Dr. Brian Pedraza

20B: Called by Name: The Vocation Story of Fr. Andrew Merrick

January 31st, 2024  |  1 hr 1 min

catholic, priesthood, vocation

B-Side: Called by Name
From Ordinary Guy to Priest of Jesus Christ

19: Dr. Joe Vukov and A.I. vs. Meat Computing Machines

October 31st, 2023  |  1 hr 15 mins

artificial intelligence, catholic, philosophy, technology, theology

Dr. Vukov/Feast of St. Francis/A.I. and Humanizing Technology or Technologizing Humans/A.I. vs. Meat Computers
Dr. Joe Vukov visits the duncepod from Loyola Chicago. The Dunces tackle A.I. and whether technology can be humanized or if humanity gets technologized.

18: TFE 2023

August 17th, 2023  |  57 mins 57 secs

bucc-ee's, immaculate conception, problem of evil, tfe, theology

TFE 2023 Live Show/Ask Us Anything/Buc-ee's
The Dunces record a live show at The Franciscan Experience 2023. Rock Star high-schoolers get to ask us anything about theology, spirituality, and Taylor Swift.

17: The Eras (Cosmic History) Tour

July 21st, 2023  |  1 hr 12 mins

eras, taylor swift, theology

Eras of Church History/Tay-Tay vs. Mayer/Mouth Sounds
The Dunces take us on a time-traveling tour through Church history with greatest hits from Anthony of the Desert, Augustine, Benedict and Anselm, Francis, Thomas Aquinas, John Henry Newman, and Bishop Sheen.

16: Vulnerable before the Vulnerable God, w/ the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

April 14th, 2023  |  1 hr 10 mins

catholic, community, st. francis, theology

Becoming Men and Women of Communion/Vulnerability and True Community/Either-Or Game
The Dunces and the CFRS take it poco a poco moving from our malformation in loneliness and isolation to our formation as a true community.

15: It's a Man's World... and That Kinda Stinks

March 28th, 2023  |  59 mins 14 secs

bioethics, catholic, gender, theology, women's studies

Dr. Angela Franks on Misogyny and the Feminine Genius/Gender in a Man's World/Which is the Worse Penance?
The Dunces talk womanhood, misogyny, the feminine genius, and gender. Then they play a hilarious game.

14: The Divine Physician with Dr. Kristin Collier

April 3rd, 2022  |  1 hr 26 mins

bioethics, catholic, healthcare, theology

Dr. Collier on the Christian Renewal of Healthcare/Lenty Lent/Worse Penance Game
The Dunces welcome Dr. Kristin Collier who shares her conversion from secular humanist to Christian and the difference this makes as a doctor.

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.

9: Coming Soon (2nd Season Preview)

October 1st, 2020  |  2 mins 5 secs

A preview of our first episode of the sophomore season, which will be dropping soon!

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.

6B: I Will Not Leave You Orphans

April 6th, 2020  |  27 mins 31 secs

bishops, catholic, coronavirus, dunces, priests, sacraments, theology

B-Side: I Will Not Leave You Orphans
Fr. Brad Doyle and priestly fatherhood during the coronavirus.

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.