Unity & Heresy. In episode 1 Sam, Marty and Fr Dave unpack how the walk4one came about and unfolded, and how difficult true unity actually is. What is unity, and what is love? Includes the story of Adolfo in Panama, risking everything for his family. Welcome to Sons of Thunder!

Prayer. From facing death in the wilds of a Russian winter to a mugging in Costa Rica, the fruits of prayer are picked apart by Sam, Marty and Fr Dave as they recount the foundations that have both challenged and blessed them. Is it possible to step from simply praying for what we want, to silently listening to the voice of God?

Adversity. Where is God in difficult times? And how do you subdue angry pigs? This week Fr Dave, Sam and Marty interrupt each other so regularly that the interruptions in of themselves become a form of adversity. From the snakes, racism & poverty encountered on the walk, to Fr Dave's helplessness in a Snowy Mountain blizzard, this week’s episode is pearler.

Communicating the Gospel. Poor communication can have dire consequences, so it's ironic that Marty's microphone played up horribly this week. Good thing he has the loudest laugh. Sam, Marty & Fr Dave pick each other's brains on why the Gospel has been communicated so poorly, & how we can truely encounter Jesus. Sam is also mocked for a coughing fit.

The Church; The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly. "Thunderbolt & lightning, very, very frightening me, Galileo! Galileo!" So what was the controversy with Galileo? And the crusades? And abortion? And what on earth WAS the Spanish Inquisition? And how is it that Sam, Marty & Fr Dave love the Church when so many don't? And why was Sam pinned to the ground in Guatemala and... 'exorcised'?

Evidence for God. In the final episode for season 1 the guys discuss the tangible evidence for God's existence that has personally struck them. Is there any evidence at all? From the historical evidence for Jesus, to the miracles of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Lourdes & Fatima, to terminal lucidity & a transcendent soul, this is dinner time conversation at its best!

Faith in Adversity

In early May 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdown Sam unpacked some of the lessons from the journey for high school students at a Melbourne Catholic college who were facing an unprecedented year of disruptions.

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INTERVIEW - Nicola McDermott. Australia's high jump champion, the wonderful Nicola McDermott, speaks on being a Commonwealth Games medalist & Tokyo Olympics qualifier, through to encountering Jesus & being a witness of faith. She also maintains her train of thought whilst Sam & Marty go off on wild tangents. A beautiful interview with a star of Australian sport.

INTERVIEW - Heather Sweeny. A conversation with the wonderful Heather Sweeny, a recent convert to the Catholic Church. What does this young woman find attractive in the church? And what have been the obstacles? The sacraments, the various forms of the Mass, and the riches & conflicts within the Church. With self-professed lack of filter on what she says, we knew from the outset it would be an enjoyable conversation!

THE INTERVIEWS

Join Marty & Sam in conversation with two amazing women reaching new heights, and going deeper with God.

The Gospel, Part I - In the Beginning. What is the message of the Gospel? Season 2 begins with a four part series on the Gospel, beginning with, in the beginning. What a splendid place to start. Out of the studio and in their home states the Sons of Thunder take social distancing too far, sitting some 4000km apart from each other. Got to love Australia. And Zoom.

The Gospel, Part II - Sin. What went wrong? How did sin enter the world, and what does that mean? We all see the oppression, the anger, the injustice, and the pain in the world around us - if God loves us, where did all this come from? And can we make Sons of Thunder merchandise appropriate for an MGL priest to wear? Big questions. Welcome to episode ten.

The Gospel, Part III - Mercy. What is Mercy & Forgiveness? The Sons of Thunder dig into the uncomfortable world of mercy, in both receiving it, and offering it. And why did God enter the world as a new born child, and not like The Terminator enters at the start of that film…?

The Gospel, Part IV - Heaven. What is Heaven & the New Life in Christ? Dispelling the notions of harpists sitting on fluffy clouds eating Philadelphia cream cheese the Sons of Thunder look back at what Jesus has actually established, both for us now, and eternity. 

Saints & Sanctity. Who are the Saints? And how do you become one? A brief look at the world of transformation in Christ, and an exploration into whether or not Marty can tie his pub crawl into all of this. We're not convinced he did. Welcome to Ep 13!

Mario Borg; 'Youth Group King Pin'. That's what Marty reckons anyway. Imagine overseeing 28 youth ministers facilitating 13 concurrent youth groups, while helping establish Australia's only accredited Catholic Bible College, and you're only just scratching the surface of the vision-filled life of Mario Borg.

The most hilarious episode to date - an interview with Trish McCarthy, Spiritual Director and all round amazing woman! Beautifully edifying & informative as her passion for life & spiritual direction are occasionally spoken of in between random banter & the most off-topic stories possible. An interview with joy.

The Interviews

Join Marty & Sam in conversation with Mario Borg & Trish McCarthy - inspiring, humorous, and insightful.

Wojtek Solecki is a Polish orthopaedic surgeon who took a day off work during the walk for unity to guide Sam along a safer route in the Polish mountains. He was back 5 years later as the always-eating co-driver in 'The Road to Adolfo' documentary, and has an amazing story of dating an atheist and the journey they undertook before marriage.

