Fr. Darrin Merlino on Spiritual Warfare, the Miracle of Turin & The Shroud Experience

In this episode of The Outer Watch, Anthony Vultaggio sits down with Fr. Darrin Merlino at The Shroud Experience exhibit at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, during Holy Week.

Fr. Merlino shares his impressions of the exhibit, praising its layout, lighting, music, and immersive presentation. He was struck by how the science surrounding the Shroud of Turin actually deepens faith rather than challenging it — noting that "it takes a lot of faith not to believe" given the evidence.

The Movie Nefarious: Fr. Merlino reveals he served as a theological consultant for the film Nefarious (a movie about demonic possession) and even played a prison guard in it. He describes the film as "preaching the gospel in reverse" — showing the devil's perspective to ultimately point toward faith.

Connecting the Two: When asked if his experience with Nefarious surfaced during his visit, Fr. Merlino reflected on Judas Iscariot at the Last Supper — the moment evil entered — contrasting it with the profound love and sacrifice displayed through the Shroud.