EPISODE · Aug 8, 2025 · 2H 5M
Stigmata (1999): Bleeding Saints, Banned Scriptures and Billy Corgan
from Morally Offensive · host Morally Offensive
The wounds of Christ. A chain-smoking atheist. Gabriel Byrne as a brooding Vatican investigator in designer black. Welcome back to Hot Priest Summer. This week on Morally Offensive, we’re going full incense-and-industrial as we revisit Stigmata; the aggressively 1999 Catholic horror film where Patricia Arquette becomes an accidental mystic and Gabriel Byrne has his faith (and sex drive) tested. It’s a heady mix of the Gospel of Thomas, the Nag Hammadi library, anti-clerical paranoia, and… Chumbawamba? We break down the film’s chaotic theology, its obsession with silenced gospels and Vatican coverups, and why so many ex-Catholics thought they were watching something dangerous. We also take a deeper look at the real history of stigmatics, from St. Francis of Assisi to Padre Pio, and dare to ask the question: Why was Padre Pio hoarding Carbolic acid? Featuring a Billy Corgan-curated soundtrack, strobe-lit nightclubs, exorcisms of non-demons, and 90s fashion choices we can’t unsee, Stigmata is a movie best enjoyed with your Catholic brain turned off, and your popcorn thoroughly buttered. Our guest this week is film teacher Christopher Hoppe, with co-hosting duties from Kevin of A24 On the Rocks. Support us through Libro.fm here. Check out our new Merch Store! We've got t-shirts, hats, tote bags and branded denim jackets! Follow us on our socials at Instagram and Tiktok. Check of A24 on the Rocks here.
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What this episode covers
It’s 1999. Patricia Arquette is bleeding holy wounds in a rave bathroom. Gabriel Byrne is a hot Vatican investigator in denial. And Chumbawamba is playing in the background. For this chapter of Hot Priest Summer, we dive into Stigmata — the Catholic horror cult classic that mixes the Gospel of Thomas, Billy Corgan’s soundtrack, 90s fashion, and deep ex-Catholic trauma. We break down the film’s wild theology, the history of stigmatics like St. Francis and Padre Pio, and the Vatican’s problem with Gnostic gospels. With guest film teacher Christopher Hoppe and co-host Kevin from A24 On the Rocks.
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Stigmata (1999): Bleeding Saints, Banned Scriptures and Billy Corgan
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