Dr. Anthony Fauci Associate Indicted, and Guest Father John NaugleDr. Anthony Fauci Associate Indicted, and Guest Father John Naugle
Trish Wood is Critical
Trish Wood examines the indictment of Dr David Morens, questions pandemic-era science and policy, and then turns to Father John Naugle for a candid conversation about faith, AA-style service and small acts of love in a troubled culture. Together they connect political critique, spiritual practice and long-term sobriety in a grounded, practical way.
1:49:16•1 May 2026
Secrets, Sobriety and Small Acts of Love: Trish Wood and Father John Naugle
Episode Overview
- Government officials and senior scientists are accused of obstructing Freedom of Information processes, raising serious questions about transparency during the pandemic.
- Trish Wood argues that COVID-19 exposed widespread groupthink and politicisation in science, leaving many people traumatised and distrustful of institutions.
- Father John Naugle encourages focusing on family, parish and local community instead of constant online outrage, stressing that ordinary acts of love matter most.
- Trish connects her long-term sobriety in AA to this ethic of service, saying that helping others is what lifts her out of darkness and keeps her grounded.
- Both Trish and Father Naugle warn that elites appear increasingly indifferent to ordinary people, making honest self-examination and local solidarity more vital than ever.
“My tendency is to the dark side… what pulls me out is doing exactly that: the small acts of service for other people, whatever that looks like.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? Here, award-winning journalist Trish Wood blends hard-hitting investigation with deeply personal reflection, creating an episode that hits both the head and the heart. The first half focuses on the indictment of Dr Anthony Fauci’s long-time colleague, Dr David Morens, for allegedly interfering with Freedom of Information requests related to COVID-19 research.
Trish reads directly from a US Department of Justice press release and plays extensive clips from congressional hearings, where Morens is grilled about his use of private email and efforts to make government records “disappear.” As she puts it, “these were the guys running the pandemic response, folks,” and she lays out how this ties into debates over the Wuhan lab leak, gain-of-function research and the crushing impact of heavy-handed public health policies.
Then the tone shifts as Father John Naugle, a Catholic priest and Brownstone Institute contributor, joins the conversation. Their chat moves from Donald Trump’s public spat with the Pope to what it means to live morally in a chaotic, often hostile culture. Father Naugle suggests that instead of obsessing over global politics, “pay attention to the altar, pay attention to your family… your smaller community,” emphasising small acts of love and responsibility.
Trish openly shares her own long-term sobriety, saying that after decades in AA she knows her “tendency is to the dark side” and that what pulls her out is service: calling struggling alcoholics, working in shelters, and focusing on others. Father Naugle draws a clear parallel: the Church and AA both point people away from narcissism and towards ordinary, daily acts of care.
For anyone rebuilding life after alcohol or questioning authority after COVID, this conversation offers a rare mix of sceptical journalism, spiritual realism and practical comfort. It might leave you asking: whose voice do you trust, and what small act of love could you take on today?
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