Explore every episode of the podcast The Best of the Week

Okay, so here's the question Claudine asked Fr. Simon: 👉 If Jesus paid the debt of our sin on the Cross and said, “It is finished,” then what exactly are angels doing to help us get to heaven?

Fr. Simon points out that angels are all over the Bible, from the Old Testament to Revelation. They’re active messengers, helpers, protectors. 📖 Remember St. Peter getting busted out of prison by an angel? Even Jesus interacted with angels. So, if He worked with them, why wouldn’t we?

Yes, Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross redeemed us entirely. But… 👉 God loves to share His work with His creatures.

That means:

-Angels help proclaim and protect the Gospel.

-Saints intercede and continue their important mission from Heaven.

-We become His missionaries on Earth.

Fr. Simon reminds us that Jesus doesn’t work alone. He’s chosen to work through us... and through angels and saints. 

"It is Finished"... Wait, What Exactly Was Finished?

Fr. Simon explains how Jesus’ death and the Last Supper are one single sacrifice, not two separate events.

Here’s the timeline:

-The Last Supper was Thursday night.

-But in Jewish time, Friday starts at sundown.

-So, the Supper and the Cross happened on the same day.

-Jesus drank three cups of wine at the Last Supper, then paused.

-On the Cross, He takes the fourth cup (the sour wine). “It is finished.”

-That “finished” isn’t just “I’m done.” It means the sacrifice is fulfilled.

And that one sacrifice is what we participate in at every single Mass. Father reassures you that it's not a new sacrifice or a do-over. It's the same sacrifice extended through time and space.

Angels in the Economy of Salvation

Fr. Simon wraps it up like this:

✅ Yes, Jesus paid it all.

✅ But the work of applying that salvation to each heart is an ongoing mission.

✅ And angels play a key part.

We’re all caught up in God’s mysterious, beautiful, crazy-generous plan.

God’s not a solo act. He wants a heavenly team to carry out His love.

And that includes... you.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Patrick Madrid opens up after the heart-shattering Texas floods that took the lives of many: including two young Catholic girls found holding their Rosaries. This isn’t a tidy theology talk; it’s a gut-wrenching, faith-clinging, grief-soaked conversation about why God allows suffering, and how we hold on when life falls apart.

🗣️ The Caller: Cecile from Bryan, Texas

Cecile calls in, her heart cracked wide open. Her nephew just lost his best friend, his wife, and their two children. His question is one we all ask eventually: “How could God let this happen?”

Patrick doesn’t pretend to have the magic answer. In fact, his first move is humility:

“There is no answer that will make this okay. Not now.”

But what he does offer is one of the most compassionate and theological walk-throughs of the “Problem of Evil” you’ll ever hear in Catholic media.

Key Takeaways: 

God Is Not the Author of Evil

Evil, whether moral (caused by free will choices) or natural (like floods, cancer, etc.), was never part of God’s original design.

These came through the Fall: a ripple effect from the sin of Adam and Eve that distorted creation itself.

Natural Disasters Are Part of a Broken World

Nature itself is “off” because of sin. 

But this isn’t a cosmic punishment; it's a sign that we’re living in a world still groaning for redemption (Romans 8:22).

God Doesn’t Just “Allow” Suffering... He Entered Into It

The ultimate answer to suffering isn’t a what, it’s a who: Jesus on the Cross.

God didn’t stay distant. He became a man and suffered with us, for us.

A Father’s Heart

Patrick shares a personal story about his toddler son, Tim, who was bleeding from a head wound. At the ER, his son cried out:

“Daddy, help me!”

Patrick could’ve stopped it... but didn’t, because letting the doctor stitch the wound was what would ultimately heal him.

The parallel: God the Father sees us screaming in pain... and He still lets it happen; it's not because He’s indifferent, but it's because He knows the healing that’s coming later.

💬 Cecile’s Beautiful Insight:

She echoes it all with such tender faith:

“God is there. Just like you were with your son, Patrick. God is there, with us in it... holding us.”

Yes. Amen. 🙏

📖 The Final Word:

Maybe, just maybe... we’ll be like little Tim someday, looking back and finally understanding.

Until then, we weep, we pray, and we cling to this promise:

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” -Matthew 5:4

Take time today to pray for those affected in Texas. And if you’re struggling with your own grief, go ahead and be honest with God. Cry out. Ask why. He can take it, and He is with you. 💔✝️

🙏 Jesus, man of sorrows, be near to those who mourn. Hold them. Heal them. And help us all to trust You, even in the dark.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

This Morning Air episode is heavy, but it’s one we need to hear. John Morales sits down with Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller after the devastating flash floods that ripped through Kerrville, TX over the 4th of July weekend. The floodwaters claimed the lives of over 100 people, including campers and counselors from Camp Mystic. 💔

Here’s what stands out from the conversation:

 “Presence is the First Response”

Archbishop Gustavo says he visited families, survivors, and even presided over a Mass. Sometimes, he explains, just being there in silence was the most powerful thing he could offer.

He reminds us that God’s mercy is not abstract; it’s real, it’s human, and it shows up in hugs, tears, and shared silence.

At Sunday Mass in Kerrville, he watched grief and praise collide. Five babies were baptized that day, a stunning sign of life and hope, even while surrounded by death.

That paradox: baptismal water vs. floodwater, shaped his homily. It was a holy moment, but it was a raw one. The Body of Christ has been bruised but is still breathing.

“Where is God?”

John Morales asks: Why would a good God allow this?

Archbishop says that in times like this, people don’t need theology lectures. They need someone to hear their cry, just like God hears ours.

He reminds us that faith is not about having airtight answers; it’s about being there in the storm. And sometimes... even when we don’t see the sun, we trust it’s still shining behind the clouds. ☀️

So many have stepped up; over 850 water rescues, including one man who saved at least 160 people solo. His eminence wants us to see that God’s providence is working through ordinary people, just showing up.

✝️ How Can We Help?

Archbishop Gustavo says that Catholic Charities San Antonio is leading the relief effort. At this stage, monetary donations are most helpful, since physical donations have already been generously provided. Recovery will be long, so sustained support matters. 🙏

Let’s keep Kerrville and all those affected in prayer.

Let’s remember that God is with us.

And if you can, please consider how you can support.

We're the Body of Christ; right now, the Body is aching. Let’s be His healing hands. 

If you've ever sent a text, meant it to be NBD, and suddenly found yourself in a heated battle, you are so not alone. 😅 On this episode of Marriage Unhindered, therapist dream team Doug and his daughter Monica Hinderer take a call from Mary, a wife of 33 years, who's just trying to go camping... without emotional landmines. 🚐

The Conflict: Trailer Trouble & Radio Silence

Mary shared a pic of their busted trailer floor in the family group chat. Her husband totally lost it. 🙈 He shut down, started name-calling, and hasn’t spoken to her in five hours.

Why the meltdown?

Doug and Monica help Mary (and us!) break it down:

💢 His likely triggers:

-Disrespect (He felt like she should’ve checked with him first.)

-Failure (That photo made him feel like a bad handyman in front of the whole family.)

Doug explains that men can be super sensitive about these two things, and this little moment was a perfect storm. ⛈️

Monica’s Advice: Don’t Chase, Don’t Explode

Monica gives calm, Christ-centered advice for conflict repair:

✅ Let him cool off. (Stonewalling means he is trying to self-soothe, even if it’s immature.)

✅ When things calm down, say something like:

“I’m sorry for upsetting you. That wasn’t my intention. I’d like to talk when you're ready.”

✅ When he’s open, gently ask:

“Help me understand what triggered you, because I didn’t see it the same way.”

But also: Don’t ignore his bad behavior.

“Swearing and name-calling aren’t okay. That hurt me.”

It’s about growing together. 🙌

💡 Doug’s Take: Conflict = Opportunity

Doug shares this gem 💎:

“Conflicts are great chances to learn how to love your spouse better... and for them to learn to love you better.”

Let’s be honest: every married couple has their weird, recurring conflict patterns (read: landmines you keep stepping on 🙃). The trick is learning from them... not just surviving them.

The final advice:

➡️ Start with humility.

➡️ Be curious, not accusatory.

➡️ Keep boundaries around disrespect.

💕 Your Takeaway:

If your spouse overreacts... don’t retaliate. Slow down. Breathe. Ask questions. Apologize if needed, but don’t excuse sin or verbal abuse.

