Three Dogs North

Latest Episodes:

S11 Episode 58 – Gird up your loins Jun 17, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, the dogs discuss the heroes journey (12:45) and Rob asks the question: If we’re made for home, then why do we leave (14:00)? Rob gives his favorite Summer Reading combinations (7:55), Connor references the gospel of Luke (19:00) as well as SNL (24:30), and Mike shares what it’s like to maintain values while developing his career in the army (28:22).

Quotes:

“Culture without substance is empty.” (Mike, 1:30)

“There’s nothing you can do but kick your horse.” (from Lonesome Dove, 10:45)

“Life is about relationship.” (Mike, 18:09)

“That’s the cross and resurrection. The way to life is death.” (Connor 19:30)

“My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours.” (Luke 15:31, 23:15)

“Late have I loved you, beauty so old and so new: late have I loved you. And see, you were within and I was in the external world and sought you there, and in my unlovely state I plunged into those lovely created things which you made. You were with me, and I was not with you.” (from Augustine’s Confessions, 25:20)

“The ways that we live in “untruth” for some “greater good” can actually mar us and change us.” (Mike, 28:41)

“The framework for the question of growth is off if it’s just about you.” (Rob, 32:50)

“To be the truly human image of God, where you’re an unselfconscious gift to God… that’s holiness… you just have to receive it and step into that river with Jesus.” (Connor, 36:50)

“You’ve answered all my questions because now I’ve seen you.” (Mike, 40:20)

Media Mentions:

Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
Pride & Prejudice (2005)
A River Runs Through It (1992)
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
Downton Abbey (2010- 2015)
Art of Manliness Podcast #871: Jane Austen for Dudes
Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited
Matt Fradd’s interview with Peter Kreeft
J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings
Unbroken (2014)
Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women
Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn
Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove
Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Norman Maclean’s A River Runs Through It
Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild
The Prodigal Son
C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Last Supper Discource (John 14- 17)
Romano Tours – SNL
Augustine of Hippo’s Confessions
Jordan B. Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life
Joe Pug’s After Curfew
Peter Kreeft’s lecture on Till We Have Faces
C.S. Lewis’ Till We Have Faces
Job (38:3)

References:

Jane Austen
WWI
Therese of Lisieux
Samwise Gamgee (Sam)
Peter Kreeft
USS Indianapolis
John Steinbeck
University of Chicago
Montana
Adam Sandler
Rule 7: Pursue what is meaningful, not what is expedient.
Rule 8: Tell the truth- or at least don’t lie.
Franz Jägerstätter
Maximilian Kolbe
Thomas More
Pope John Paul II

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S11 Episode 57- Cosmic liturgy May 25, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, the dogs talk about what it means to sacramentalize all things. They discuss the tendency to separate “holy” things from seemingly unholy things (1:30) and the opposing belief that all things are restored in Christ (4:00). Mike brings up his experience serving at Life Teen retreats (9:55), Rob shares what was so impactful about visiting the Martin home in France (11:20), and Connor tells about a recent trip to the doctor (13:10). They all discuss being freed, as priests, to focus on loving people, not just trying to save them (21:30). Also, they reminisce about that time Mike got scabies (28:25).

Quotes:

“Life with God is not an obligation, but it’s really a gift.” (Mike, 9:10)

“The retreat actually is reality; what we want to do is integrate the rest of your life into that relationship, into that experience.” (Mike, 10:30)

“Every room in their home was clearly about being together.” (Rob about the Martin home, 12:15)

“I want to bring Christ into that world. That’s what the invitation is, bring all of that suffering into Jesus. Even that is not outside of his power and grace.” (Mike, 20:40)

“I just get to love people. That’s my whole job.” (Mike, 21:00)

“Jesus says ‘behold I make all things new’, not ‘behold I make new things’.” (Connor quoting Schmemann, 22:05)

“Nothing is wasted. It’s all ingredients somehow in this ultimate project of joy.” (Connor, 23:20)

“He has assumed all of our humanity and now we donate our humanity to him to become transfigured and glorified.” (Connor, 23:36)

“I’m not on to save people, I’m on to love people.” (Rob quoting Mike, 25:29)

“The Christian is to the world what the soul is to the body.” (letter to Diognetus, 35:10)

“My prerogative is to treat everyone with equal love and equal dignity.” (Mike, 38:20)

Media Mentions:

