Future Classic with Profound Vulnerability
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“"Dear Alana" is a story that some people (and institutions) have clearly wanted to bury, but in the end, it becomes evident that while Alana Chen may have passed away, her voice and spirit are more alive than ever.
I thought I knew what I was getting into with "Dear Alana," but it was so much more relatable, thought-provoking, and vulnerable than I could have imagined.
The host, Simon Kent Fung, appears to be a newcomer to the podcast world, but he possesses the poise and precision of a seasoned professional as he delves into Alana’s story. Simon uses Alana’s journals that she kept for years to tell her story in her own words in a way that is moving and compelling. I felt like I was becoming friends with both of them over the course of the show.
These journals also create a gateway to a level of vulnerability that is nearly unheard of, allowing Alana to voice thoughts and emotions that many of us have but often dare not express outside the safety of our own minds. As he explores her relationships with spirituality and sexuality, Fung embarks on his own unexpected and unintentional journey back to his own experience of conversion therapy as a young man who felt a calling to the Catholic priesthood.
Far from being a takedown of the Catholic Church, Fung masterfully shines a light on the inherent messiness of the human experience and the flawed institutions we are a part of, as we all seek meaning, happiness, and community.
This is the kind of show that will go down in history like “S-Town” or “Dolly Parton’s America” for the way that it tells us so much about ourselves as it tells us about someone else. Congrats to Simon Kent Fung, Laurie Polisky, and the whole team behind this! Incredible work!!”Read full review »
TheWrongWriter via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
07/27/23
More reviews of Dear Alana,
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“This is a difficult story but so worth the listen. Simon does an amazing job handling this story with care, sensitivity, and honesty. This is the story of too many Catholics and the Church needs to hear this story now.”
enteranickname190 via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
07/30/23
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“An incredible display of careful, nuanced, and gifted story telling. In a time of political polarization and the struggle to understand what religious freedom means for the U.S., conversations regarding the real life impact of church teaching on things like family, marriage, sex, bodily autonomy,...”Read full review »
Myles Markham via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
07/31/23
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“As a former Catholic priest, closeted gay man, and a survivor of conversion therapy, I can validate that this story sounds so familiar ! Simon shares this story in a beautiful and compelling way , sensitive to the nuances of the complexities of this topic. Thank you Simon for sharing Alan’s...”Read full review »
Former priest! via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
08/19/23
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