Marriage = sanctifying chaos with sacraments. 😂💒

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

🧴 Plastic, Plastic Everywhere...  😱

So, Drew kicks things off with the unfortunate news: we are literally full of plastic. Not like, “I eat too many Cheetos” full; we’re talking microplastics in our brain, lungs, heart, even the placenta. 💔 

It’s not just about turtles and oceans anymore. 🐢🌊

We’re eating, breathing, and absorbing plastic through food wrappers, shampoo, detergents, even that “eco-friendly” coffee cup you thought was safe. ☕😬

Some of these chemicals, like phthalates, are hormone disruptors and immune wreckers. 🤒

🛡️ Enter: Your Gut. The Unsung Superhero. 🦸‍♂️

Dr. O’Mara says: don’t freak out. The battlefield is your gut microbiome, aka your inner bulletproof vest 🦠

“Your microbiome is like your sump pump,” Dr. O'Mara says, “and mine failed last week; it was $40,000 in water damage. Don’t let that be your body.” 💧

🔥 What helps your gut armor up?

Fermented foods! 🥬🥕🧀 Think: sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, blue cheese, kombucha.

Clean up your diet: Ditch the donuts, muffins, processed junk. 

🪵 Cutting Boards & Coffee Cups: The Everyday Plastic Swap ☕🍽️

Dr. O’Mara says:

✅ Yes to wood & bamboo cutting boards! They’re safer than plastic ones that shed micro-junk onto your veggies.

🚫 Be wary of paper coffee cups; they’re lined with plastic and heat pulls that gunk straight into your drink.

💡 Dr. O’Mara's pro tip: Carry your own ceramic coffee mug.

👶 “What About the Pool?! And Shampoo?!” 🏊‍♀️

Yep, even kiddie pools and shampoo bottles can release nasty VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into the air. 😬 

So again, it’s not about panic; it’s about limiting exposure:

🧼 Switch to natural personal care products.

🍽️ Go for glass, ceramic, and stainless steel in the kitchen.

💧 Refill a good water bottle.

🙏 So What Do We Do?

This is a call to stewardship. 💚🌍

We’re temples of the Holy Spirit, remember? (1 Cor. 6:19 👈) So taking care of our bodies means:

-Eating more like our great-grandparents did.

-Being mindful of what we use, touch, and breathe.

-Keeping our "sump pump" (gut) healthy. 

You can listen to Part 2 of the conversation here!

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Lucia, a young listener, called in to The Patrick Madrid Show with the kind of question that stops you in your tracks: “How do we know we believe in the right God?” 💥 Big question for a little voice, right?

Jesus: The Proof

First off, Patrick answers by going straight to the source: Jesus. We know we’re believing in the right God because Jesus Christ: the second person of the Holy Trinity, proved it over and over again with some pretty jaw-dropping miracles. Think about it:

-Healing people left and right

-Casting out demons

-Raising people from the dead: even when they were dead-dead, like four-days-old Lazarus

Let’s not forget the time he fed 5,000+ people with just a few loaves and fish! 🥖🐟 

Patrick explains that Jesus didn’t just perform these miracles to be a crowd-pleaser. No, He was revealing Himself as God in the flesh, saying: "I am the Son of God. I am revealing God to you!"  

His Death and Resurrection

If you’re still wondering, "Okay, but how do I know for sure?", here’s what you need to remember: Jesus predicted His own death and resurrection. He actually did it; he told His apostles, "Hey, they’re going to arrest and kill me, but I’ll be back in three days." He pulled it off... hundreds of people saw Him after He rose from the dead. 

The apostles themselves saw Him, ate meals with Him, and they even touched Him to make sure they weren’t just seeing things. People died for this belief. These eyewitnesses of the risen Jesus didn’t recant their faith, even under torture or execution. They knew it was true.

We Have the Receipts: Bible and Tradition

The Bible is filled with Jesus’ teachings and the testimonies of those who witnessed His miracles. Patrick also reminds Lucia that Catholic tradition (what we call Apostolic Tradition) is just as important. Passed down from the apostles themselves, this tradition helps us make sense of the Bible and deepens our understanding of God’s truth.

Faith in the One True God

In a nutshell, we know we believe in the right God because:

-Jesus revealed Him through miracles and teachings

-Jesus died for us and rose again, proving He’s God

-The martyrs were so convinced by what they saw, they died for it 💀✝️

-The Bible and Apostolic Tradition back it all up

Patrick wraps it up saying that, if you trust in Jesus and His teachings: especially in the context of the Catholic Church, you can be 100% sure that you believe in the right God.

Lucia: Totally satisfied. 🙌

If you’re asking the same question? Well, we hope this gives you that same sense of peace and certainty. Believe in Jesus. Trust the Church. 

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Image via Marco Iacobucci Epp / Shutterstock.

If you missed this episode of Trending with Timmere, you’re in for a treat, because Timmerie sits down with Catholic speaker and leadership expert Fr. Nathan Cromly. They share truth about what real leadership looks like. 🔥

🚨 The Big Idea: Leadership = Influence, Not Just Position

Fr. Nathan wants you to know this foundational truth: "Leadership is about influence, not position." In a world that’s either running from leadership or complaining about how it’s failing, Fr. Nathan and Timmerie unpack how authentic Christian leadership turns the whole thing upside down... just like Jesus always does.

✝️ What Does Jesus Have to Do with It? Everything.

Jesus didn’t hand out business cards or take a corner office.

He sent out 12 apostles with basically nothing but faith, courage, and sandals. And you know what? That was enough to build the Catholic Church across the globe. 🌍

"If we’re not making a change, we’re not living out our Christian life."

Christian leadership is about intentional impact. Whether you’re a mom, a CEO, or a barista... your mission is to bring Jesus where He isn’t.

Pope Leo XIV: Holiness on a Mission

They also chat about the new Pope Leo XIV and his very first homilies, where he laid it all out: holiness is the mission... and he’s not doing it solo.

He’s not saying, “watch me,” he’s saying, “come with me.”

Fr. Nathan points out that the Pope has a powerful position, sure. But true leadership isn’t just about having power. It’s about having authority, and that comes from living in truth, radiating Christ, and living with integrity.

Power vs. Authority (This One’s Huge)

Here’s the important point:

-Power is given externally: titles, money, status, the mic.

-Authority flows from within: your holiness, your truth, your virtue.

"Authority comes from proximity to Christ." 🙏

If we get both? 🚀 Watch out, world. But even if you only have interior authority, you can still lead massively; just ask any of the saints.

🚫 “But I’m Not the Boss…” = Excuse City 

Timmerie brings up a real-talk struggle... especially among men who say, “I’m not the decision-maker, so I can’t lead.”

Fr. Nathan’s response: 😂 Basically: “Get out of bed anyway.”

He says that’s not just wrong... it’s lazy. Because leadership doesn’t require a title. It requires truth and action. Even support roles, those unsung heroes, are vital forms of leadership.

“Behind every great decision-maker is someone who coached, encouraged, and listened.”

No influence? No way. If you’re living in truth, you are bending the world around you.

🙌 Final Point: Leadership Starts with the Heart

Jesus doesn’t say, “Get famous and then get holy.” He flips the script:

“Give me your heart, and I’ll give you a platform.”

That’s the pattern of every saint. No money, no title, no army... just faith, hope, and love, and you have a God who multiplies what we offer. 💛💙❤️

📌 Takeaways for the Catholic Go-Getter:

💡 Leadership is not reserved for CEOs and bishops.

✝️ You’re called to lead right where you are.

🕊️ Interior holiness = real authority.

🙋‍♂️ Stop waiting for a title. Lead anyway.

So go out there and start influencing your world, one holy decision at a time. You've already got what it takes when you have the Lord with you. 😉

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Hear a heartfelt, hopeful conversation about faith, freedom, and good ol’ fashioned patriotism with Catholic journalist Erika Ahern. She asked people what it is that makes them love America. 

 Patriotism with Purpose

🗽The testimonies gathered by Erika about why people love America weren’t about flag-waving for its own sake.

They were about the freedom to pursue the good... to live virtuously, follow God's call, and raise families in peace. That’s the kind of freedom that fosters holiness.

America: A Place Where the Imago Dei Can Flourish

Erika draws a powerful connection between American ideals and Catholic teaching.

She reminds us that the image of God in every person (Imago Dei) shines brighter when we have the freedom to seek truth, speak it, and worship God... all core American freedoms.

