine what this fragment is, what it says, and whether it is an authentic, early Christian document.

Listen Now

The Future of Farming

Techie Farmer Matt Clark returns to talk to Dom Bettinelli, Victor Lams, and Thomas Sanjurjo about how climate change affects farms, the importance of connectivity to farms, population growth, and alternative proteins on the market. Plus headlines and picks of the week.

Listen Now

The Secrets of Bad Movies We Love

Some bad movies are just bad, but there are some bad movies we love and keep coming back to. Thomas Salerno, Victor Lams, and Jimmy Akin discuss some of the bad movies they love, why they love them, and how the enjoyment of a movie can transcend traditional notions of quality.

Listen Now

The Robots of Death

The 4th Doctor needs to solve an Agatha Christie style set of murders. Dom Bettinelli, Jimmy Akin, and Fr. Cory Sticha discuss this story that includes good and bad robots, a decadent culture, and a giant sand crawling transport.

Listen Now

The Force and Spirituality: Holocrons and other Relics

Deep-dive into holocrons, ancient relics, kyber crystals, and other Star Wars artifacts with Angela Sealana, Patrick Mason & Ryan Nafziger, as they discuss how the spiritual significance of objects in a Galaxy Far, Far Away has real-world connections.

Listen Now

The Art of Altar Bread

Millions of Communion hosts are made and consumed every year by Catholics. Kathryn Laffrey and Alix Murray discuss the hidden art found on altar breads from small hosts to the large breads used by priests, plus the history of altar breaking making and decoration.

Listen Now

A Taste of Armageddon (TOS)

Death by computer. Dom Bettinelli, Jimmy Akin, and Fr. Cory Sticha discuss this story’s moral implications and real-world parallels with themes of war’s human cost, technology’s role in conflict, and ethical leadership. Plus Kirk killing another megalomaniacal computer.

Listen Now

We’re Made For Mission

Returning for 2024, Lindsay Sant and Lino Saubolle discuss the purpose of a Catholic parish and renewing a parish church for its purpose, working off some new books Lindsay has read. Plus, some science about the world famous “little penguins’ penguin parade.”

Listen Now

Grace

Carter’s self-reflection. Jack Baruzzini, Lisa Jones, and Victor Lams discuss this story of Carter being confronted with her mortality, her career decisions, and her relationships while stranded on a spaceship and injured.

Listen Now

Popper the Poltergeist (Seaford, Catholic Family Poltergeist, RSPK, Jimmy Herrmann)

One of the most pivotal poltergeist cases involved a Catholic family in New York in 1958. Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli discuss the strange events, including popping bottle caps, and explore why this poltergeist case was so pivotal and what may have been responsible.

Listen Now