The little boy waved his wand in my direction and solemnly declared, "Petrificus Totalus!" I knew exactly what to do: stand perfectly still. Through his plastic Harry Potter glasses, he looked triumphantly at his mother. "It works, Mom!"

His mother, dressed in a green dress with a black pointed hat, laughed and said, "You can't just enchant everyone here, that gentleman wanted to take a picture of us." She twirled her own wand apologetically and said, "You can move again."

Meanwhile, the boy's father was busy adjusting his brown fake beard and wig for the photo. "Bad hair day, Hagrid!" he muttered.

Mama McGonagall, Papa Hagrid, and little Harry Potter were part of the thousands of costumed participants at Castlefest, a delightful fantasy festival in the gardens of Keukenhof Castle in Lisse.

I've been attending these kinds of festivals for years. Just dressed as myself, with a priest's collar. "Are you really a priest, or are you cosplaying?" I'm often asked.

I've loved stories since my earliest childhood. I spent entire afternoons in the library, reading everything I could get my hands on. I dreamed of a life as an author, but heaven had other plans.

The love for stories has remained. I read an average of 100 to 150 books a year (you can find my reading list on Goodreads.com/fatherroderick), and everything I do as a media priest revolves around stories.

How do I keep my listeners awake during the sermon on Sunday? By telling stories. Why do I enjoy working for Dutch television so much? Because I can share my stories and those of others in the programs I create. My podcasts, blogs, TikTok, and YouTube videos give me the opportunity to tell new stories all the time.

In recent weeks, I've been working hard on a project dear to me in England. I filmed a video course in London for people who want to learn how to best package their message in a story.

Because in the daily flood of information, advertisements, and entertainment that passes by on our screens every day, your message will only stand out if you can captivate people within a few seconds and then keep them engaged. And that can be learned.

How? That's what I teach my students in my course. Not as boring theory from behind my webcam, but as stories I've recorded in the streets of London, in front of the pub where Charles Dickens gathered ideas, in the gallery where Harry Potter discovers the entrance to Diagon Alley, and by the Thames where James Bond began one of his adventures in a speedboat.

If you want to help me improve the course and financially support filming more courses, I invite you to join my focus group. As a thank you for your donation, I give you access to the lessons and to my online focus group community.

Follow this link for more information: https://www.fatherroderick.com/storytelling