The Walk - Why My Parish Now Includes 55,000 Fantasy Fans

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.