Catholic Money Mastermind Podcast: Can Bitcoin, YIMBY, Faith—and Fewer Cars—Rebuild Urban Community?

Today, Ben welcomes Wyatt O’Rourke—Denver-based financial advisor and founder of Basilic Financial—for a wide-ranging conversation on the interplay between tradition, innovation, and community within a Catholic framework. Wyatt shares his journey of entrepreneurship and reconversion to the faith, emphasizing the integration of spiritual values into financial planning. The discussion examines how technological progress—such as Bitcoin and the rise of network states—can coexist with enduring moral and communal principles, drawing on historical shifts and contemporary challenges like social media and car-centric urban design. The conversation highlights the importance of evaluating innovation through a faith-rooted lens. They critique modern secular ideologies for lacking grounding, while celebrating a revival of tradition among young Catholics and the importance of community, family, and shared purpose. Ultimately, they argue that true progress must deepen human connection and be measured by whether it fosters real communal flourishing.

Key Takeaways:
• Wyatt O’Rourke’s journey—entrepreneurship, reconversion to the faith, and founding Basilic Financial—reflects a desire to integrate values into vocation.
• The Lindy Effect suggests that long-standing ideas and institutions are more likely to endure and should be respected as filters for evaluating novelty.
• Car-centric urban design contributes to isolation; human-scale, walkable environments encourage community and accountability.
• The YIMBY movement, when aligned with Catholic social principles, offers a hopeful vision for more connected cities.
• Moral constancy and family stability are essential foundations for navigating a rapidly changing world.
• Catholics are called to be discerning adopters of technology, ensuring it serves human dignity and divine purpose.