March 04, 2025

Ep.42 - Merry Beggars: Creating Faithful Art in a Secular World with Peter Atkinson | Entertainment | Christian Artists | Faith And Arts | Catholic Podcasts

33 minutes

In this episode of the Virtuous Leaders Podcast, Dr. Johann D'Souza engages in a captivating conversation with Peter Atkinson, the visionary founder and executive director of the Merry Beggars.

Peter shares his journey of creating a space for Catholic and Christian artists to produce original, beautiful, and heart-moving entertainment in a culture that is increasingly secular and less hospitable to people of faith.

Key Discussion Points:

• Peter's personal mission to pursue excellence in the arts while remaining faithful to his Catholic beliefs

• The challenges faced by Catholic and Christian artists in the entertainment industry and the need for a space where they can create without compromising their values

• The exponential growth and success of the Merry Beggars in producing over 5,000 pages of original scripted content and winning national awards

• The current projects of the Merry Beggars, including The Saints Adventures in Faith and Courage, and the vision for future projects such as biblical series and classic adaptations

• The importance of vision in leadership and how articulating a clear vision attracts exceptional talent and drives personal and professional growth

• The financial sustainability of the Merry Beggars through donor funding and the merger with Relevant Radio

• The role of Father Rocky Hoffman as a supportive boss and the importance of trust in building an independent vision within a larger organization

• The potential for the Merry Beggars to meet the growing need for Christian content in the entertainment industry and challenge the secular status quo

Timestamp:

00:05 - Discussing Peter's personal mission and the overlap between his professional and personal goals

03:17 - Exploring the challenges faced by Catholic and Christian artists in the entertainment industry

05:47 - Reflecting on the importance of community and the Eucharist in supporting Peter's faith journey

08:06 - Discussing Peter's experience of walking across America for the pro-life cause

09:35 - Examining the mission and audience of the Merry Beggars in providing entertainment for Catholic families

12:18 - Highlighting the success and exponential growth of the Merry Beggars in producing original content

14:50 - Discussing Peter's vision for the future of the Merry Beggars and the potential for expansion into animation and live-action production

19:22 - Reflecting on the importance of vision in leadership and the role of the team in fulfilling that vision

20:33 - Exploring the financial sustainability of the Merry Beggars through donor funding and the merger with Relevant Radio

24:55 - Discussing the importance of articulating a clear vision and reverse-engineering the steps to achieve it

28:27 - Examining the challenges and benefits of merging with Relevant Radio and the importance of a supportive boss

32:22 - Highlighting the passion and dedication of the Merry Beggars team in pursuing excellence in storytelling and beauty

Resources and Links:

• Watch this episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Listen to this episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

Dr. Johann D'Souza

Clinical Psychologist

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Values First Therapy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X(Twitter)

Peter Atkinson

Founder and Executive Director of the Merry Beggars

https://www.linkedin.com/in/petercalvinatkinson/

#MerryBeggars #CatholicEntertainment #ChristianArtists #AudioDrama #VisionaryLeadership #BeautyInStorytelling #FaithAndArts #CatholicPodcasts #VirtuousLeaders #ValuesFirstCollective #DrJohannDSouza

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