Catching Foxes

Luke and Gomer talk about the passing of Gomer's father, but the episode isn't all doom and gloom (just the appropriate amount). Also included this week: an attempted murder, gray-market drugs, and a review of The Odyssey. In This Episode: Luke and Gomer compare notes on sleep, snoring, and inheriting their dads' blood pressure meds The legend of Dave Van Vickel: grocery deliveries, a mid-street knife fight, and a jury summons A review of The Odyssey movie, mythology demythologized, and Elliot Page's casting Gomer reflects on his father's death, anticipatory grief, the Sirach 38 reading, and the funeral Don Gormley's Shell/Texaco career stories, plus Luke's deep dive into nasal breathing, buzz breathing, nitric oxide, and gray-market Redatrutide Chapters: 00:00: Intro — Sleep Problems and a New YouTube Rabbit Hole 06:09: Blood Pressure Meds, Family History, and Following in Dad's Footsteps 08:21: The Legend of Dave Van Vickel (Knife Fights and Groceries) 16:53: Sponsor — Faith Mosier, Dallas Healing House 18:37: The Odyssey Movie Review 24:41: Back to Dad — Carrying His Ashes and the Sirach 38 Reading 32:11: Anticipatory Grief, Hard Conversations, and the Funeral 1:00:47: Don Gormley's Career — From Skelly Oil to the Shell Tanker Standoff 1:10:04: Sponsor — Cloister Ignatian Prayer App 1:14:16: Welcome to the Dead Dads Club 1:16:34: Nasal Breathing, Buzz Breathing, and Nitric Oxide 1:32:02: Redatrutide, GLP-1s, and Wrapping Up Resources Mentioned: Dallas Healing House Cloister Ignatian Prayer ParishSOFT Catching Foxes Substack Produced by Saint Kolbe Studios

Gomer's dad is out of the hospital and in a care home and this episode starts there, in the territory of walking a parent toward the end of his life. Luke and Gomer work through the lessons Gomer has picked up in the trenches: what hospitals won't tell you, how to have the DNR conversation, and why AI has become an unlikely companion through all of it. In This Episode: Why hospitals won't spell out what's actually happening with your loved one and how Gomer used AI to decode his dad's medical charts and communicate clearly with family Lesson one from the hospital: no one will tell you what's going on unless you make them, and the only people who will are in palliative care The do-over myth and why middle age is when you realize the world stopped giving them to you—you don't go back, you live with the scar tissue The DNR conversation: what it actually means, why outside-of-hospital DNR requires a signed document on the door, and why you should have it sooner than you think When specialists miss the whole person: how productivity-driven, siloed medicine can leave no one reading the full picture Chapters: 00:00: Welcome Back 00:46: Gomer's Dad and the Care Home 02:08: Lesson One—Hospitals Won't Tell You Anything 07:25: Luke's Dad and Losing People Too Soon 20:00: The Gradual Decline You Can't See Coming 24:00: Reality, Do-Overs, and the Things That Can't Be Undone 29:38: When Specialists Miss the Whole Person 37:54: The DNR Conversation 41:47: Big Fish and What We Learn from Our Parents' Stories 48:21: What Parents Say When They Think It's Time 53:23: AI, Claude, and the Bot That Said It Was Praying for You Resources Mentioned: Rebuilding Mum and Dad (YouTube) Catching Foxes on Substack Produced by Saint Kolbe Studios

After a two-month hiatus, Luke and Gomer are back. This episode opens with a conversation about Gomer's father Don's ongoing health decline, the emotional and logistical chaos of elder care, and the conversations no one prepares you to have. From there, the fellas pivot to AI, the World Cup, Hollywood Botox, and the slow enshitification of everything. In This Episode: The full story of Gomer's dad Don's hip replacement, repeated ER visits, and the family's difficult reckoning with permanent skilled nursing care What no one tells you about Medicaid's "look back" provisions, the true cost of elder care, and why planning ahead matters far more than most families realize Gomer's complete 180 on AI and how tools like Claude and ChatGPT have become indispensable for managing his father's medical records, medications, and care in real time Euthanasia, modern medicine's ability to keep people alive without keeping them well, and what it means to age with dignity What they're angry, excited, and concerned about: home construction costs, the Fox Sports World Cup AI ad, The Iliad film, and Hollywood's Botox problem Chapters: 00:00: Welcome Back 02:07: Gomer's Dad's Health Crisis 10:06: End-of-Life Conversations 18:54: Navigating Elder Care and Medicaid 31:39: Euthanasia, Modern Medicine, and Keeping People Alive 42:43: From AI Skeptic to AI Convert 51:29: AI in Practice: Research and Healthcare 01:06:37: What Are You Angry, Excited, and Concerned About? 01:10:09: The Enshitification of Everything Resources Mentioned: Catching Foxes on Patreon Catching Foxes on Substack Produced by Saint Kolbe Studios