America = Gift + Responsibility

Many of the testimonies saw America as a gift... not just a country, but a calling.

Eriks says that kind of gratitude fuels a desire to protect and pass on this gift to the next generation.

Let’s Talk Gratitude 

In a culture that loves to gripe 😒, Erika says Catholics should be the loudest voices of thanksgiving, especially on holidays like the 4th.

Read the Declaration of Independence with your kids. Pray a Rosary for America. Talk about the blessings we didn’t earn but were given. That's great advice from Erika!

Catholic Patriotism is rooted in:

📖 Natural law

🕊️ Religious freedom

⚖️ God-given dignity

🤍 Gratitude

🌱 Hope for the future

Erika believes we Catholics were made for this moment... to remind our nation of its soul, its founding on transcendent truths, and its potential for holiness.

This 250th birthday season (leading up to 2026 🎉), Catholics are called not just to wave the flag, but to lift up the nation in prayer, teach our kids the truth, and reclaim the noble vision of America that puts God first.

Because when God is first... everything else falls into place.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Happy 4th of July! As you get ready to grill out and enjoy fireworks, John Morales on Morning Air is serving up a super timely conversation with Catholic writer/speaker Laura DeMaria. 🔥

Wait… Is Patriotism Catholic? 🗽

Yes!  Laura notes that the Catechism says loving and serving your country is part of the virtue of charity... aka LOVE. ❤️

📖 "The love and service of one's country follow from the duty of gratitude and belong to the order of charity." -CCC 2239

That means loving your country is legitimate when it's in the right order:

👉 God first, then family, then country... not the other way around. It's not making a golden calf out of the Constitution. 🐄📜

🧭 Real Patriotism ≠ Idol Worship

Laura says there's always a temptation to go overboard with nationalism, but the Church gives us balance. 🙏 Loving your country doesn't have to mean ignoring its flaws or pretending it's perfect; it means recognizing God gave you this place as a gift. Your love should come from gratitude, not blind pride.

Think of it like this: loving America should be filial, like the love you have for your parents. It's rooted in relationship and responsibility.

🙏 Want to Be a Patriot? Start with Prayer.

Seriously. Laura explains that prayer is the most basic and powerful act of patriotism. It’s not just lighting sparklers and belting Lee Greenwood (though you can totally still do that). 🎆🎤

Pray for:

-Our country,

-Our leaders (yes, even the ones you disagree with)

-Our laws and culture

-Our divisions and healing

Even St. Paul backed this up: 📜 “I urge… prayers be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions…” -1 Timothy 2:1-2

That's Holy Spirit-approved life guidance. ✝️🔥

Freedom = Truth. Truth = Jesus.

Laura also hits on a big one: the Catholic view of freedom. It’s not “do whatever I want.”

Real freedom is rooted in truth, and truth has a name: Jesus. 🙌

Without Him, “freedom” becomes chaos.

➡️ Identity confusion

➡️ Subjective morality

➡️ And a whole lot of unhappy people trying to “live their truth” without THE Truth

So… How Should a Catholic Celebrate the 4th?

Glad you asked. Laura keeps it simple and holy:

-Start with a family prayer: Thank God for the blessings and responsibilities of living in this country.

-Celebrate with joy and reverence

-Let your fireworks be matched with faith

Oh, and John Adams (yes, that founding father) said Independence Day should be marked by “solemn acts of devotion to Almighty God.”

Translation: pray before you have a party. God > grill. 🔥🌭🙏

✅ Patriotism is Catholic, but it's a virtue when rightly ordered

✅ God comes first... country flows from gratitude to Him

✅ Pray for your country. 

✅ True freedom = living in God’s truth, not personal opinion

✅ Celebrate the 4th with both joy and humility

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Image via Renata Sedmakova / Shutterstock.

Okay, so Fr. Simon may joke that he’s recycling his old sermons, but these are gold 💯. This reflection is personal, beautiful, and gets you right in the heart. 😭❤️‍🔥

Fr. Simon reflects on Romans 5:5, where it says: “While we were still helpless, Christ died for the ungodly.” Now, when we hear “ungodly,” we think, “Yikes, messy people.” But Fr. Simon points out it actually means “impious”: those who don’t worship. And then he hits us with this hilarious but touching story about a young girl handing a firecracker to a college guy she had a crush on, like it was a rose of devotion 🌹... and boom 💥!

That, he says, is worship: not servile fear or groveling, but falling in love. God doesn’t need our worship like an insecure celebrity needing applause. He wants us to love Him because He already loves us. 

❤️‍🔥 God Sent His Heart... Literally

Fr. Simon asks a great question: “Why did the Father send the Son? Was He busy that day?”

No. The Father sent His Heart. What are our children if not our heart outside our body? So, when God gave us Jesus, He gave us His most precious treasure. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is the heart of the Father. 💗

Let that sink in: God gave us His actual heart.

Eucharistic Miracles

He then shares this story about the Eucharistic miracle of Buenos Aires (Pope Francis was actually involved before he became Pope). Long story short:

-A host was found discarded in the back of a church.

-It was placed in water to dissolve respectfully.

-Instead of dissolving, it turned into bloody tissue.

-Tests confirmed it was heart tissue from someone who suffered deeply… and was still alive when the sample was taken. 💔

Every tested Eucharistic miracle so far: It's always heart tissue. ❤️‍🔥

You Receive God's Heart at Mass

Fr. Simon explains that when you receive the Eucharist, you're not just receiving “a piece of Jesus” in some vague spiritual way. You're literally receiving:

The Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Heart of God.

Into your life.

That’s real presence, real love, real responsibility. 

You are being asked to care for Christ like Mary and Joseph did, to carry Him inside you into the world.

😢 So Many Don’t Know

He ends with sorrow for those who don’t know what they’re missing. We’ve been given the Sacred Heart... in the Eucharist at every Mass.

-God doesn’t want your worship for His ego; He’s already madly in love with you.

-Jesus is the Heart of the Father.

-In every Eucharist, God places His actual Sacred Heart into your hands.

-You are a living tabernacle; carry Christ like Mary did.

🙏❤️‍🔥 Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto Thine.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

📍 Location:

This special LIVE episode was broadcast from the stunning Guadalupe Plaza at the Shrine of Christ’s Passion, right as the sun was setting over St. John, Indiana. Not a bad place to pray your Rosary, huh?

🎙️ Fr. Rocky and Bishop Robert McClory of Gary, IN were your hosts! Bishop McClory prayed for a greater compassion for those who don't know God's love and for all who are persecuted for their faith, that they may have the courage and strength of Sts. Peter and Paul. ✝️🔥

Then came some real tear-jerking (and heartwarming) intentions from the faithful:

George, age 14:

-Prayers for his family to grow closer to God and stay healthy 💪🛐

-Fun fact: He’s a football player and a Buffalo Bills fan 🏈... future NFL pro in the making?

Vicki's three intentions:

-For her daughter who passed away 18 years ago at age 24 during a cycling event 💔

-For her youngest daughter Katie, that she comes back to the Catholic faith 🙏

-For her 95-year-old mom who is still going strong 🎂🎉

And Fr. Rocky also mentioned two young people, ages 22 and 24, who had tragically died in a motorcycle accident the night before. 

Ready to join in next time?

Catch the Family Rosary Across America nightly at 7pm CT on Relevant Radio and bring your intentions. God’s listening. ❤️📻

Brooke Taylor sits in for Timmere on Trending, and she is joined by Brother Richard Hendrick, a Capuchin Franciscan and retreat master here to help draw you closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Catch the extended conversation here!

❤️ The Sacred Heart

So, what’s the big deal about the Sacred Heart? According to Brother Richard:

“The Sacred Heart is the icon of the entire Gospel.”

That’s... a big deal. He explains that when Jesus says He is “meek and humble of heart,” He’s not talking about being passive or a pushover. In Greek, that word “meek” (praus) means a heart fully surrendered to the Father’s will. It’s not soft; it’s powerful.

He invites you; yes, even with your messy, distracted, sometimes-scrolling-during-prayer self, to graft your heart into His.

🫀 “To let His heart be the heart of our heart.”

Ireland Just Got Re-Consecrated to the Sacred Heart

Brooke also mentions some stunning recent news: Ireland was just reconsecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus at the Marian shrine of Knock on the Feast of Corpus Christi! The last time this happened was 150 years ago! 

