Divine Intervention

About Divine Intervention

Divine Intervention is the untold story of a ragtag band of radical nuns in combat boots, wild-haired priests and their madcap friends who swiftly became accomplished cat-burglars in a hellbent effort to sabotage the Vietnam war. Many went to jail, some betrayed their friends, others fell in love. Across 10 episodes, host Brendan Patrick Hughes uncovers their audacious illegal acts – scaling walls, picking locks, destroying draft cards, harboring a draft fugitive in a church sanctuary, and trading blows with J. Edgar Hoover.

Publisher

iHeartPodcasts

Category

history · news · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

4 Mar 2025

Latest episode

13 May 2025

Latest episodes

11 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   13 May 2025

   Chapter 10: The Winds, The Tides and Gravity

   Characters Patrick and Marianne discover a resolution, while others find meaning after wartime experiences, suggesting themes of resolution and finding purpose.

2. 

   6 May 2025

   Chapter 9: The Last Two Words

   This episode of Divine Intervention depicts a three-month trial where the resistance confronts the Vietnam War, highlighting their legal struggles.

3. 

   29 Apr 2025

   Chapter 8: What Do We Eat? Eagle Meat.

   This episode narrates a daring heist planned in Camden, New Jersey, highlighting the raiders' ambition to challenge Hoover's authority.

4. 

   22 Apr 2025

   Chapter 7: The Fight of the Century

   J. Edgar Hoover battles the Catholic Left as Paul, Marianne, and Sarah execute a heist, leading to a major blow and subsequent DOJ retaliation.

5. 

   15 Apr 2025

   Chapter 6: The Sanctuary of Paul Couming

   Paul Couming's sanctuary transforms into an arts festival as informers infiltrate the movement, creating tension for Patrick and Marianne.

6. 

   8 Apr 2025

   Chapter 5: The Red Double Doors on Park Street

   Father Patrick encounters Marianne Woodward, a divorcée, as he steps into a challenging new position, sparking unexpected feelings between them.

7. 

   1 Apr 2025

   Chapter 4: The East Coast Conspiracy to Save Lives

   Anne Walsh, Patrick, and Cookie Ridolfi engage in acts of defiance and activism in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, challenging established norms to protect lives in this interview episode.

8. 

   25 Mar 2025

   Chapter 3: The Nun in Combat Boots

   Anne Walsh, the combat-booted nun, recounts her transformation from a conformist Catholic to a mastermind aiding the Paul Couming sanctuary, revealing a life of unexpected crime in this interview.

9. 

   18 Mar 2025

   Chapter 2: The Drunken Banjo Player

   Father Patrick's unconventional path to priesthood, shaped by a unique pope, 1960s seminary experiences, and a natural inclination for revelry, influences his decision to aid Paul Couming.

10. 

    11 Mar 2025

    Chapter 1: An Explosive Cauldron

    Paul Couming, a Vietnam War resistor, faces trial in 1971 as an underground Catholic resistance movement devises a plan to grant him sanctuary in a Boston church.

11. 

    4 Mar 2025

    Introducing: Divine Intervention

    This episode introduces "Divine Intervention," a ten-part audio documentary exploring radical nuns and priests' mission to sabotage a war.

Who has been a guest on Divine Intervention

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Anne Walsh
• Patrick
• Cookie Ridolfi
• Paul Couming

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

3,133,348

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

274 ratings

Spotify

4.9 / 5

137 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 55 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

36

Social presence

0

YouTube

93

Engagement

91

Contact Divine Intervention

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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