Breaking In The Habit

Week Behind, Catching Up

Hi All! Last weekend I was out of town giving a retreat at a seminary… and just never got the chance to post a newsletter. I figured it was better just to wait a week to catch up, so here we are. A lot of great stuff to watch this Thanksgiving week!

Psycho is Brilliant

If you’re like me and had never seen the Alfred Hitchcock movie Psycho, you’ve got some homework to do. It’s brilliant. In this week’s Everyday Liminality, Fr. Tito and I marvel at how masterfully Hitchcock builds suspense, noting that it created its own genre in 1960.

Back to the Plot Holes!

I love the Back to the Future franchise. I also think that they’re garbage movies if you think about them too hard. Keep it light and enjoy the summer blockbuster.

Overcoming Doubts

Some priests knew that they wanted to be priests when they were little. I was not one of them. I ran from the idea even into my first year as a friar. Learn what kept me away and what ultimately changed my mind.

Wonder Woman?

Yup. Fr. Patrick and I reviewed Wonder Woman. Well, not the whole movie, just a scene, but pretty great nonetheless. Who knew there was such religious imagery in a comic book movie?

https://youtu.be/LxilsAIw2pg

A Trip Down Memory Lane… For Some of Us

There are few things that will get me excited more than reliving my childhood memories of Nickelodeon. In the 90s and early 2000s it was king among kids. Unfortunately, Fr. Patrick grew up in the 60s and 70s, so it was kind of lost on him.

https://youtu.be/xrG3OVUDhI4

Happy Thanksgiving!

For those in the United States, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!

Tough Questions, But Some “Hope”

Sometimes, being a people of faith, a part of a religion, is not an easy prospect. We face a lot of difficulties… but sometimes those difficulties come from within. How do we respond?

The Sex Abuse Crisis Is Far From Over

Usually, Upon Friar Review is a light, fun show to watch. We laugh, we make fun of each other, it’s a great time. Not this week. Fr. Patrick and I take a look at the award-winning movie Spotlight to discuss the ongoing issues of clergy sex abuse in the Church. Viewer discretion is advised.

https://youtu.be/GkeanMZeIJU

Denied Communion? Let’s Reframe the Discussion

Looking for something a little lighter than the sex abuse crisis? How about the question of denying communion to politicians like Joe Biden. Yeah… I said it was going to be a rough week. While many on the internet have had a lot to say about this topic, I think there is an approach that isn’t always mentioned.

Looking for some Old Hope?

In the midst of so much chaos and powerlessness, it’s great sometimes to visit a classic movie in which the good guys win. In this week’s episode of Everyday Liminality, Fr. Tito and I look back on the iconic start to the Star Wars franchise, Star Wars (retroactively titled Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope). Things don’t always come easy for our heroes, but they stick together and overcome obstacles.

https://everydayliminality.libsyn.com/star-wars-the-most-iconic-movie-of-all-time

The Saints we Forget

We love Sts. Francis and Dominic. We pray to Mary and Therese. There are big name saints that get a lot of attention. But what about the literally thousands of other saints alive in heaven today? The reason we celebrate All Saints Day each year is to remind us that, even if our names aren’t remembered, we can have a lasting impact on this world and share in God’s glory in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Looking for a few more bookings!

The response to our MLB tour has been incredible! In just under two weeks, we’ve almost booked every stop with parish visits and events. That’s incredible. We still have some openings, though, so let us know!

5/23-24 Tampa/St. Petersburg

6/8 Baltimore

6/13-14 Boston

6/16 New York

7/2 Chicago

7/12-13 Dallas

7/14-15 Houston

7/18 San Diego

7/20, 7/21 Los Angeles

7/26-28 San Francisco

Can’t wait to see everyone next summer! Until then, peace and good!

Fr. Casey

Big Plans!

Play Ball!

This week, I made the biggest announcement yet on Breaking in the Habit: Fr. Tito and I will spend summer 2022 traveling the US to visit every MLB park and preach at churches. It’s going to be amazing. More details in this week’s video and on our new page. If you’d like to invite us to speak at your parish or organization, let us know by filling out this form.

Life is like a box of Chocolates…

… is a really weird famous saying. You always know what you’re going to get with chocolates. It’s on the box. But it’s said by a wholesome simpleton, so we let it slide. Such is Forrest Gump in a nutshell. Wholesome. Endearing. Memorable. And filled with things that just aren’t right. Fr. Tito and I like much of the movie, but there are definitely some problems with it.

https://everydayliminality.libsyn.com/forrest-gump-a-political-movie

What would you ask God?