Ned Schneebly
School of Rock (2003)
C.S. Lewis’ Perelandra
Jean Corbon’s The Wellspring of Worship
Corinthians
Genesis
Revelation
Romans
Acts of the Apostles 2:42-47
Diognetus’ letter
When you Wish Upon a Star
Dumb and Dumber (1994)

References:

Alexander Schmemann
Jack Black
Bishop Robert Barron
Life Teen
Georgia
Alençon, France
St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Sts. Zelie and Louis Martin
Madison Street Chicago
Chicago “L”
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Missionaries of Charity
El Salvador
Nicaragua
Narcotics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Cardinal Francis George
All American Chapel
Jiminy Cricket
Gepetto
Fort Bragg

Glossary:

“Instaurare omnia in Christo.” (To restore all things to Christ.)
“Creatio ex nihilo.” (Creation out of nothing)

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S11 Episode 56- Cor ad cor loquitur Apr 13, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, the dogs talk about ways they have grown over the past year (4:45). Connor shares his experience during Holy Week (7:00), Rob remembers lessons learned from Connor’s pandemic garden (8:30), and Mike defends the relevance of the liturgy (13:35). They all share the joys of priesthood that they’ve recently experienced (21:30).

Quotes:

“The kingdom of God is just coming.” (Rob quoting Connor, 8:37)

“You just have to feel what you feel.” (Rob, 9:00)

“Reality is hard, but it’s better.” (Rob, 9:20)

“Everything in Heaven is so much more real.” (Connor, 12:15)

“When you live in reality and enter into the liturgy it becomes immediately relevant and pertinent because it’s God’s desire to save us and walk with us in our suffering.” (Mike, 13:50)

“God’s responsive love to the suffering human heart.” (Mike, 14:20)

“How much of a gift it is to be a priest and have Jesus explode your heart for people.” (Connor, 21:30)

“Christianity is real and it’s dope.” (Connor, 22:40)

“It’s good to be a priest.” (Mike, 26:00)

“It’s so good to have everybody home.” (Rob, 27:50)

Media Mentions:

Revelation Chapter 21
Word on Fire’s Evangelization and Culture (“Suffering” Spring 2023)
C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce
John 13 (The Washing of the Disciples’ Feet)
Nate Bargatze (dead horse)
Snatch (2000)

References:

St. John Paul II Newman Center
Good Friday
Holy Week
RIM: Relationship. Identity. Mission.
IPF (The Institute for Priestly Formation)
Michelle Duppong
FOCUS: The Fellowship of Catholic University Students
Gummy worms
Milano Cookies
iBreviary
Calendar App
Maps
PETA Twitter
Dodge Caravan

Shout- Outs:

Fr. Paul Porter
Smalanick

Glossary:

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S11 Episode 55- Ten pages in Mar 10, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, the dogs hear Rob’s hot take on 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (4:35). They all discuss the importance of choosing to engage with reality (11:48), especially when it can be tempting to “shirk” off the present moment (34:30).

Quotes:

“I am not alone. It’s not just on me to create the meaning of my life. This is not all there is.” (Connor, 23:10)

“Jesus seems to rectify and provide a lived reality that you don’t have to rebel against everything in order to fully actualize your humanity.” (Mike, 25:10)

“She (St. Therese) only wants reality and what her human limits allow. She has no problem being limited by her humanity.” (Rob, 26:50)

“It’s impossible for Jesus to will useless suffering.” (Connor quoting St. Therese, 28:50)

“God is out there, in the desert with you.” (Connor, 31:30)

“We’re not at the promised land yet, but we are there, in those moments of Kiaros.” (Connor, 32:51)

“What gives me life is living within Christ and then responding to the reality with Him that’s in front of me.” (Connor, 40:40)

“Part of what’s been great about life is that it’s not what I expected.” (Connor, 41:20)

Media Mentions:

Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Fr. Brett Brannen’s To Save a Thousand Souls: A Guide for Discerning a Vocation to Diocesan Priesthood
Donald Trump and Tony Schwartz’s Trump: The Art of the Deal
Fr. Rob Johnson’s articles for Word on Fire
Fr. Michael Metz’s articles for Word on Fire
Fr. Connor Danstrom’s articles for Word on Fire
Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning
Jean Corbon’s The Wellspring of Worship
C.S. Lewis’ The Silver Chair
Megan Ulrich’s Untitled
Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina

References:

Jordan B. Peterson
Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE)
St. Therese of Lisieux
Konstantin Levin
Rev. Daniel S. Siwek (homiletics)

Bromides:

“The youth are the future.”