This is a nephilim-heavy episode. Strap in! Also, please pray for Gomer's son, Noah. You'll hear all about it in the episode. Enjoy!

The fellas talk about the fragility of life. Also, Luke may or may not have taken a lover (in a tasteful way). Want to know for sure? You'll have to listen! Produced by Saint Kolbe Studios

Luke and Gomer discuss a variety of topics; some light, some heavy. The two recount their experiences at (different) SEEK conferences and offer their thoughts on the heaviness and difficulty that seems to be moving through the lives of many public-facing Catholics, most recently Paul J. Kim. If you're tired of hearing AI critiques and why AI is killing you (it is), you'll love the first 60 minutes or so. You may want to bow out before the end, if you're a big fan of AI or of Morlocks. Enjoy! Thanks to Saint Kolbe Studios for producing this podcast!

This is a heavy one. Heavy in a good way, but heavy all the same. Lots of unpacking trauma, both from childhood and Gomer's recent bathroom renovation. There's some talk of childhood wounds, betrayal, and other sad topics. If that's not something you've got the energy for around the holidays, no worries. Maybe come back to this one after the new year. Merry Christmas, and hope you enjoy! Produced by Saint Kolbe Studios

Want to get the inside scoop on what it was (and is) like to live in the Carey household? This is the episode for you! Christina stops by to chat all things Carey, her job in social work, and throw shade at a certain sibling who did not show up for the recording. Which sibling? Only one way to find out. Enjoy!

Gomer lives! As does the deep dive into Aristotle's Poetics. This time, it's Beauty and the Beast. Enjoy! Thank you to Saint Kolbe Studios for producing this episode of Catching Foxes!

Luke and Gomer spend an hour and a half explaining the nuances of The Little Mermaid, covering what separates a well-written villain from a bad one. It's educational and, at times, entertaining. Enjoy! Thank you to Saint Kolbe Studios for producing this episode of Catching Foxes!

This episode offers everything you've ever wanted to know about The Lion King and then some. It's basically a free Shakespeare class. Plus, why music makes you feel certain ways and the Mary Sue character in the new Star Wars movies. Enjoy!

Anthony D'Ambrosio of Triumph of the Heart stops by the show to talk about the process of bringing Saint Maximilian Kolbe's story to life. Get the inside scoop on what it takes to make a Catholic movie that doesn't actually suck. Enjoy!

Has our world gotten flatter? Are all the edges of culture rounded out and mass produced to the lowest common denominator? Luke and Gomer discuss how movies have lost their soul and houses have gotten gray and boring (and badly made). Take a shot anytime two men in their 40s discuss interior design on this episode (maybe don't listen to this one in the car). Enjoy!

AI has plenty of potential upsides. Helping you think more deeply about life isn't one of them. Maybe, if done wrong, it helps us fulfill our worst desires. Will AI reduce us to simply our desires? Can it free up time in our lives to contemplate the truth? Also, there's a lengthy discussion about sex with robots towards the end. It's topical, we promise, but maybe don't listen to this one with your kids. Maybe don't listen to any Catching Foxes episodes with your kids. Enjoy!

Can we know what reality is? Not in some college-freshman-philosophy-major-existentialism way, but in how we see the world. Are reproductions of things real versions of the original? The fellas continue to talk about the ethics of AI and whether we've lost the ability to truly view realty. Tune in next week for part two of this discussion!

The usage of AI has moral implications, but what are they? Can we use it without losing our souls? Should we all just be listening to Bob Dylan and avoiding AI-generated music? It's a heady one this week. Enjoy!

This is a heavy episode with reflections on mortality, earthly burdens, and the time we spend with our family. Also included, Luke's hope that Pope Leo makes AI usage a mortal sin. Enjoy!