🧡 What the Saints Teach Us About the Sacred Heart

St. Thérèse of Lisieux called the Sacred Heart her hiding place. She wrote that she didn’t need purgatory after death, because she was letting His love be her purgatory now. 🔥

St. Padre Pio prayed a daily novena to the Sacred Heart for anyone who asked his prayers. 

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, the Sacred Heart visionary, gave us the image we all know: Jesus revealing His pierced, flaming heart, crowned with thorns and glowing with love.

Brother reminds us that these saints weren’t just inspired by the Sacred Heart... they entered it.

💔 Enter In; Don't Just Look

This is one of the most beautiful takeaways: we’re not just meant to look at or venerate the Sacred Heart; we’re meant to enter into it. Think of it like a divine invitation to spiritual open-heart surgery.

Brother Richard quotes St. Anthony of Padua, who said we shouldn’t just stay by the “entrance” of Jesus’ pierced side; we need to go all the way in. That’s where we find: light, peace, and Heaven on Earth.

💧 Sacred Heart + Divine Mercy 

Ever notice the connection between the Sacred Heart and Divine Mercy? Brother Richard ties it all together:

The Sacred Heart is Jesus offering His heart.

-Divine Mercy is drawing us in, through those rays of grace.

-Both devotions are all about growing in trust.

So, whether you pray “Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee” or “Jesus, I trust in You”, you’re tapping into the same ocean of mercy. 🌊❤️‍🔥

He reminds us: "You exist, so you are already loved." No performance needed. No filters. No spiritual résumé.

Here’s the real deal, friend:

💔 The Sacred Heart is not a metaphor.

🔥 It’s real. It’s alive. It’s beating for you.

🫀 You’re invited in. Not tomorrow. Today.

So, whether you’re feeling close to Jesus or like your heart’s been duct-taped together this week… He’s offering you His own heart in exchange.

🛐 Light a candle. Put up an image of the Sacred Heart. Whisper, “Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like Yours.”

And then just… be loved.

❤️ Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

💙 Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

You’ve tried everything to fix your marriage, but your spouse says, “I’m out” and the state backs them up… 💔 This is the heartbreak of no-fault divorce. Bai Macfarlane is in to talk about this painful reality. You can check out the whole episode here!

So, What’s the Deal with No-Fault Divorce?

No-fault divorce: The kind where one spouse can bail, no explanation needed... and the state just gives them the green light 🟢. The Catholic spouse left behind is often blindsided, heartbroken, and scrambling.

Bai Macfarlane runs Mary’s Advocates, a nonprofit that fights against no-fault divorce and supports Catholics who’ve been unjustly abandoned.

Most people assume the legal system is fair. But as Bai explains that in most states... even if you're trying to honor your vows and fight for your marriage, the court doesn’t care. If your spouse wants out, the law forces it.

“It’s like being a widow and trying to convince the courts your husband is still alive.” -Bai 🙁

😤 The Mess We’re In (And How We Got Here)

Some backstory: No-fault divorce got rolling in California back in the Reagan days. The idea was to avoid lies and courtroom drama when both spouses wanted out. 

🚨 But here’s the catch: it also empowers unilateral abandonment, with the full force of the state. 

Doug sums it up: If I sign a car contract, I can’t just change my mind. With marriage... it's totally allowed.

Bai shares more hard truths:

-75% of divorces are initiated by just one spouse.

-Courts often label faithful spouses as “controlling” for wanting to keep their vows. 😬

-Legal fees are so expensive for both sides... and still no justice.

-Kids suffer the most, shuffled between homes, often forced to sleep at the house of a cheating parent and their new partner. 

Instead of supporting the abandoned spouse, too many people sadly say:

“You're young. Move on. God wants you happy.”

As Doug and Bai talk about: we don’t say that to people suffering from depression or facing an unplanned pregnancy. Why do we say it to those fighting for their marriage?

❤️ What Can We Do?

Doug and Bai hit it home with some encouragement for us:

-Support your friends who are being left behind. Don’t push them to “move on.” Walk with them. Pray for them.

-Spread the word about Mary’s Advocates. They’re on a mission to defend the truth that marriage is a lifelong covenant, even when it gets hard.

-If you’re prepping for marriage or mentoring couples, talk about this stuff. Help people know that divorce isn’t just a quick escape hatch.

✝️ Final Thought: Your Vows Matter.

This conversation is a wake-up call for all of us. No-fault divorce is not neutral. It’s a wound: to spouses, kids, the Church, and the culture.

But there’s hope. 🙏 Bai’s story is one of faithfulness, perseverance, and a deep love for the Sacrament of Marriage. Even as she holds onto hope for reconciliation in her own marriage, she’s helping hundreds stand strong.

👉 Never forget: your "yes" at the altar still matters. 💍🔥

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Image via Marco Iacobucci Epp / Shutterstock.

This Morning Air episode with John Morales and Mark Mastroianni explores how we can navigate this AI and digital world with discernment and peace. 

AI is here, but is it holy?

John starts off with the obvious: AI is everywhere now: our phones, our schools, our jobs, and our health. But the real question is not “Can AI answer our questions?", but rather:

🤔 Can it serve the common good and uplift the human soul, or is it just another flashy algorithm sucking up our time?

Meet the Pope with a Tech Plan: Leo XIV

Just like his namesake stepped up during the Industrial Revolution, Pope Leo XIV is stepping in during the Digital Revolution.

Why’d he pick “Leo”? Because this new age of machines and algorithms needs a reminder:

🧠✨ “Technology is a tool... not a replacement for the beauty and infinite worth of the human soul.”

Can we get an amen?

👶 AI vs. Our Kids: Who’s Winning?

Pope Leo isn’t just worried about chatbots replacing teachers. He’s laser-focused on how AI impacts kids and young adults, especially in how it shapes:

🧠 How they think

💔 How they relate to others

😵‍💫 How glued they are to screens

John and Mark remind us: Algorithms aren’t neutral. They’re designed to be sticky, to keep our eyeballs scrolling and our souls scrolling away from the good, true, and beautiful.

💡 But there’s hope: More parents and educators are pushing back. 🙌 There’s a movement to ditch the screens and rediscover real-life wonder.

✝️ Blessed Carlo Acutis 

They mention our millennial future saint and spiritual tech guide, Blessed Carlo Acutis. He loved the internet... but loved Jesus way more.

His message:

👟💒 “Get off the screen, go outside, go see Eucharistic miracles, and live a holy, real life.”

Yes, please.

🧍‍♂️📖 Human Wisdom > Artificial Intelligence

AI might be able to mimic priests or teachers (gulp), but it can’t imitate true wisdom, love, or holiness.

Pope Leo XIV warns:

🗣️ “We must never replace face-to-face transmission of wisdom.”

Mark adds that real transformation doesn’t come from bots; it comes from:

👥 One-on-one conversations

🙌 Small groups sharing faith and struggles

🎨 Creative, Spirit-filled collaboration

AI can serve us... it just can’t save us.

Mark says the future actually belongs to humans, not machines. AI will automate the busywork, freeing us up to be more human:

🤝 More connection

🧠 More real thinking

❤️ More service

✝️ More soul-to-soul holiness

So... What Can You Do?

✅ Talk about AI with your friends, family, and parish.

✅ Limit screen time, especially for your kids.

✅ Get in the room: small groups, Bible studies, youth nights, coffee chats.

✅ Stay close to Jesus, the true source of wisdom, not just information.

🌟 Want to stay human in a world of robots?

Then cling to what’s eternal: the Church, the sacraments, real relationships, and Christ.

🔁 Share this with your tech-curious friends... even the ones glued to TikTok.

📱 And remember: You’re not just data. You’re a soul.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

🌹 It All Started at a Tea Party...

Rosalie from Chula Vista calls in after attending a “Deanery Tea Party” (which, btw, sounds like something Jane Austen would've loved ☕🎩) where a little girl asked a whopper of a question:

“Is everyone going to die?” 😬

Rosalie’s friend was troubled that the adult nearby didn’t offer any spiritual explanation... just the cold, hard facts. So, Rosalie did what any good Catholic would do: she called Patrick Madrid. 🙌

How Do You Tell a Child About Death Without Freaking Them Out?