“We’re building tomorrow’s church, today.”

“Senior citizens are our past.”

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S11 Episode 54- You did it to me Feb 24, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, the dogs talk about Rob’s Sabbath activities (1:50) and Connor’s obsession with Milanos (6:00). Connor brings up the Mother Teresa documentary (7:10) and they all discuss why she is so initially intimidating (10:42) and ultimately disarming (26:50). They close the episode with love for all the Teresas (34:34).

Quotes:

“Engagement with that kind of poverty… the truly untouchable, Mother Teresa so radically went to them and was willing to be affected by them in a way that I resist.” (Connor, 10:42)

“You go into some of those rooms (at the gift of grace house) and it engages all of your humanity; it’s a very tangible experience of the “marginalized”.” (Mike, 18:00)

“Mother Teresa enters into that discomfort in this really remarkable way that can be intimidating.” (Mike, 18:35)

“You have no lifelines there (with the poor); you’re totally dependent on God.” (Mike, 19:10)

“Get comfortable being uncomfortable.” (Mike quoting his siblings, 20:40)

“The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.” (Connor quoting Pope Benedict XVI, 22:15).

“What she (Mother Teresa) was up to was not solving world hunger, the goal of what she was doing was communion with God… What was driving her, from the beginning, was a desire to be with Jesus and where she rested at the end of her day was in the company of Jesus.” (Connor, 24:30)

“The MCs are so joyful…. They are not spiritually intimidating; they are spiritually disarming.” (Mike, 26:50)

“It’s the circumstances I find myself in, that’s God’s will for me and that’s what she (Mother Teresa) would want me to do.” (Connor, 31:40)

“She (Mother Teresa) was disarming because in her own freedom, she was able to love the person in front of her.” (Rob, 36:00)

Media Mentions:

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities
Mother Teresa: No Greater Love (2022)
Mother Mary Francis’ Blessed Are You
Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody

References:

LaCroix
FOCUS missionaries
Our Lady’s Sandlot
Jane Goodall
M. Night Shyamalan
Double Dark Chocolate Milano
Schnucks
Faith, Hope, and Charity Catholic Church
St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta
PSR (Parish School of Religion)
St. Therese of Lisieux
Missionaries of Charity Gift of Grace House in Atlanta, GA
Missionaries of Charity in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago
St. Pope John Paul II
Kolkata, India
St. Francis and the leper
Teresa of Avila

Shout-outs:

Maria Fitzgerald
John Iberle
Teri (Fr. Connor’s sister-in-law)
Anna Therese (Fr. Rob’s niece)
Teresa (Fr. Mike’s sister)

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S11 Episode 53- Crash-land for me Feb 17, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, the dogs discuss the movie Devotion (1:00) and what it takes to become a saint (6:10). They pull from the Office of Readings (7:29), Bishop Barron (10:14), and Cardinal George (27:30), all while making too many baseball references. Mike closes the episode with a reference to the North American Martyrs (35:35) and his modest rebellion against becoming a semi-pro therapist (30:30).

Quotes:

“It’s not morality that makes someone a saint.” (Rob, 6:15)

“God desires for us to be saints. It’s not enough for us to behave properly; He wants a transformation of the heart.” (Mike, 7:50)

“The desire on our hearts is that someone will crash land for us or that I will crash land for someone else… it calls to a deeper part of our humanity.” (Mike, 8:45)

“What makes a saint is not moral virtue, but union with God.” (Connor, 11:25)

“You become who you are and who you are meant to be in the measure that you receive your being from Him.” (Connor, 12:15)

“You’ve been set free as children of God.” (Connor, 12:40)

“What God wants is to simply enjoy you, to enjoy being with you” (Connor, 22:50)

“He can be anywhere He wants to be and He wants to be with us.” (Connor quoting Cardinal George, 27:50)

“God’s desire for us is to be with us.” (Connor, 28:35)

“He continues to crash land to get me… it’s often in those disasters that I feel least abandoned because I have to completely rely on grace and ask for His help and He provides it.” (Connor, 41:20)

Media Mentions:

Devotion (2022)
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Matthew 5:17 (fulfill the law)
Matthew 5-7 (The Sermon on the Mount)
Matthew 7:13 (narrow gate)
Galatians 2:11- 3:14 (The just man shall live by faith)
Genesis 37:3 (Joseph)
Luke 15:11-32 (Prodigal Son)
3DN S11 E32- The fourth port (2022 Three North Hangout)
3DN S11 E27- Invitation to joy (Connor gets a dumb phone)

