Part 2 of Joe Stopulos's Uncommon Good interview with Dr. Bud Maher picks up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Joe is studying at Marquette University — attending daily Mass during Lent (sometimes before the bar closed), seeking out every Jesuit professor he could find, and slowly beginning to ask why the Church teaches what it teaches.
College Faith in the Real World: Joe reflects on attending a 10 p.m. Sunday Mass while most of his friend group wasn't practicing. He describes going to daily Mass every day of Lent in college — including a legendary St. Patrick's Day that started at 5:50 a.m. outside a bar and still included 6:30 a.m. Mass. A perfect encapsulation of where he was spiritually.
Meeting His First Protestant at 25: A friendship with a Methodist minister friend forced Joe to actually articulate why Catholics do what they do — confession, the sacraments, all of it. He couldn't answer from Scripture. That sent him to CatholicAnswers.com, and every answer he found only deepened his conviction.
Father John Ricardo Changes Everything: Introduced to Iowa Catholic Radio through friend John Leonetti (whom Joe famously told "nobody listens to Catholic radio"), Joe started tuning in to Father Ricardo at 11 a.m. and never stopped. He began burning CDs of Ricardo's talks to hand out. Combined with Jeff Cavins' Bible Timeline study and Scott Hahn's The Lamb's Supper, this launched a roughly 24-month transformation that Joe describes as the turning point of his adult faith.
The Origin of Man Up: Joe shares how his early on-air appearances during Iowa Catholic Radio fundraisers eventually led to a standing show — made possible, he says, by the theological confidence and credibility of his original co-host, Father Zach. Now approaching 10 years and 400+ episodes, Man Up remains one of the network's cornerstone programs.
Life at the Basilica of Saint John: Joe talks about the thriving parish community at Saint John's Basilica in Des Moines, the pastoral transition from the beloved Father Quinn to Father Trevor Sequin, and why surrounding yourself with friends striving for virtue is one of the three most important decisions a man can make.
Saint Thomas Classical Academy: Joe highlights this homeschool hybrid co-op as one of the great gifts of his family's life in Des Moines. A major event is coming up — Bishop Conley will be the keynote speaker on October 20th, focusing on his devotion to Saint John Henry Newman. Don't miss it.
Hope for the Future of the Church: Joe closes with optimism — men are returning to the Church, communities are growing, and the Forge Conference is proof. As Joe puts it: if Joe Rogan's going to church, a lot of people are going to church.Next week on Man Up: Joe re-airs a two-part interview he recorded with his father during the Heroic Fatherhood series — a tribute to the man he calls the greatest of his life.
📻 Listen to Man Up on Iowa Catholic Radio: IowaCatholicRadio.com
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📚 Resources mentioned: The Lamb's Supper by Scott Hahn | Jeff Cavins' Bible Timeline | Father John Ricardo | CatholicAnswers.com
🏫 Saint Thomas Classical Academy event — Bishop Conley keynote: October 20th
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