Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed John Flynn, founder of The Barricade Guard, via phone call on March 14th, 2025. Some of the questions have been rearranged and edited to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given.
What inspired you to create The Barricade Guard?
The Barricade Guard began in early 2023. It began as a book project, with the main mission being to strengthen Catholic families both physically and spiritually and defend the Church (domestic and Universal). My goal with the YouTube videos is to inspire parents, more particularly fathers, to be spiritual leaders and protectors of their family.
How has your vision for strengthening Catholic families evolved since you started?
That’s an interesting question. I think as I was getting started I was thinking a lot about the spiritual health in terms of passing on the faith and a reasoned defense. On the physical health side I was thinking exercise and food. Regarding the physical side, it evolved to focus more on the physical defense of your family should an emergency come up. I am looking for new ways to share with families especially as it relates to current issues and how they can help defend their domestic Church.
You emphasize both spiritual and physical preparation in your mission. Could you share how you see these two aspects working together in helping families defend the Church?
For me personally, I think a couple things affected my experience. Coming out of my college years, I fell into bad habits and wasn’t taking my faith seriously. Before I had my desire to take my faith seriously, I wanted to improve on my physical side, exercising, going to the gym. As I improved my physical health and became more disciplined I was inspired to take more ownership of my faith.
My girlfriend, now my wife, was a convert to the Church and asked me questions about the Catholic Faith. She challenged me to learn more about our Faith. Through the lens of Theology of the Body and seeing the union of the human person as body and soul inspired me to want to help promote this to others.
The theme “spiritual warfare” appears in your content. How do you help families understand and engage with this concept in practical, everyday ways?
I think spiritual warfare is very real. We live in a time when people might downplay the reality of the Devil. They might think about how everyone goes to Heaven and downplay the reality of evil. With Christ on our side, we ultimately don’t have anything to fear. As parents raising kids in their formative years, we can adequately equip them with the tools when they face temptations.
Knowing the tools and having the proper wisdom from the Holy Spirit is how I am thinking to equip parents on this issue.
Christ has the final victory, but our individual battles are still ongoing.
Exactly! On an aside, the Barricade Guard, some people might think that the word barricade means leaving the world or turning away and closing yourself off in a fortress. It is more like protecting your family. Father Boniface Hicks on an episode of Pints with Aquinas talked about righteous anger as the barricade holding proper boundaries between the sin of wrath and permissiveness. It’s the virtue that lies in the middle of the two extremes.
What do you believe are the biggest challenges Catholic families face today, and how does The Barricade Guard specifically address these challenges?
I think the secular world is recognizing we are living in a post-Christian world. One challenge is to raise our children in the faith and to instill a sense of gratitude for our Catholic faith.
Secondly, the increase of technology and how to protect our children and teaching them how to use and navigate this technology (AI, social media).
On the physical side, being prudent with how to discern the best way to protect your physical health (with the constant change of various diet trends). There are common elements that work.
All of these topics I try to address throughout the videos and content on The Barricade Guard.
Where can my audience learn more about The Barricade Guard?
Please Like and Follow on:
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@BarricadeGuard
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/BarricadeGuard
Instagram – barricade_guard
X – @BarricadeGuard
Locals – barricadeguard.locals.com www.barricadeguard.com
About John:
I am a Catholic husband, I.T. Specialist, and father of six young children (ages 2 to 14). My wife and I have been married for sixteen years, are involved with marriage and vocation ministries through our parish and diocese, and homeschool all of our children. I also serve on our parish’s security team, and am a member of the Knights of Columbus.
