Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is the third installment in Rian Johnson’s enormously popular murder mystery series. The film’s plot revolves around the murder of a priest and a small parish community. Fr. Scott Bailey served as a consultant; he reviewed the script and “was a resource for the production team. I answered questions related to costumes, set decoration, and props. I even had some ‘coaching’ conversations with Josh O’Connor, the actor who plays Fr. Jud.”

Bailey writes that the character of Fr. Jud was a compelling portrait of the priesthood. Especially in his little moments of frustration and grace, the character captures “the beauty of priestly ministry.”

For further reading: For more pop culture commentary, check out Leah Libresco Sargeant’s 2025 piece, “Andor’s Galaxy of Greebles.” And, for a thoughtful consideration of the priesthood, read Fr. Thomas Joseph White’s “Letter to an Aspiring Priest” (March 2019).

Always the optimist, Mark Bauerlein continues his irregular book column with a series of books about what is wrong with the modern world. The books mentioned proclaim that we’re scrolling ourselves to death, America has a drug habit, sexual liberation hurts us all, and progressives are campaigning to rid the world of religion.

For further reading: If the negativity is too much to bear, take a silent retreat with the Carthusians. In May 2024, Mark chronicled his visit to America’s only Carthusian monastery: “The Carthusians of Vermont.” It’s one of my favorite essays.

Listen: Edward Feser joins R. R. Reno on The Editor’s Desk podcast to talk about his recent essay, “The Common Sense of John Searle,” from the December 2025 issue of the magazine.

Upcoming Events

• February 1, 2026: Second Annual Neuhaus Lecture at the New College of Florida: “Recovering the University’s Soul” ft. Bishop Robert Barron | Sarasota, FL. Register here.

• March 5, 2026: Annual D.C. Lecture: “Our Crisis is Metaphysical” ft. Mary Harrington | Washington, D.C. Details coming soon.

Until next time,

JACOB AKEY

Newsletter Editor