This is the question posed by the Christian movie An Interview with God. Admittedly, it’s not a great movie by cinematic standards (I did say it was a Christian movie…) but it does pose some interesting questions worth discussing.

https://youtu.be/OOEgVgQT39o

What Vatican II Actually Did

Vatican II is blamed for a lot. Last year I made a video called Stop Blaming Vatican II in which I defended the council against the ways it’s misinterpreted and used as a scapegoat for all of the Church’s ills. In this video, I try to get to the heart of the council, arguing that its aim was simple: to commission the laity.

Worth a Repeat

Every once in a while, it’s great to go back and rewatch an old video. This week, I want to recommend one of my favorite videos, Christianity. Pure and Simple. Too often we get caught up in things that don’t matter, and I want to challenge us to focus on what does.

Hope everyone has a great week! Peace and good,

Fr. Casey

Is Anyone In Charge Here?

This week in the world of Breaking in the Habit Media, we find a common thread: when people come together, our collective identity takes on its own power an authority even if no one is consciously leading it.

The Tyranny of Mobs

It’s a familiar sight: mobs of people losing their minds. We see it at sporting events, in our streets, and online. Individually, each member might think of themselves as moral and rational, together they form something beyond anyone’s intention. How does this happen, and what can we do about it?

Kids can be so mean

On this week’s Everyday Liminality, Fr. Tito and I discuss the 1955 classic Rebel Without a Cause. Individually, the teens show themselves to be vulnerable, earnest, and capable of love, but together become a mob that attacks anything different from them.

Common “Knowledge”

Sometimes, the mob we experience isn’t so much a group of people with pitchforks as it is a collective understanding about something that isn’t true. Ingrained into our imaginations, it’s difficult to break these misconceptions. In this week’s Reclaiming Catholicism video, I look at the myth that Catholicism made martyrs for science.

That’s not Jesus

Alright, so this last one doesn’t quite fit the theme, but it’s pretty funny. Fr. Patrick and I invite a special guest host to Upon Friar Review to discuss some questionable depictions of Jesus.

https://youtu.be/yDjulPmUjoQ

My Biggest Announcement Yet

Over the past 7 years, I’ve announced books and new channels, summer tours and ordinations. All of them brought their own level of excitement and intrigue, and I couldn’t wait to share them at the time. None of them compare to what I’m going to share this week. On Wednesday evening at 7:00pm EDT, join me on Breaking In The Habit for a video announcing a project that has been literally 8 years in the making. I don’t know if you’re excited, but I can’t contain myself! See you then!

Until Wednesday, have a wonderful week!

Peace and good,

Fr. Casey

A Little Late…

Sorry everyone! The newsletter is coming out a bit late this week! Definitely worth the wait!

These Memes are Dank

Sometimes you’ve just got to be a little ridiculous and laugh. This week on Upon Friar Review, Fr. Patrick and I look at some of the most witty, off-the-wall Christian memes that the Internet has to offer. They’re not meant to be serious, but they definitely back a punch at times!

https://youtu.be/csdce3Z_lPo

The Weirdest Movie I’ve EVER Seen

There are a lot of bizarre movies out there, things that just make you ask, “What were they thinking?” 2001: A Space Odyssey is definitely high on that list. Besides the imaginative imagery and futuristic ponderings, the structure and medium of the movie is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Director Stanley Kubrick wanted to create a movie that unsettled viewers, and he’s achieved that even 50 years later.

It Ain’t About You

I know it’s hard to hear sometimes, but it’s worth repeating: not everything is about one’s personal experience. In fact, when talking about major moral issues, we need to talk much more about the social ramifications of our actions. We live in society, and so our actions are always social. This is the approach I offer when dealing with the epidemic of drugs.

Historical Figures Are Complicated

…and so are we. This is the approach I take with the controversial figure Bartolomé de las Casas. For some, he is considered the “Protector of the Indians” for his work in civil rights work. For others, he is remembered as the “Father of the African Slave Trade” for his support of enslaving Africans. Is he a good man? It’s not always that easy to tell, and this serves as a lesson for us today.

No News is… Delayed Good News

I’m excited to say that there is a lot going on behind the scenes right now in my world, and I can’t wait to share it soon enough. I’ve been working on a “project” for the past 6 months that is almost ready to share, and I’ve gotten together with another friar to plan a big event for next summer. Very, very good things to come… just not ready to share. Soon!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Peace and good,

Fr. Casey, OFM