Patrick, being the dad of 11 kids and a wise Catholic thinker, totally gets it. We live in a culture that avoids death like kale at a kid’s birthday party. We want youth, health, and Instagram filters, not funeral talk. 😬📵

But here’s the truth from Patrick:

🕊️ “It’s actually good for children to understand death... in a gentle, age-appropriate way, because it opens the door to talking about hope, eternity, and Jesus.” 🙏

So, Here’s the Game Plan, Catholic Parents & Godparents:

🧒 Age-Appropriate Honesty

Don’t lie or pretend death isn’t real. Patrick suggests saying something like:

“Yes, everyone dies eventually. But we don’t need to be afraid, because Jesus came to save us and bring us to Heaven.” 

Frame Death Through the Lens of Salvation

Patrick reminds us: God didn’t want death. Death entered the world through sin. But Jesus became one of us, died for us, and rose again so we could have eternal life. That’s the real focus, not death itself.

Describe Death as a Portal

Don't mention it as a scary monster but explain it as a doorway to being with God. That shifts the narrative entirely.

“We hope Grandma is in Heaven now because she loved Jesus. And if we love Jesus too, He’ll bring us there one day.” 🏡✨ Great advice from Patrick! 

🧡 Takeaway for You, Friend:

If a child ever asks, “Is everyone going to die?”, don’t panic. Don’t brush it off. And definitely don’t just say, “Yep” and walk away. 🙅

Instead, use it as a sacred opportunity: to speak truth wrapped in love, hope, and the greatest promise ever:

💖 “Jesus loves you, and He wants to be with you forever.”

That’s not scary. That’s beautiful.

✝️ Need to Hear It Again?

Share this with a fellow Catholic parent, godparent, or that friend who just survived a toddler asking the "Big Questions" at bedtime.

Jesus isn’t afraid of death. And thanks to Him... we don’t have to be either. 🌅

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Image via Renata Sedmakova / Shutterstock.

Do you struggle with distractions in prayer? Do you wonder if you're "doing it right?" Msgr. Thomas Richter shares wisdom with Patrick Conley on The Inner Life. How can we stop going through the motions with our prayer life? Your heart has everything to do with it. 💔➡️💒 Be sure to listen to the whole episode!

Monsignor Richter shares this bold claim: "If the heart isn’t what’s praying, the prayer is worthless." Whew. Let that sit for a sec.

🫀 The Heart of the Matter: What Is Praying with the Heart?

So, what is the heart in this context? According to the Catechism (📖 paragraphs 2562 & 2563), the heart is the biblical “organ of relationality.” It’s where we relate to God... where our thoughts, desires, struggles, and joys are brought into communion with Him.

Msgr. Richter says to think of it like this:

👀 Eyes are for seeing

👂 Ears are for hearing

💓The Heart is for being with God

🧠 vs. 🫀 Head or Heart?

We often say prayer should move from the head to the heart, but Msgr. assures you that it doesn't mean switching from thinking to feeling. 

Instead, it means going deeper: becoming more honest, vulnerable, and relational. Here’s the difference from Msgr. Richter:

Head prayer: “God, I’m angry.”

Heart prayer: “God, I don’t think You’re providing for me. I’m scared and I want control. Please change me.”

See the depth? That’s where the real transformation happens.

The Danger of a Wounded Heart

Monsignor warns: A wounded heart doesn't want to relate. It hides. It closes in on itself, just like Adam in the garden. He calls this the spirit of evil: "curved in on itself."

Sound familiar? Self-pity. Isolation. Resentment. These are signs of a heart that's forgotten how to reach out to God. 😞 Real prayer breaks that cycle. 🙌

💔 “God, I Miss You.”

One of the most beautiful takeaways from Msgr. Richter is this:

An awakened heart doesn’t spiral into shame when God feels distant. It relates the pain to Him.

You don’t have to feel God’s presence to be close to Him. In fact, naming your loneliness and giving it to Him is the closeness.

Pray it out loud:

“God, I miss you. It’s hard to enjoy life without You. I hold this pain before You.”
That’s a prayer. That’s the heart talking.

Picture This: St. John at the Last Supper

Want a mental image of praying with the heart? St. John, resting his head on Jesus’ chest. He still had thoughts, desires, emotions, but they were all connected to Christ. 💖 That’s what we’re invited into.

🕯️Now go... pray with your heart. He’s listening.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Okay, so on this episode of The Patrick Madrid Show, we get a look into the virtue of hope. A caller named Matt from Columbus, NJ, kicks things off by saying that a lot of Catholics don’t really get what hope actually is. Honestly, he’s onto something.

What Is the Real Meaning of Hope 🤔

Most people think of hope like: I hope the weather’s nice tomorrow, or I hope my team wins. But biblical, theological hope is different. The Catechism (CCC 1817) lays it out:

Hope is the virtue by which we desire heaven, trusting not in ourselves, but in God’s promises and His grace to get us there.

Basically, it’s not a shaky, fingers-crossed kind of thing; it’s a confident expectation in God’s faithfulness. 🙌

So… Can Catholics Be Sure They’re Going to Heaven? 👀

Matt brings up a great point here. He adds that if you ask a Catholic, “Are you going to heaven?” they’ll respond with, “Uh… I hope so?”, but with a tone of doubt. That’s a problem. Because hope isn’t uncertainty; it’s trust.

Patrick brings in St. Paul as Exhibit A. Paul talks about winning the race and fighting the good fight; he expects heaven, but he also knows he has to persevere to the end. We don’t “earn” salvation (we need grace!), but we cooperate with it.

So, the Catholic answer isn’t “I know I’m going to heaven, no doubt” (we’re not into that Once Saved, Always Saved mindset), but it’s also not “I have no idea”. Instead, it’s:

✅ I trust in God’s promises

✅ I know He’ll give me the grace to get there

✅ But I also know I have free will and need to stay faithful

Hope vs. Despair & Presumption 🚨

Patrick also covers the two big dangers that wreck hope:

1️⃣ Despair: Thinking, I’m too far gone, I’ll never be saved. That’s a lie; God’s mercy is bigger than any sin. Never stop hoping!

2️⃣ Presumption: Thinking, I don’t need to do anything, I’m automatically saved. This is also wrong; Jesus literally tells us to persevere to the end (Matt 24:13).

Hope Is Non-Negotiable. 🙏

Patrick ties it all together with St. Thomas Aquinas, who says hope is necessary for salvation. You have to desire heaven and expect God’s help. No hope? No heaven. 😬

💡 Moral of the story: Hope is trust in God’s love and promises. So next time someone asks if you’re going to heaven, don’t say “I don’t know” ... say, “I trust in God to get me there.” 💙

🔥 Want to level up your hope? Pray for the grace of perseverance, read Scripture, and never stop trusting in God’s goodness! 🔥

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

 Image via agsaz / Shutterstock.

Let’s be real: Most of us have wondered at some point: “Am I doing this prayer thing right?” On this episode of The Inner Life, Patrick Conley brings in Monsignor Thomas Richter. Together, they unpack what it really means to pray... not just go through the motions, but to enter into a real, living relationship with God.

🙏 Prayer Isn’t Just Talking... It’s a Relationship

Msgr. Richter challenges our usual ideas about prayer. According to the Catechism and the saints, prayer isn’t just something we do... it’s a relationship we have. 💬💗

"Prayer is not an action I take. It’s a relationship I live."

He compares it to marriage; you don’t just do married things and call it a day. It’s about the bond, the intimacy, the knowing and being known. 💍 Similarly, prayer is about being in communion with God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

🔥 The 1st Foundation: Awakened Faith

We don't want unawakened faith = Knowing about God: truths, Catechism, sacraments... but not really knowing Him.

Awakened faith = You’ve met Him. You’ve had an encounter. You know He’s real. He’s with you, and you relate to Him as a person, not just a concept.

"Awakened faith doesn’t just think about God... it relates to Him."

Msgr. calls it "living faith". Faith with a heartbeat 💓. It’s when you can point to real moments in your life and say, “Yeah, God showed up there.” 🙌

💡 Is Your Faith Awakened?

You might be thinking: “Wait… do I have that kind of faith?”

The key is to ask yourself:

- “Where have I experienced the love of God recently?”

- “How did God love me today?”

- “What’s a moment this week when I knew He was near?”

If those feel like blanks for you, don’t panic. That doesn’t mean your faith is dead; it might just need to be awakened 🔔. And that awakening happens through encounter: a real, personal connection with Jesus. 

TL;DR: How to Really Pray

Here’s your cheat sheet from Monsignor Richter’s spiritual masterclass:

-Prayer is about relationship, not technique.

-God is the main actor in prayer. You’re responding to His love.

-Faith, real, awakened, lived faith... is essential. Without it, we’re just talking to ourselves.

