Dr. John Meinert

13: The Franciscan Option

April 21st, 2021  |  1 hr 18 mins

catholic, franciscan, humor, professors, students, theology

Fr. Agustino on The Franciscan Option/The Secret of Franciscan Poverty/Emptiness and Humility/Trivia
Corruption in the clergy. Financial scandal. The need for a New Evangelization. Our time? Try the 12th century. It's time for the Franciscan Option.

12: Going on Vocation

March 2nd, 2021  |  1 hr 29 mins

catholic, discernment, marriage, priesthood, professors, religious life, students, theology, vocation

SNES vs. N64/What is a Vocation/The Counsels and the Married Life/Advice for Discerning Vocation
The Dunces try to release some steam for those caught in the vocation discernment pressure cooker.

11: The Scary but Not So Scary End of the World (aka the Halloween episode)

October 31st, 2020  |  1 hr 41 mins

candy, catholic, death, halloween, heaven hell, saints, theology

Musings on the Last Things/Saints and Martyrdom/The Halloween Candy Power Ranking
The Dunces tackle topics related to eschatology and get you ready for All Saints, All Souls, and the Candy Triduum.

10: The Election Apocalypse

October 3rd, 2020  |  1 hr 26 mins

catholic, election, politics, social teaching, theology

The Political Landscape/Principles to Guide Engagement in Politics
Dr. Meinert's growing peas. Catherine's engaged. Daniel and Avera join the show. The Dunces shine the light of the faith on the current political landscape.

8: The Dunces Do Netflix, part 2

May 6th, 2020  |  1 hr 7 mins

catholic, culture, hollywood, media, movies, netflix, streaming, the good place, theology, tv

The Dunces on the Good Place/"Guess the Plot" Game
In the concluding half of the special double-episode, Dr. Pedraza, Dr. Meinert, Catherine, Brady, Elise, and Trey analyze the Good Place by giving out various awards; they talk philosophical ethics; and Dr. Meinert and Trey play the "Guess the Plot" game.

7: The Dunces Do Netflix, part 1

April 24th, 2020  |  1 hr 11 mins

catholic, culture, hollywood, media, movies, netflix, streaming, theology, tv

How Catholics Should Approach Media/Our Favorite Movies and Shows
Amidst procrastination, Catherine stumbles upon a video about how Catholics should approach movies and TV shows and it lights her on fire. She, Dr. Pedraza, Dr. Meinert, Brady, Elise, and Trey talk about it, and then they offer some of their favorite picks. Part 1 of 2.

5: We're All Lonely. Together.

March 23rd, 2020  |  1 hr 48 mins

Life in the time of Coronavirus/The Loneliness Epidemic/St. Thomas and JPII on Community

Dr. Pedraza, Dr. Meinert, Catherine, Elise, and Trey talk life in the time of the coronavirus pandemic, then share stories of loneliness and trying to form community. Dr. Meinert sheds a little wisdom via St. Thomas on friendship, and Dr. Pedraza sets the record straight on JPII's anthropology while emphasizing the pontiff's understanding of solitude and participation in community. Finally, the crew offers advice on how to live in these potentially isolating times.

3: How to Get the Most Out of Lent (aka have an exce-LENT)

February 23rd, 2020  |  1 hr 16 mins

Lenten Penances/ Why You Can't Feast without Fasting/ Lenten Would-You-Rather Game

Dr. Pedraza, Dr. Meinert, Brady, Catherine, Hunter, and Trey talk about how to do Mardi Gras, how to avoid haphazard Lenten plans, the four ways you can relate to created goods, and making Lent a training for love. Then they play a Lenten version of "would you rather." Episode comes with a dose of St. Francis and a side of fried squirrel.

2: Dr. Abigail Favale Goes into the Deep

February 6th, 2020  |  1 hr 26 mins

conversion, feminism, gender, theology

Dr. Favale's Conversion/ Student Questions/ Wives' Questions / Either-Or Game

Dr. Pedraza, Dr. Meinert, Catherine, Ansleigh, and Brady welcome Dr. Favale to the show to talk about her journey from Protestantism to Postmodern Feminism to the Catholic Church. Then they force her to be a heretic.

1: Evangelizing the Nones

January 23rd, 2020  |  59 mins 28 secs

evangelization, nones, theology

Introducing the Dunces / How I Got into Theology / Bishop Duca / Evangelizing the Nones

Dr. Pedraza, Dr. Meinert, Catherine, Elise, Ansleigh, and Ally talk about the "Nones," why they stayed in the Church when so many of their peers are leaving, and what to do about it.