Fr Robert Fox is a diocesan priest from Wyoming, USA, who had a massive impact on Sam during his walk for unity. Fr Fox, now battling significant health issues, reflects hilariously on their encounter, imparts the wisdom that assisted him on his amazing journey to the priesthood, and beautifully shares the faith and prayers that sustain him. This is a must listen. 

THE INTERVIEWS

Amazing people of faith and wisdom! Beautiful lessons, and lots of laughs, with Dr Wojtek Solecki & Fr Robert Fox

Baptism. What is Baptism and why is it so significant? Immerse into Part 1 of a 7 part series on the sacraments as the Sons of Thunder explore the beauty, formula and history of Baptism. We’ll admit, the content is a bit light, but we had fun :-)

Reconciliation. What is the sacrament of penance and how does it affect us? Take an examination of conscience in Part 2 of a 7 part series on the sacraments as the Sons of Thunder explore the need for, and the experience of, Reconciliation.

Confirmation. Do you remember your confirmation? Do you know what this sacrament of initiation is? And will Marty be successful in 'bringing back the slap'? Unlikely. Welcome to episode 20!

Eucharist. Ever wondered what the Eucharist actually is? Why is it so central to worship? In part IV of the sacraments series the Sons of Thunder unpack the extraordinary reality of Christ's flesh & blood in our midst; supernatural nourishment.

Eucharistic Miracles. The scientific observations surrounding Eucharistic miracles is an engrossing subject, especially when Fr Dave bumps into a young Italian doctor who has just finished translating into English a new book on Eucharistic miracles. A very special interview!

What's the go with Marriage? What does it mean to enter marriage 'free', 'faithful', fruitful' and 'total'? And if you are married, or hoping to be, what is your mission through marriage? *May contain quotes from 'The Princess Bride’

What’s the go with Holy Orders? Fr Dave explains the beauty & sacrifice of Holy Orders, Sam learns that he's wrong, again, and Marty cries over spilt beer. Thank the Lord for Fr Dave and the gift of Holy Orders!

What's the go with Anointing of the Sick? Likely to be sick sometime soon, or die eventually? Yep, us too. The final episode in The Sacraments series focusses on the healing power of Jesus, and not just physically. Welcome to Ep 25!

David & Eva Batten Interview. Pumas, pilgrimages & proposals, this interview has it all! David & Eva Batten are an unlikely couple who became an ordinary family, in an extraordinary way. And how did Dave become known as 'Puma Dave'?

The Divine Liturgy - Mass. Season 3 begins with one of the most important podcasts we'll ever do - a discussion on the reality of the Divine Liturgy; the Mass. It's not what most of us grew up understanding! And Sam can't pronounce his P’s.

Spiritual Warfare. In the moments of being tempted to bring others down, to lower our standards, or to turn our back on God, what grace do we have at hand to fight that battle? And how can three guys on Zoom pray in unison when there's a 1sec lag? They can't.

Purity. Living a life steeped in joy, gratefulness, awe & wonder, whilst moving from selfishness to love - this is the journey we are called to! Purity, far from being about becoming a prune, is the perfection of love.

Meditation. Everyone meditates. Often on multiple things at the same time. And often on things that aren't helpful. How can we meditate on what will give us life, and how have those who've gone before us, like the Carmelites, immersed and grown through meditation to encounter Christ?

Discipleship. What does it mean to follow God and to walk with others on that journey into God's love? Are we actually engaging in discipleship or floating through life and relationships, even with God? In Episode 31 the challenge posed is can we intentionally follow Christ?

Books to Inspire. The Sons of Thunder podcast is limited, so we decided to dedicate an entire episode to the books that have inspired us! Some recommended reading, from St Louis de Montfort, to G.K. Chesterton, to Dante, to Pulitzer Prize winner Edwin Black, and quite a few in between. Essential reading to inspire faith and love.

The Seven Deadly Sins, of which there are sometimes eight, and they are technically vices, are so engrained in our everyday existence that it's pretty important to stop and take stock of how much 'gardening’ we require in our life. How entangled are we in the temptations that will drag us down?

Broken, but Loved. We can all receive love when we think we've earned it, but can we be loved and love others in our brokenness - in their brokenness? In a world vying for perfection in everything the notion of purity in holiness can be greatly skewed. In God's mercy we are perfected.

St Joseph, Terror of Demons. Has there been a more famous Saint with so little known of their life? And yet, the little we do know is extraordinary. In our age fleeing frantically from humility it's a healthy practice to take a step back, and meditate on the foster-father of Our Lord Jesus and protector of The Blessed Virgin Mary, St Joseph.

Jesus Heals Anxiety - Everyone carries burdens: Marty had depression, Sam had PTSD, and Fr Dave has to deal with Marty & Sam. How exactly does God enter into our brokenness and heal our anxiety? And why does Marty want Sam's dreams published?

Fulfilment - How do we find fulfilment in life and why do we make the choices we do? So long as the guys can find find a way through the introduction, it could be worth discussing! Fulfilment; how have we defined it?

Adoration & Miracles - Fr Doug Harris joins the Sons of Thunder and reveals ALL the secrets of perpetual eucharistic adoration, as well as a miracles extravaganza fest.  And after some whining, Jesus gives Sam peanut butter when he needed it most - not joking.  Listening will probably be your best spent hour this week.  I couldn't make this any shorter. - Marty