Want to grow in prayer? Ask God to help you encounter Him. That’s where it all begins. 

Listen to this with an open heart, and maybe a notebook. The Holy Spirit might just sneak up on you.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

This episode of The Inner Life (a Best of the Week pick!) hits straight to the heart... literally. On the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Fr. John Eckert joins Patrick Conley to talk about the burning love of Jesus. Be sure to check out the full episode!

Join us tonight, June 27 at 7pm CT for the Family Rosary Across America as we conclude our 54-Day Rosary Novena to the Sacred Heart. We'll consecrate the needs of the Church, our families, and our new Holy Father to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

🫀 “Is That... a Real Heart?”

The Sacred Heart is wounded, crowned in thorns, and literally on fire, because Jesus wants us to see His love. It’s real, physical, divine, and human.

Fr. Eckert tells a story of a bride-to-be who walked into his church and was like, “Whoa. That Sacred Heart statue? His heart is, like...hanging out of his chest.” Honestly... Father sees this as a good point. But that’s exactly the mystery: Jesus isn't subtle. He's offering His whole heart, wounded and all. 💔🔥

Meet St. Margaret Mary

Back in 1675 France, Jesus appeared to a sickly, contemplative nun: St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, and he basically said:

“Humanity has forgotten how much I love them. Help me remind them.”

Despite opposition (and bad health), she spread this devotion; 350 years later, we’re still talking about it. That’s the power of Divine Love + a nun with grit.

“Jesus Loves You” Isn’t a Throwaway Line

Yes, we’ve all heard it a million times. “Jesus loves you.” But… does it really mean anything to us? Have we comprehended the fact that Jesus loves each and every single one of us personally?

🙋‍♂️ “So, What Difference Does This Make?”

Good question. If God’s love isn’t just abstract, but active, present, and relentlessly personal, then:

-You’re not alone. Ever.

-You’re not just tolerated. You’re wanted.

-You don’t have to earn His love. He already gave it.

We’ve been loved into existence, and Jesus thirsts for our love in return. Father reminds you that God who won’t force you to love Him but won’t stop loving you either. 💘 “He doesn’t call us slaves... He calls us friends.” (John 15:15) 

This devotion isn’t fluff. It’s foundational. If you want your faith to feel alive again, or you’re struggling to believe you matter to God, look at His Heart. It’s all there: the wounds, the fire, the invitation.

His Sacred Heart is the answer to your deepest question:

“Am I really loved?”

Yes. A thousand times yes.

And He’s not just saying it. He’s showing it.

🔥🫀

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Ever wonder why so many young adults are still single... or just not interested in marriage at all? Drew Mariani explores this question with Fr. Paul Sullins, a sociologist and priest who knows the stats and the spiritual side.

It’s not just about student loans or wanting to backpack through Europe before settling down. There’s a deeper cultural shift going on. 👉 Listen to the full episode of The Drew Mariani Show on the Relevant Radio app. 

What’s Actually Behind the Marriage Delay?

Drew and Fr. Sullins talk about several key reasons, and they’re more complex than “kids these days”:

Fear of young marriage: Parents are passing down anxiety about marrying too young, even though studies show 22- or 23-year-olds actually have pretty stable outcomes.

📉 Marriage is off the radar: Unlike past generations, young adults aren’t growing up hearing that marriage is a life goal. There are no classes or no cultural messaging that promote it.

🏠 Cohabitation culture: People can now get the perks of married life: companionship, intimacy, even kids... without the actual commitment.

📱 Social disconnection: Dating today is more isolated than ever. Most young adults live in digital echo chambers, and the traditional places to meet marriage-minded people just don’t work anymore.

Extended adolescence: Many don't feel “grown-up” until their 30s... delaying jobs, home-buying, and marriage. The markers of adulthood are now just... later.

📊 Some Shocking Stats

In 1949, 80% of U.S. households were headed by a married couple.

In 2024: Just 47%. Less than half.

Average age of first marriage: 28 for women, 30 for men... up 7 years from just one generation ago.

In places like NYC and LA, it’s often even later.

This shift is a vocation crisis in slow motion. Fewer marriages mean fewer families, fewer kids, and a shrinking Church.

💬 One Caller’s Honest Struggle

A young woman named Rachel from Florida calls in. She’s in her late 20s, values marriage deeply, but hasn’t found someone who can lead spiritually and emotionally. She’s off social media, back to the flip phone life (respect 🙌), and holding strong to her values.

Fr. Sullins encourages her, and others like her... not to give up, but also to be intentional:

-Join Catholic groups, networking circles, or even online dating platforms that actually support faith-based relationships.

-Don’t expect your future spouse to show up at the grocery store, or even at most parishes, sadly.

-Keep praying but also keep moving. God can steer a moving car better than a parked one. 🚗💨

This conversation isn’t about pressuring people into early marriage. It’s about reclaiming the joy, courage, and holiness of saying “I do”.

Let’s stop waiting for marriage to magically happen... and start building a culture that helps it thrive again. 💍

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

A woman named Lori from Lexington shares a powerful, hope-filled, and heartfelt call-to-arms for all the men out there trying to live with purity and strength in a world full of distractions. This is the kind of encouragement you’ll want to keep in your back pocket:

🛡️ Brothers, You Were Born for Battle

Lori gets it: life is full of struggles, and custody of the eyes (aka, keeping your eyes and heart pure 👀❤️) is a tough one. But here’s what she says:

“You were made for this battle.”

Not just called to it. Not assigned it like a boring chore. You were built for it. 💪🔥

🧠 Reframe the Fight

Instead of saying, “This is too hard,” Lori wants men to think:

“This is hard... because it matters. And I was made to rise to it.”

You’re not fighting against women; you’re fighting for their dignity, even when they don’t realize it themselves. You’re protectors, not consumers. You’re glorious warriors, not helpless victims of temptation. 👑

💗 “That’s Not for Me.”

Lori shares how she also made the decision to divert her eyes, saying:

“That’s someone else’s husband. Someone else’s son. That’s not for me.”

Simple. Dignified. Beautiful. 🌹

🙏 Women, Back the Men Up!

She also issues a challenge to the ladies:

"Pray for our men."

They’re not weak. They’re not doomed to fail. They’re under attack, and they need our support as they go into the spiritual trenches every day. 🛐💒

🎤 The Final Word: Men, You Can Do This

Lori’s words are necessary. She reminds every man listening that:

🛡️ You’re strong.

🙌 You’re capable.

🕊️ You’re not alone.

💪 You were made for this.

🧎 With God’s help (and Our Lady’s!), you can win.

So don’t give up. Don't believe the lies. Don't sit out the fight. Your sisters are praying for you. Your Church is cheering for you. And Jesus is with you. ✝️❤️

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Timmerie shares a sense of awe and joy at the incredible increase in Catholic conversions happening globally... especially in places like France, the U.S., and the U.K. We’re talking up to 70% increases in some dioceses! The Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas had a whopping 72% jump in conversions from 2023 to 2024.

Most of these new Catholics are Gen Z and millennials. Yep... young adults in their 20s and 30s are filling the pews and receiving the sacraments like never before.

🌍 Why the Shift? Culture, COVID, and the Call of Beauty

Timmerie mentions interviews from The New York Post, where recent converts shared what drew them to the Church. Themes like:

-A deep dissatisfaction with the "feel-good" culture of non-denominational churches

-A hunger for reverence, beauty, and structure, especially found in the Mass and its ancient tradition

-The disorienting chaos of the world during the pandemic, which made people pause and re-examine their faith.

Take Sydney Johnson, a 30-year-old from California. The hustle culture had her burned out. During COVID, she slowed down, turned to prayer, and was captivated by the depth and order of the Catholic tradition. Same for Adrian Lawson, also 30, who struggled with mental health until the Rosary and Catholic community gave him a new lease on life. He said, "Since I started praying the Rosary and converted, I haven't had any of those issues."

Lost in the World, Found in the Church

A New York priest, Fr. Raymond La Grange, echoed a powerful point: young people are realizing the world can't give them what they're looking for. Everything is arbitrary, and that’s exhausting. They crave something solid, something with order, and they want something real.

The Movement Goes Global

And it’s not just the U.S. In France, over 10,000 adults converted this Easter alone, a 45% increase... with nearly half aged 18 to 25. Another 7,400 teenagers received the sacraments, up 33%. In the U.K., 41% of young adult churchgoers are now Catholic, compared to just half that being Anglican.