References:

Glen Powell
Jesse Brown
Office of Readings
Bishop Robert Barron
Fr. Jim Rafferty
IPF (The Institute for Priestly Formation)
chasuble: symbol of charity/”Yoke of Christ”
RIM: Relationship. Identity. Mission.
North American Martyrs
Cardinal Francis George

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S11 Episode 52- Image management Dec 24, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, the dogs extend an invitation to a “big-souled life” (35:50). Connor brings up the pilgrimage to Rome in The Story of a Soul (2:25) and Rob connects St. Therese’s allure to truthfulness (5:50). Mike emphasizes the importance of living in the present truth (13:00) while also having your eyes fixed on eternity (20:40).

Quotes:

“I cannot tell you how deeply I was impressed with this scenery so full of poetry and grandeur. It was a foretaste of the wonders of Heaven. Then the thought of religious life would come before me, as it really is, with its constraints and its little daily sacrifices made in secret. I understood how easily one might become wrapped in self and forget the sublime end of one’s vocation, and I thought: “Later on, when the time of trial comes, when I am enclosed in the Carmel and shall only be able to see a little bit of sky, I will remember this day and it will encourage me.” (Connor quoting The Story of a Soul: Chapter VI, 3:10).

“Here’s hoping that you probably like this.” (Rob, 4:55)

“We have a desire as men to not live in the pretend fake world, but to live in reality; that is costly, but it’s so much more substantial.” (Connor, 9:05)

“I’d much rather be a real person who loves real people.” (Connor, 11:00)

“I can use my words to build someone up, which is actually a cooperation with the creative word of God.” (Mike, 12:30)

“It’s safer in the longterm to constantly live in the truth because reality will break through eventually.” (Mike, 12:54)

“She (St. Therese) suffered the violence of grace in the most ordinary moments.” (Rob, 17:52)

“Therese lived fully in the moment while looking completely to Heaven, which isn’t the future, it was reality.” (Mike, 19:23)

“The more real you become to yourself and others the less you are interested in people not being real to you.” (Connor, 25:14)

“You are one of a kind, but you’re not the center of the universe and you don’t need to be.” (Connor, 36:17)

Media Mentions:

St. Therese of Lisieux’s The Story of a Soul
Rule 8: Tell the truth. Or at least don’t lie. (from Jordan B. Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life)
Three Dogs North S11 E51
Carrie Underwood’s Jesus, Take the Wheel
Pinocchio (1940)
Athos (2016)
Discerning Hearts Podcast (Fr. Timothy Gallagher)
The Simpsons- Stupid Babies Need the Most Attention
Heather King’s Shirt of Flame

References:

Twitter
Elon Musk
St. Therese of Lisieux
Rome
Sanctuary of the Holy House of Loreto, Italy
Mary
Paris
Switzerland
Carmel
Jordan B. Peterson
Dietrich von Hildebrand
Flannery O’Connor
Institute for Priestly Formation
Bart, Lisa, and Maggie Simpson
Hanukkah
The Shire

Shout- Outs:

Fr. Paul Porter
Fr. Timothy Gallagher
Ross (Rob’s brother)

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S11 Episode 51- Alpha echelon Dec 16, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, the dogs talk about Connor’s office art (00:35) and Mike’s recent experience at the Joint Readiness Training Center (10:40). They all describe the feeling of wonder (24:54) being in the presence of a “massive reality” (21:30).

Quotes:

“Because she was innocent, it didn’t make her less prepared for reality, it made her more prepared to see things as they are.” (Connor quoting Mike, 28:00)

“Innocence allows you to experience a thing as it is and it oftentimes leads to wonder.” (Mike, 30:05)

Media Mentions:

Napoleon Dynamite
The Truman Show (1998)
Band of Brothers (2001)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Wonder Woman (2017)
Joan of Arc, Wonder Woman, and the Veiled Strength of Femininity (w/ Fr. Mike)
Fury (2014)

References:

Arc de Triomphe
Veduta dell’Arco di Tito
Spain
Immediate Response Force
82nd Airborne Division
Airheads
Klondike Bar
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III
Rex Kwon Do
Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk
Geronimo
10th Mountain Division
101st Airborne Division
Rakkasans
E Company, 2nd Battalion (“Easy” company)
D-Day
Chicago, IL
Diocese of Owensboro (Kentucky)
AirBnb
Oklahoma
St. Joan of Arc
Wonder Woman

Shout- Outs:

Paul Porter

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S11 Episode 50- Apostolic zeal Dec 09, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, the dogs catch up (0:30) and discuss a recent movie Rob and Connor watched together (1:20). Connor asks the guys if they’ve ever unknowingly read a robot generated article (7:20). They continue to talk about the intersection of semiotics and AI (8:40), emphasizing its limitations (13:50). Rob compares emails and letter writing (18:46) and Mike brings up the coolest scene from a movie, ever (26:50). (This summary was written by GPT-3, OpenAI’s language generator.)

