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Including references from Looney Tunes, The Blues Brothers, The Shining, Spiderman, The Godfather, Raging Bull, and a host of others, Kung Fu Hustle is by no means a serious work. It’s a spoof of the industry. Unlike most spoofs, though, it does so as a means of paying homage. It makes fun in order to show its love. With countless homages to previous kung fu movies, the appearance of once-famous kung fu heroes, and the use of many popular tropes. one could definitely argue that it was made to show the greatness of the genre.

Or it’s just a farce. We really couldn’t decide. Either way, we hope you enjoy!

The Two Popes is a dynamic, well-made, inspiring mess. That’s what Fr. Tito and I said last year when we reviewed it on our podcast. This year, I decided to sit down with Fr. Patrick to see if he thought the same. In this episode, we look at just one scene, Pope Benedict XVI’s meeting with then Cardinal Bergoglio at Castle Gandolfo.

Can Science be Trusted?

There are some in our world that are skeptical of anything scientific, believing that faith in God and scientific inquiry are opposed to one another. This is an unfortunate approach that limits the faculties of reason and observation that God gave us. The Catholic Church is a major supporter of empirical study.

There are also those on the other end of the spectrum who believe that science is the end-all-be-all of truth, that it is always right and answers every question. This is also an unfortunate approach.

The fact of the matter is an excellent way of understanding the perceivable world, but there are plenty of important things in life that are not perceivable. For that, we must look to history, philosophy, art, and religion to answer other questions and to express other truths.

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Jurassic Park (1993) was one of the biggest blockbusters ever made… and it is still one of the best movies of all time. More than just an action movie, it instills awe and wonder in the viewer, reminding us what it means to have a true “fear of God.” Trust me when I say that it is even better than you remember.

Just be kind?

I work in an elementary school. On a regular basis, I see encouraging posters and helpful teachers reminding students to “be kind to one another.” It’s a very good lesson for children who are developing their own identities and struggle to get along with one another. How important it is to share, to speak respectfully to one another, and to choose to be nice! It is a lesson that every child needs to remember each day.

But what about adults? The idea of kindness doesn’t rank as highly for us once we graduate to the “real world.” As adults, we value truth and justice much higher, often throwing kindness to the wayside to achieve it. Who cares about being kind when injustice is rampant. We need to get angry and speak truth to power!

And that’s certainly true. To some extent. But to what extent? After watching Ted Lasso last weekend, I’ve been reflecting on my approach to life and the role that kindness must still play in it. Even if you haven’t seen the show, I think that this is a message that everyone needs to hear.