The Dunces' Corner

Live from 2026's The Franciscan Experience/Community, Poverty, Eucharist, and Saints

Time is flying. Julia's married. Dr. Ragusa's comparing our phones to the Ring. Dr. Pellegrin wins an ultimate showdown of ultimate destiny. Fiona's lifting people up. Anthony tells us the State of the TFE Union. And a non-Theo major, non-Theo minor named Curtis sneaks onto the show. TFE participants give us great memories and questions, including Rie, Noah, Rocky, Samuel, Sophia, Ben, Aubry, and Becca. These are some amazing high school students, y'all. Really.

You can learn more about TFE at https://franu.edu/mission/campus-ministry/tfe-summer/index.html.

TFE Live Show/Memories, Shoutouts, and Ask Us Anything

Don't call it a comeback. The Duncepod gets resurrected for a live show at The Franciscan Experience 2025. Some of the Dunces have vocation updates. Participants share illuminating memories from an incredible week with FranU's theology institute, give shout outs, and ask tough questions. Siblings show a lot of love. Jesus calls us to be poor and serve the poor. Claire was a pelagian (sort of). You were predestined to read this.

You can learn more about TFE at https://franu.edu/the-franciscan-experience-summer-institute.

TFE 2024 Live Show/Ask Us Anything/Air Horns Everywhere

The Dunces are back live at The Franciscan Experience 2024. Dr. David Moser joins the show with old-timers Dr. Pedraza, Rachael, and Josh. New majors, Ignazio and Chandler, get in the mix, and Chris the Philosopher makes a long overdue appearance. Stellar high school students share some of their favorite memories from the week and how they found Christ in the Eucharist, theological study, the poor, and each other. They also ask some tough questions about God's love and our sinfulness, Creation, the ending of the Glory B, the "unforgivable sin," and Dr. P's guitar playing "skills." Oh, and Josh has big news, and it's the Year of Chris.

TFE is a one-of-a-kind high school theology institute that introduces students to the riches of the Catholic faith through communal life, mass and liturgy of the hours, academic theology, service to the poor, and daily prayer. See https://franu.edu/the-franciscan-experience-summer-institute.

Shout out to Kevin McLeod for his "Elevator Music."

B-Side: Called by Name

Fr. Andrew tells the captivating, sometimes funny, sometimes gut-wrenching story of Jesus calling him to the priesthood.

B-Side episodes bring you a story that gives flesh to a topic talked about in a previous episode. See Episode 12, "Going on Vocation."

Music Credits:

Dr. Vukov/Feast of St. Francis/A.I. and Humanizing Technology or Technologizing Humans/A.I. vs. Meat Computers

Dr. Joe Vukov from Loyola Chicago visits the Dunces' Corner to talk all things Artificial Intelligence and Technology. Josh and Ben join the show. Dr. Vukov shares his conversion from Protestant to atheist to Catholic and the harrowing story of how he became a philosopher. The Dunces talk about whether A.I. is actually intelligent and if the human brain is a mere meat computing machine. Finally, Dr. Pedraza and Dr. Vukov put Rachael, Sr. Ref, Josh, and Ben to the test against catholic.chat. Does A.I end up terminating humanity in this catechizing competition? You'll have to find out.

Props to the people at www.catholic.chat

This desctiption was not made with A.I. but might have been better if it were.

Come with me if you want to live.

Special Guest: Dr. Joe Vukov.

TFE 2023 Live Show/Ask Us Anything/Buc-ee's

The Dunces record a live show at The Franciscan Experience 2023. Rock Star high-schoolers ask about the Immaculate Conception, why the authorities at the time of Jesus decided to kill him, God and gender, the problem of evil, the ethnicity of Jesus in artwork, and why angels aren't depicted in art as they are in the Bible. Hunter and his hair return from grad school. Julia the theo minor becomes a high school proxy. The original Dunce, Bl. Scotus, proves his worth. Surprise, surprise, Dr. Whidden and Hunter bring up St. Anselm. Bucc-ee's doesn't sponsor this episode but they should. Still, snaps all around.

TFE is a one-of-a-kind high school theology institute that introduces students to the riches of the Catholic faith through communal life, mass and liturgy of the hours, academic theology, service to the poor, and daily prayer. See https://franu.edu/the-franciscan-experience-summer-institute.

Shout out to Noah Slate and his random unofficial Bucc-ee's anthem (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsEhRg9nk4w).

Shout out to Hunter's hair.

Eras of Church History/Tay-Tay vs. Mayer/Mouth Sounds

You think Tay Tay's tour is big? Just you wait. Through the powers of the Dunce DeLorean, Catherine takes us to her cave in the desert and drops some St. Anthony on us; Rachael steals some pears with St. Augustine; Dr. Whidden gives you a double dose of monasticism and the One which nothing greater can be conceived; Matt almost dies then riffs on St. Francis and Sister Death; Cameron asks about the good and the difficult with the Angelic and Common Doctor; Dr. Pedraza takes us down the river of doctrinal development with Cardinal Newman; and Jadyn learns patience from Bishop Sheen. Episode includes theology as Taylor songs and a lot of mouth noises.

Becoming Men and Women of Communion/Vulnerability and True Community/Either-Or Game

The end of Lent was Lenty. Dr. Pedraza went to a symposium on formation. Rachael talks about her NET community in Ireland. Sr. Ref gets real about the Lord doing work. Matt dropkicks instagram and fake friends. Then the CFRs bring the holy fire about community life and how to break free from shame and isolation. Br. Mariano is "sorry" that the Dominicans only have 2 doctors of the Church while the Franciscans have 3. Fr. Mark Mary gives us a lesson in the physics of communion and the anthropology of fatherhood and motherhood. And he gets some nachos. Shout out to Postulants Mike and Ross!

"Happy Happy Game Show" and "Sneaky Snitch" songs courtesy of Kevin MacLeod, from https://filmmusic.io/.

Special Guest: The CFRs.

Dr. Angela Franks on Misogyny and the Feminine Genius/Gender in a Man's World/Which is the Worse Penance?

The Dunces welcome Dr. Angela Franks from St. John's Seminary to talk about her article, "Why Does Higher Ed Throw Women Under the Bus?" and then open up about church jobs, the femine genius, and the spiritual motherhood of religious sisters. Dr. Franks gives a teaser for her bioethics lectures on gender. Rachael tries to dunk on Dr. Pedraza, and Sr. Refugio joins the show for the first time. Matt joins for the first second time, whatever that means. The show ends with a rousing game of "Which is the worse penance?"

Special Guest: Dr. Angela Franks.

Dr. Collier on the Christian Renewal of Healthcare/Lenty Lent/Worse Penance Game

The Dunces are back. Trey and Catherine have average news. Hunter mustache you a question. Rachael is having a Lenty Lent. Dr. Collier shares her story, talks about how to let the Divine Physician go to work in healthcare, and helps men avoid mansplaining when it comes to women's health. Then everyone plays a hilarious game of "Which is the worse penance?" Get ready for bioethics, baked goods, crochet, and, of course, T-Swizzle.

Special Guest: Dr. Kristin Collier.