Diary of a Media Priest

“It’s not often you see a priest in a Roman collar in Dublin’s streets these days—what’s your name?”

That’s how Bernadette introduced herself on a sunny morning as I made my way to the public library. She told me she’s been...

"Hey Father, can you do me a favor?" A man in a fluorescent jacket and hard hat waved me over as I walked through a Dublin street earlier this week. He pointed at his colleagues digging a trench along the sidewalk. “Could you please give these lads your blessing?...

This month, I’ll be traveling to Ireland for a month-long adventure as a digital nomad. The funny thing? That’s all I’ve got planned so far. No place to stay. No itinerary. I’m heading out with nothing but a small shoulder bag and a sense of...

In the third episode of Season 2 of The Rings of Power, we find ourselves back in Númenor, a kingdom on the brink of significant change. Queen Regent Míriel faces a choice that seems simple on the surface but is deeply symbolic—a choice between two...

The moment Halbrand steps out of the fire, everything changes. Gone is the rugged, mysterious traveler we've come to know—before us now stands Annatar, the "Lord of Gifts," a figure wrapped in radiant light, exuding an almost divine presence. It’s a...

And so it begins—the long-awaited second season of The Rings of Power. This show, rooted in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, continues to weave together threads of Tolkien’s vast mythology with the creative interpretations of modern storytellers. As we...

The little boy waved his wand in my direction and solemnly declared, "Petrificus Totalus!" I knew exactly what to do: stand perfectly still. Through his plastic Harry Potter glasses, he looked triumphantly at his mother. "It works, Mom!"

His mother, dressed in a green...

Even if you're not into video games, you've likely seen him: Mario, the cheerful plumber with a red cap, a mustache, and blue overalls. He doesn't spend much time fixing pipes and faucets because he's always busy rescuing a princess from the clutches of a gorilla or an...

I was startled this afternoon when I wanted to check Facebook. I was logged out, and my password didn't work anymore. Yikes. Had my account been hacked? I quickly tried to create a new password. But that didn't help either.

On Mastodon, the platform where I landed after...

On a lovely spring morning, I set off for Middle-earth. Or rather, the movie set of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The Shire, where the adventures of Bilbo and Frodo begin, was built in the heart of New Zealand’s North Island countryside for Peter...

We had to hurry. It was getting dark. The cameraman zoomed in on my face as we stood by the Old Canal in the heart of the Dutch city of Utrecht. “This is a great shot, with the Dom Tower lit up in the background. Go for it!” He pressed record, the red light on...

I have been a fan of Tolkien’s books all my life. Ever since I discovered The Hobbit in my father’s bookcase when I was 12, Middle-earth has been my favorite destination when I want to relax after a busy day.

That’s why I have been working on a book in...