On this episode of The Catholic Morning Show, Lyceum Movement executive director Nathan Beacom previews Tallgrass: The Des Moines Festival of Ideas, a two-day gathering built to restore face-to-face conversation and civic friendship in a polarized culture. Then, Industrious Family Films founder and director Mary Bowen shares the story behind Fabiola, an ambitious new Catholic film about a pagan Roman noblewoman drawn to the faith of the early Christian martyrs around her. Together, these conversations explore how community, culture, and Catholic storytelling can help rebuild a healthier public square.
Nathan Beacom – Tallgrass Festival of Ideas Nathan Beacom, founder and executive director of the Lyceum Movement, joins the show to talk about why in-person, generous conversation matters more than ever in an age of online outrage. He previews the fourth annual Tallgrass: The Des Moines Festival of Ideas, a two-day "celebration of ideas and culture" built around this year's theme, the pursuit of happiness, marking the 250th anniversary of America's founding.
Mary Bowen – Fabiola Mary Bowen, founder and director of Industrious Family Films, talks about her family's decade-long journey making faith-filled, wholesome films together — and their most ambitious project yet, Fabiola, based on Cardinal Wiseman's classic novel about a pagan Roman noblewoman whose friendship with Saints Sebastian, Agnes, and Tarcisius during the last great persecution of the Church leads her to choose Christ over comfort. Two scenes have already been filmed on location in Idaho, and the Bowen family is raising funds now, with filming planned for 2027 and release targeted for fall 2028.
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