Sean Hussey and Ben Zuber of Cold Brews and Catholic Truths stop by to talk about apologetics, JD Vance, Pope Leo, and their approach to evangelization. Towards the end, Gomer talks for more than five minutes straight about a passionate evangelization topic. Who would have thought? Find out what it was on this week's episode! Enjoy!

Was Thunderbolts a flop? Does it actually do a good job talking about mental health? Luke and Gomer debate this heatedly. Also on the menu today: important songs, most hated movie tropes, and the death of Alasdair MacIntyre. Enjoy!

The fellas talk tariffs - quite unexpectedly. Also in this episode: Diddy, Trump, George Soros, and other demonetizable topics. Strap in! Enjoy!

Pope Leo XIV has been elected! What can we expect from him? What will the legacy of Pope Francis be? The guys talk about what we know about Pope Leo, how we try to map American politics onto the papacy, and how the pope is from Chicago. USA! USA! USA! Enjoy!

Pope Francis has died, but you probably already knew that. If you didn't, that's genuinely impressive. The guys unpack the most recent pontificate and talk about rabbid trads, Bonaventure, and Dilexit Nos. Enjoy!

Is the Minecraft Movie the downfall of culture? If you consider getting wet in a theatre the downfall of culture, then maybe. The fellas have a wide range of Ten Minute Topics with a lengthy preamble about the Minecraft Movie. Enjoy!

Are pithy phrases ever useful? Does "let go and let God" have any theological value? The fellas discuss! Also on the table for today: children sprinting during Mass, fear as a desire to control, and something incredibly insightful from 'ol Gomer. Enjoy!

How to get out of your head, into the world, and push through obstacles. That and Gomer reads poetry. Enjoy!

Gomer makes his glorious return to the show. He's back to tell us all about what he's been up to, as well as discuss the nature of work and whether you should attend the parish that you work at. Enjoy!

One of Luke's oldest friends stops by to discuss a tasteful amount of US international politics and reminisce on life in the Pacific Northwest. Enjoy!

The youths are sad. What's up with that? Luke and Nick Sciarappa, producer of Clerically Speaking, discuss the state of youth ministry (and the state of Pittsburgh). Enjoy!

An exciting round of Ten Minute Topics featuring Producer Joe (once again) of the newly launched Saint Kolbe Studios. They generally stick to ten minutes as well. Topics include: The line between gossip and news Weird things your family did when you were young Favorite objectively bad movies And more! Enjoy!

Luke and his sister Emily, who watched a LOT of SNL growing up, pick their family's SNL Mt. Rushmore. Here's a Google Doc with as many SNL skits and moments as I could remember from our discussion. Luke shares a gorgeous song that speaks to the depths of his soul Luke loves The Lonely Island. So much. Also, please do not let kids listen to this. Seriously. I'm warning you.

Luke drafts the best movies from 1998-2003 with a cast of guest stars. Movies drafted include--but are not limited to--10 Things I Hate About You, Gangs of New York, Moulin Rouge!, and The Big Lebowski. See if your favorite made the cut and be sure to check out patreon.com/cf to find all the finalized draft boards for free! Enjoy! Be sure to share the Holy Wonders Podcast with your kids at https://holywonders.podbean.com/. Visit Max Studios at https://ustmaxstudios.com/. And thank you to Cloisters Ignatian Prayer for sponsoring this episode! Enjoy the benefits of a silent Ignatian retreat—wherever you are. Visit www.cloistersignatianprayer.org today!

Mrs. Ruvi stops by to spend 100 minutes talking about one Five Iron Frenzy song. I promise you'll like it. If you're intrigued by deep dives into things you've probably never heard of, this is certainly the episode for you. Enjoy!

Gomer is going to be MIA for a few weeks and Luke was scrambling for a guest. That brings us to Producer Joe's appearance on Catching Foxes after two (long) years of producing the show. Luke and Producer Joe discuss what the future of media looks like, the morality of technology, and whether rich people should buy fancy things or simple things. Enjoy!

Back, late, and better (debatably) than ever! Topics include: Dating in your 30s Notre Dame Evangelizing without being a weirdo Enjoy!