Timmerie even heard from French priests and sisters, many from the Community of St. John, who said some conversions are even coming secretly from Islam, with people risking everything to follow Christ. The sisters emphasized that, even in secular and anti-religious environments, God is still calling hearts, and people are responding.

🔥 Evangelization Is Working... And We’re All Part of It

A French sister told Timmere that this surge is happening because people are evangelizing boldly: sharing the Gospel, standing for truth, inviting others into the Church. That’s our mission too. People are yearning for something more... something whole, transcendent, and healing. The Catholic Church offers exactly that.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Fr. Rocky just got back from Los Angeles for the final Mass of the 3-year Eucharistic Revival. And get this: standing room only! Catholics showed up. 🙌🔥

He’s also excited about the octave of Corpus Christi and talks to co-host Maggie about all of the solemnities that land this week.:

-Corpus Christi (this past Sunday the 22nd)

-Nativity of St. John the Baptist (this past Tuesday the 24th)

-Sacred Heart of Jesus ❤️‍🔥 (Friday the 27th)

-Sts. Peter & Paul (Sunday the 29th)

-Plus, St. Josemaria Escriva on Thursday the 26th!

📞 Cyrus from Minnesota 🏍️

11-year-old Cyrus from MN calls in with a prayer request that's so pure it might just make your heart explode a little.

Cyrus and his brothers just got a new Kawasaki KLX 140RL dirt bike 🏍️ They want prayers not to crash it. (A very reasonable concern.) 

Father Rocky's immediate response:

“Promise me: always wear a helmet. Say your guardian angel prayer. 😇 And no jumps over 2 feet. I ended up in the hospital at your age!”

Cyrus has one more prayer request: for his mom’s friend Zeke, even though he's not sure what is wrong. He just wants to pray. ❤️

Guardian angels are real, and they probably work overtime with 11-year-olds.

📍BTW... If you're anywhere near Indiana this weekend, Fr. Rocky has big plans on Saturday the 28th: Mass, Rosary, drone show, fireworks at the Shrine of Christ's Passion. 🎆😎

Whew! Okay. So, you know how some people think parenting is going to get easier once the kids move out and start paying their own bills? 😅 It doesn't. Doug Hinderer, the seasoned dad of nine adult children, is here to tell you that you're still a parent even when they’re 41 and have better health insurance than you.

In this episode of Marriage Unhindered on Relevant Radio, Doug jumps into the wild new world of parenting grown-up kids. And guess what? Doug sees it as way more emotionally complex than changing diapers or keeping them from falling downstairs. You can check out two full episodes here! Part 1 Part 2 

The Real Talk on Parenting Adult Children

Doug starts with a humble disclaimer: he’s still figuring this out, like the rest of us. Even with decades of experience and a full soccer team’s worth of children, he admits it’s hard to know when to speak, when to stay quiet, and how to be a parent who doesn’t hover... but also doesn’t ghost.

He unpacks four big emotional landmines that parents hit when their babies become grown-ups:

 Your Identity is Tied to Protecting Them

From diaper duty to drivers ed, you’ve spent YEARS keeping them safe and guiding their every move. Letting go of that control feels like turning off your parenting superpower and becoming… what? Just a person with opinions and a checkbook?

You Still See Their Teen Mistakes

You watched them mess up their geometry homework and forget to gas the car. So, it’s tough to fully trust them now that they’re making life decisions, like jobs, spouses, and actual mortgages. Doug reminds us: they’ve grown. Don’t define them by who they were at 17. 🙏

Old Communication Patterns Die Hard

You give advice → they resist → you worry → they withdraw → you get mad → they stop calling. Sound familiar? 😬 These cycles have to be broken, or you’ll be stuck arguing about things well into their 30s.

Letting Go Feels Like Losing Them

It’s not just about control; it’s about closeness. You used to talk about everything. Now, you find out they changed jobs on Instagram. That loss of influence can feel like grief. And it’s okay to admit that.

What Not to Say to Your Adult Kids:

Doug pulls from an article listing 17 things you should never say to your grown-up children. Here are a few that hit especially hard and some thoughts from Doug:

“When are you going to settle down?”

➤ Sounds like pressure. They're not on a timer. 

“I wish you were more like…”

➤ Never compare. It damages confidence and family dynamics. Everyone’s on their own path, gifted by God in their own unique way.

“I don’t understand why you’re doing that.”

➤ Translates to: “You’re being dumb.” Try curiosity instead of criticism: “Help me understand what you're thinking.”

“You should have listened to me.”

➤ Oof. That stings. They already know they messed up. Offering help, not judgment, builds the bridge back to relationship.

💡 Doug’s Advice:

Parenting adult children is holy ground. You’re no longer the boss; you’re a mentor, a support system, and yes, sometimes the one biting your tongue so hard it bleeds.

Shift from control to connection. Your job now: Be present, be curious, be kind. 🌱

Resist the “I told you so.” Instead, go for: “Wow, that’s tough. How can I help?” 🤝

🙌 Final Thought:

Even if your kids are still in diapers, this episode is your Holy Spirit heads-up: they will grow up. And when they do, loving them well means letting go of being the director of their lives... and stepping into the role of trusted guide.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Image via bella1105 / Shutterstock.

Patrick Madrid and Producer Cyrus just served up a Best of the Week moment on The Patrick Madrid Show, and it’s one of those “wait… what??” stories that will make you think twice about what you come across online. Here’s the scoop:

🧑‍💻 The Email That Sparked It All:

Mike from Arizona wrote in with a head-scratcher. He stumbled upon a YouTube video claiming to be a speech from Pope Leo. He asked: “Wait, is this even real?” So naturally, he turned to Patrick Madrid. 

🤖 Grok: The AI Detective

Patrick and Cyrus took Mike’s link and dropped it into Grok, a snazzy AI-powered search tool. They asked:

“Hey Grok, is this video real… or AI fakery?”

Grok’s verdict: “AI-generated.” 

🗣️ Does It Sound Like Pope Leo XIV? 📌 Just because something sounds good, doesn’t mean it’s legit. Cyrus hit the nail on the head:

“It’s so easy to fall into the trap of seeing something online that affirms what I already think.” 😬

Even if the message is doctrinally fine, using a fake voice to deliver it is misleading. Truth deserves honesty, not a holy deepfake.

“Fictitious Pope Leo”?

One funny twist: Grok called Pope Leo a “fictitious figure.” 😂
Patrick and Cyrus were like:

“Uhh... he is literally the Pope."

So yeah, even Grok has some news to catch up on.

🔍 Verify Everything 🙏

Patrick borrowed a gem from Ronald Reagan:

“Trust... but verify.”

Then tweaked it for our times:

“Actually... don’t trust. Just verify.”

Especially when it comes to flashy online content with sacred-sounding messages.

📬 Wanna Chime In?

Send your questions to patrick@relevantradio.com 

He might just crack your case next.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Fr. Simon delivered a moving and surprisingly funny history lesson about women veiling in church, and it's more than just “church fashion advice from the 1st century.”

🏛 The Backstory: Corinth Was Basically Las Vegas... But Worse

Corinth = immoral city. “To act like a Corinthian” meant being wildly immoral... and that was by pagan standards.

This is where Paul is writing to a tiny, scrappy Christian community trying to live out the Gospel... in the middle of the ancient Sin City.

👩‍🦰 “Put the Veils Back On, Girls” Not a Power Move, But a Heart Move

Women usually veiled back then. It was normal, respectful, and culturally appropriate.

Early Christian women, excited about their freedom in Christ, began not to veil at Mass. 

St. Paul invited women to reconsider. In so many words, he said: “Ladies, we’re not trying to start another scandalous group. Let's keep things respectful. You're beautiful, but don’t distract people from Jesus!”

Headship 

St. Paul’s verse about “the head of woman is man” is not about domination.

Fr. Simon flips the script: "Headship means service."

Jesus, the ultimate “head,” washed feet.

Being “the head” isn’t about being the "boss"; it’s being the one who draws the bubble bath and protects the heart

.

So, the “man is the head” doesn’t mean harsh authoritative command, it means lay-your-life-down love.

👼 Even the Angels Are Distracted?!

Yes, 1 Corinthians 11:10 talks about women covering their heads “because of the angels.”

Fr. Simon says: angels attend the Mass, and the early Church believed that the beauty of a woman could distract even them.

