Busted Halo Show w/Fr. Dave Dwyer

Father Dave welcomes film producer Jim Wahlberg to talk about the new movie “Carlo Acutis: Roadmap to Reality,” which is in theaters until May 1st. The movie’s theatrical release was scheduled to coincide with the canonization of Carlo Acutis, though that Mass is now postponed following the passing of Pope Francis.

As we continue to mourn the loss of Pope Francis, Father Dave welcomes back John Allen, Jr. to reflect on the papacy. John is editor of Crux, an independent Catholic news service that aims to be an objective voice in Catholic media. He has written twelve books on the Vatican and Catholic affairs.

Holy Week and Passover coincide in 2025, and Father Dave welcomes back Rabbi Brad Hirschfield to discuss this meaningful time of year.

A listener named Alex asks Father Dave about the Eucharistic Prayer. Alex says, “In the Mass, Eucharistic Prayer I has a lengthy list of saints. How is this list determined, and can the presider add or subtract names to the list?”

Many feel God’s presence while spending time outdoors, and Father Dave welcomes Father John Nepil to discuss his faith connection to hiking the Colorado Trail. Father John is an avid hiker and mountaineer, and he has celebrated Mass atop all 54 of Colorado’s highest peaks. His new book is called “To Heights and Unto Depths: Letters from the Colorado Trail.”

Father Dave answers a question from a listener named Steven about how the Church elects a new pope. Steven asks, “I'm praying for Pope Francis' health every day, but if he passes away, what are the next steps for electing a new pope?”

Many grew up watching the Christian animated series “VeggieTales,” and Father Dave welcomes the show’s co-creator Mike Nawrocki to discuss sharing faith with kids. Mike wrote and directed episodes of the hit show as well as both theatrical-release films, and he served as the voice of Larry the Cucumber. Mike’s latest project is a new kids show called, “The Dead Sea Squirrels,” based on his own book series. 

A listener named Jim asks Father Dave about Sunday Mass readings during Lent. Jim says, “At Mass [on the Third Sunday of Lent], I was expecting the Gospel to be from Luke about the fig tree, but the actual Gospel that was read was from John about [the woman at the well.] Why would that change?”

A listener named Marty asks Father Dave about the presence of Holy Water in churches during Lent. “I was a parishioner at a church that took Holy Water out of the church for Lent and replaced it in the fonts with sand,” Marty says. “I strongly questioned it, and they relented and returned it. It's not right to take Holy Water out of a Catholic church for Lent, correct?”

Fasting is a pillar of Lent, and Father Dave welcomes Sister Nancy Usselmann to discuss how fasting from the digital world can impact our faith. Sister Nancy is a Daughter of Saint Paul, the Director of Pauline Media Studies, and the author of “Media Fasting: Six Weeks to Recharge in Christ.”

A listener named Dan asks Father Dave for advice on current struggles in his spiritual life due to politics. Dan says, “I am at a point where my faith is barely hanging by a thread, because so many people I know support political policies that fly in the face of the teachings of Jesus and are based in hate and fear.”

March celebrates Women’s History Month, and Father Dave welcomes Taryn DeLong and Elise Crawford Gallagher to examine work-life balance from the viewpoint of Catholic women. Taryn and Elise are the co-presidents of the online community Catholic Women in Business and the authors of “Holy Ambition: Thriving as a Catholic Woman at Work and at Home.”

Lent is almost here, and Father Dave welcomes Colleen Reiss Vermeulen to discuss her new book, “Simply Scripture for Lent and Easter: A Daily Guide to Reading the Bible.” Colleen is the co-founder of CatholicBiblicalSchool.org and a teacher and director with the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan.

While broadcasting from the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, Father Dave welcomes Vatican Observatory Director Brother Guy Consolmagno to discuss two of his latest books, “When Science Goes Wrong: The Desire and Search for Truth” and “A Jesuit's Guide to the Stars: Exploring Wonder, Beauty, and Science.”

As we approach Lent, Father Dave welcomes Josh Noem, editorial director of Ave Maria Press, to discuss his new devotional, “Lord Show Me the Way.”

We are all called to share the Gospel with the world, and Father Dave welcomes Father David Michael Moses, who seeks to evangelize through social media. In addition to his service as a diocesan priest in Texas, Father David Michael has a popular presence online where he shares stories of his priestly life.