This weekend, I followed a bunch of gnomes into a rock concert.

That sentence alone should explain why I love Castlefest.

But honestly, what stood out most wasn’t the fantasy costumes or the festival energy—it was the quiet conversations behind the masks. Over two intense days, I filmed portraits, interviewed indie authors, and bumped into people I hadn’t seen in years (including someone who remembered me as an altar boy!).

What moved me most were the unexpected stories:

A man in a devil costume talking candidly about cancer and kindness.

An author reflecting on how burnout changed his life—and what he learned from stopping.

Readers and cosplayers telling me how much it means that a priest is just… there. Listening. Sharing. Being present.

It made me realize how much of my ministry now happens outside the walls of a church.

And maybe that’s where real connection starts:
Not in preaching, but in walking alongside.