Quotes:

“Is our brain just the hardware that the software of the consciousness is uploaded to?” (Connor, 11:20)

“I think computers are always going to be trying to express what humans would say.” (Mike, 17:27)

Media Mentions:

Return to Me (2000)
Three Dogs North’s S11 E22- Window into Heaven (spoileralertshedies)
NPR’s This American Life- The Ghost in the Machine (757)
John Searle’s Minds, Brains, & Science
John Chapter 1
C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy: Perelandra
Men in Black (1997)
The Office: Cafe Disco
Terminator Salvation (2009)
Discerning Hearts Podcast
Pier Giorgio Frassati’s Letter to His Friends and Family
Fury (2014)
Three Dogs North S11 E49
Isaiah 6:8

References:

Michelangelo
Chips Ahoy
Pepperidge Farm Double Dark Chocolate Milano Cookies
David Duchovny
Minnie Driver
Jim Belushi
Bonnie Hunt
Top 100 Pro- Catholic Movies
The Rosary
Joe Pug
Unity Temple (Oak Park, Illinois)
Frank Lloyd Wright
The Turing Test
The Chinese Room
Walker Percy
Triadic creature
Elwin Ransom
Skynet
Christian Bale
Arnold Schwarzenegger
St. Therese of Lisieux
St. Zelie Martin
St. John Henry Newman
Marie Pauline Martin
Pier Giorgio Frassati
Shia LaBeouf
Howitzer
Germany
World War II
3rd Infantry Division (based at Fort Stewart, GA)

Shout- Outs:

The Enthusiast Digest (Joe Pug Newsletter)
Fr. Scott Harter
New Work Wednesday (Megan Ulrich Newsletter)
Fr. Paul Porter
Fr. Timothy Gallagher

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S11 Episode 49- Boomer-cast Dec 02, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, the dogs talk about deer season (3:50) and the need for initiation rituals in young men (11:30). Rob brings up the importance of mentorship through a Harry Potter reference (14:20), which reminds Mike of Bishop Barron’s idea of the mystagogue (16:45). Connor recounts a story from early in his priesthood (21:11) and they all echo the importance of Fathers who aren’t afraid to “pass on the kingdom” (32:29).

Quotes:

“I’m always thinking about getting gored.” (Mike, 7:20)

“You don’t get maturity without someone to help you mature and initiate you.” (Connor, 11:23)

“If this were the 90s we’d be playing with baseballs and headshots would be encouraged.” (Connor quoting Matt Alexander, 12:25)

“Youth can not know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young.” (quote from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, 14:29)

“I think we actually need people there to be mystagogues, to walk with you into a mystery.” (Mike, 17:40)

“I want the future to be analog.” (Rob, 18:21)

“The Lord put the right people in my way and they cared about me and loved me.” (Mike, 25:40)

“The sabbath is made for man not man for the sabbath.” (Connor, 29:35)

“There’s something about a father who does not cling to what he has, but gets to share that freely.” (Mike, 32:40)

“It’s okay to pass on the kingdom, that’s what we’re supposed to do.” (Mike, 33:20)

“Look, I called my mom earlier and she said I was so handsome, so it doesn’t matter what you think.” (Mike, 34:40)

Media Mentions:

Season Four of Three Dogs North
YouTube
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Star Wars
Forrest Gump
Three Dogs North S10 E21

References:

Chicago Cubs (2016 World Series win)
Thanksgiving 2022
Bird Flu (outbreak started in 2015)
Donald Trump
Advent (2022)
Mundelein Seminary
Bishop Robert Barron
St. John Paul II Newman Center at UIC
Army
Professor Albus Dumbledore
Obi- Wan Kenobi
Luke Skywalker
Yoda
Forrest Gump

Shout-Outs:

Juice-Box (Rob’s nephew)
Fr. Matt Alexander
Bishop Mark Bartosic

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