Dr. Matthew Wiseman discusses his new book, The Two Jerusalems, which is the moving story of a young man's amazing journey to discover the roots of the Christian faith in the Ancient Near East, which led him from Protestantism through the Messianic movement and into the Catholic Church. This journey took him to the rainforest of Papua New Guinea, the Nożyk Synagogue in Warsaw, and the Judean Desert, and into the heart of ancient and medieval Jewish tradition: the Hebrew Bible. Along the way, he met a cast of odd and wonderful characters, false prophets, and saintly Catholics who taught him about God, Scripture, and prayer. His steps were dogged throughout by God's strange, providential provisions, despite his human blindness. At the heart of the ancient faith, much to his surprise, he discovered what a billion people across the world already know and live: the Catholic faith. Through it all, Matthew Wiseman's relentless desire for truth and consistency kept him searching until he discovered the "beauty ever ancient, ever new". His powerful story is like a course in fundamental theology, in compelling narrative form. This ground-breaking book can change the lives of traditional Jews, Messianic Jews, Protestant Christians, and wavering Catholics. And because it is a narrative from his life vs. an apologetics text, it will reach many who prefer the autobiographical genre. His vivid, rhetorical style renders complicated theological issues clear and understandable.

Luke and Gomer discuss their themes for 2025 (instead of resolutions). Gomer plans on a "Year of Health," while Luke plans on a "Year of Essays." Enjoy!

The guys discuss Advent devotions, the scandals of JPII's papacy, and Gomer's new Tesla. Enjoy!

It's a classic Ten Minute Topics episode for your early Thanksgiving enjoyment! Plus, Luke talks about his annulment and Italian women. Do with that what you will. Happy Thanksgiving!

The fellas got busy with life, so we're airing an episode of Producer Joe's podcast, The Ethical Entrepreneur, starring Gomer! This is the same version you'll find on The Ethical Entrepreneur because, unlike Luke's, it wasn't explicit right out of the gate. Gomer and I chat about his background as a speaker, credentialism in the nonprofit world, and how to improve your communication skills. Enjoy!

The guys discuss the new Apple M4 chip, The Three Body Problem by Liu Cixin, and Luke's experience at a Five Iron Frenzy concert. We're back and playing the hits on this episode! Enjoy!

The guys couldn't record this week, so we're running a teaser episode of Producer Joe's new podcast, the Ethical Entrepreneur. The first episodes drop on November 13th, and we'll have more info coming soon! Luke and Joe discuss the world of major gifts, whether the Boomers dying (if they ever die) is actually an issue for nonprofits, and get into a deep tangent on Victorian seaport towns in Northern California. You can find The Ethical Entrepreneur on all major podcast platforms. Enjoy!

We fixed Patreon! Luke saw Jimmy Eat World! Gomer continues teaching Shakespeare! It's a joyous day at Cathing Foxes. New and existing patrons of the show have the opportunity to win a beautiful journal from Monk Manual. Don't miss out!

Mrs. Ruvi stops by for a candid discussion on mental health, homelessness, and the newest Joker movie. Enjoy!

Marcellino D'Ambrosio of Sherwood Fellows stops by the show to discuss everything wrong with the nonprofit model. Hold onto your hats.

Is the title a bit of editorializing? Yeah, maybe. The point stands, though. The guys ponder the value of doing things even if they won't work. Is there a point in doing anything if it's just going to be torn down eventually? Come find out!

Our guests today make the case that we can bridge the divide between Catholics and Evangelicals. Is it possible? Special guests Alexei Laushkin and Nathan Smith stop in to talk about a document on Catholic-Evangelical relations that the two helped to create. Enjoy!

The much anticipated Shakespeare draft is here! Will your favorite movie be drafted? Will it get snubbed? Featuring special guest, Kate Camden! Want to vote for who had the best Top Five Shakespeare Films list? Join our Patreon! All patrons have the opportunity to vote for the best list and the winners receive eternal glory and bragging rights!

Gomer and Luke read poetry, discuss beauty, and generally realize they're tired of mass culture (but they will still watch the newest Marvel movie). Enjoy!

Just a touch late, but still on Tuesday! The fellas talk about mass culture, David Foster Wallace, media biases, and an addiction to being correct. It's a classic Catching Foxes extravaganza! Enjoy!

Maria Puccini, the Executive Director of In My Shoes, stops by the show this week to talk with us about her organization's mission. Enjoy!