👑 The Real Message

Woman isn’t “less than” man. She’s his glory, his Sabbath rest, created not from dirt, but from his side. She's his heart protector, his civilizer.

Women don’t veil to hide their value; they veil to honor it. It’s a sign of dignity, not shame.

💬 Fr. Simon’s Bottom Line:

Wearing a veil is totally optional today. A beautiful custom? Yes. A divine commandment? No.

The bigger principle: Dress in a way that respects your worth and doesn’t distract others.

And women? Don’t buy the lie that your worth is in being seductive. Your beauty, the real kind... is what even angels notice.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Patrick Madrid takes on a question that a lot of Catholics wrestle with today... "Can I go to a wedding that’s not valid in the eyes of the Church?" Think: same-sex weddings, remarriages without annulments, Catholics marrying outside the Church, etc...

Now, Patrick’s not into the “grin and bear it, go anyway for family unity” thing. His gold standard is St. John the Baptist, who literally lost his head rather than support an invalid marriage.

But the heart of the episode? 💔💬 A powerful letter from a grandma to her granddaughter, explaining why she can't attend her wedding... not out of hate, but out of deep, eternal, radical LOVE. Let’s just say this is the kind of letter that leaves a mark.

💌 THE LETTER: 

Dear sweet granddaughter,

I love you and that will never change. But part of loving you is caring more for your eternal soul than your perceived temporary happiness. I wouldn't be loving you the way Christ calls me to love you if I attend something that celebrates your open rebellion against God, which will lead to His wrath being brought down upon you. Colossians 3:6 says that because of things like sexual immorality, 'the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.' I love you so much that I want you to be saved from God's wrath. Therefore, I can't participate in a celebration that demonstrates how you deserve it.

You may not see this as love right now because I'm sure my words hurt.

Do you remember the time you ran into the street as a child when cars were coming? I swept you up and spanked you as a reminder to not run into the street. You didn't like that at the time. It hurt you and you weren't real happy with me in that moment. You didn’t speak to me for a little while and that wasn’t easy on a grandmother’s heart. I know my actions didn't feel loving to you in that moment, but they were out of a deeper love for you than you could understand. The pain you experienced was meant to be a warning that if you run in the street you're going to die. Would it have been more loving to watch you run in the street just because you thought it was fun and gave you momentary happiness?

Some will tell you that my absence at this ceremony is a lack of love and shows that I'm just judgmental. Nothing could be further from the truth. As painful as it will be for both of us, my absence is to communicate to you how MUCH I love you. I love you so much that I'm willing to sacrifice some aspects of our temporal relationship for your eternal well-being.

The street you’re about to run into is far more deadly than the one you ran into that afternoon when you were a child. No one would've called me loving if I had just sat there and watched you then. Those people would’ve been right if I had watched you then, and I would be wrong to watch you now. I cannot sit there and watch you play in a far more dangerous street.

I wish I could sweep you up and pull you out of this current street. But you’re no longer a little child; you’re a grown woman and have to make your own choices. But the consequences of running in this current street are far more dangerous than the street you ran into as a child. I can’t sweep you up and pull you out now, but I also can’t sit and just watch you run into oncoming traffic.

I believe my presence could be far more dangerous to you than my absence. I fear that my presence might communicate to you that the street you're playing in isn't as bad as it really is. If this causes a separation between us, my grandmother's heart will hurt. But my love as a Christian grandmother must rise above my familial emotions. I pray my absence will cause you to realize how dangerous your choice is and that any separation between us doesn’t even begin to compare to being eternally separated from God.

At celebrations, I want to smile, laugh, and have tears of joy. If I attend this ceremony, none of those things would be possible. I don’t want to sit there downcast and crying tears of sadness. So, when you look out and see my absence, I want you to know that I am not sitting at home angry or in a judgmental spirit. I will be home weeping, praying, and asking God to open your eyes to your sin and bring you to repentance.

This is not because I think I’m better than you. I am as much in need of God's saving grace as you are.

I too once played in the street of sin and thought I was okay. I thought that because God’s wrath had not yet poured down on me that it never would. I mistook God’s kindness to withhold His immediate wrath as tacit approval of me. What I didn’t know was that God’s kindness to withhold His wrath, that I deserved to be immediately poured out upon me, was meant to lead me to repentance. And God loved me enough to send someone into my life to tell me the truth about my sin so that I might be saved from His coming wrath.

Someone loved me enough to confront me, help me see my sin for what it is, and share the gospel with me. They warned me of God’s coming wrath. They showed me how God sent His Son Jesus to die in my place upon the cross and pay for my sins. They told me how Jesus not only died, but He rose again from the grave and defeated death so that I could be delivered from the penalty of death that I deserved because of my sin. And they told me I needed to turn from sin and turn to Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

You’ve heard me tell you this truth since you were a child. How many times did I tuck you in and tell you of the love of Jesus and quote John 3:16?

I continue to beg you to turn from your sin and come to Jesus. Whatever perceived happiness you feel in that ceremony and the relationship you're in will be fleeting. But if you turn from your sin and come to Christ for salvation, you will receive eternal peace and joy that no one can take from you.

If you go forward with this ceremony, I won’t be in that room. But I will always love you and be longing for you to turn from sin and come to Christ for salvation. The truth is, I love you so much that I won’t lie to you, either directly or indirectly, about the dangers of playing in the street of sin. Know that I love you and will long for the day when you see my actions as being like Jesus - to seek and to save the lost.

In true loving affection,

Grandma

Patrick is blown away by the letter. He notes that while the letter didn’t specify the exact situation, it could apply to:

-A same-sex "wedding"

-A remarriage after divorce with no annulment 

-A Catholic marrying outside the Church without following the canonical form 

Whatever the case, the core truth remains: Real love doesn’t play nice with lies. Real love tells the truth, even when it costs something.

Patrick reminds you of 1 John 4:18: “Perfect love casts out fear.”

This grandma is fearless. She’s not afraid to hurt feelings to save a soul. That is perfect love.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Image via Fabrizio Maffei / Shutterstock.

Chicago just made Catholic history, and it happened at Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox! 😲 This Morning Air episode with John Morales and Fr. Burke Masters (the chaplain for the Chicago Cubs) is your all-access pass to the special Pope Leo Mass that happened recently. Let’s break it down, play-by-play:

Picture this: a full baseball stadium, packed with thousands, lit up not by home runs but Holy Spirit fire. Chicago showed all the joy for one of their own: Pope Leo XIV, the new Holy Father from the South Side. 🔥

There were:

🎶 Live music

🙌 Testimonies from people who knew Pope Leo personally

📺 A video message from the pope himself 

🕊️ A Mass presided over by Cardinal Cupich

Fr. Burke was in the stands, soaking it all in. 😄

💬 Pope Leo’s Message

The main event was Pope Leo’s video message to the youth of the world:

✨ "Christ, who is our hope, calls all of us to come together... to be beacons of hope in the world."

💗 "We do nothing to earn God's love... and yet He pours it out anyway."

That’s Gospel gold. You could feel the love in the stadium. According to Fr. Burke, the crowd was glued to the screen.

He’s compassionate. And he’s all about bringing people to Jesus. 🙏

Fr. Burke brought three busloads of people from his parish to the Mass. On the way, they stopped at Pope Leo’s childhood home. Humble beginnings. Huge grace.

⚾ Cub Fan? Sox Fan? 

So… Pope Leo is a Sox fan (confirmed by his own brother), but his mom was a Cubs fan. He's uniting both sides of the town.  

And Fr. Burke? As the Cubs chaplain and former White Sox minor-leaguer, he’s declaring a truce. This special Mass united fans across Chicago: Cubs, Sox, young, old, everyone. That’s the Church.

🙌 Kids Are All in on This Pope

Young people are fired up. They might not realize just how historic it is to have a pope from their city, but they sure felt the joy.

Fr. Burke says they were excited, hopeful, and ready for what Pope Leo’s is going to bring to the Church... including the idea that he could come back to Chicago for real (maybe even throw the first pitch?)

This was a spiritual moment. The kind that says:

“Yeah, the Church is alive. Yeah, it’s still relevant. And yes, Jesus is still calling people to be world-changers.”

So, whether you're a Cubs fan, a Sox fan, or just a person trying to hang on... God’s got you. He’s pouring out His love, no matter what.

And Pope Leo is leading the charge... with Christ as our hope, and Chicago in his heart.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Image via New Africa / Shutterstock.

Okay, friends, let’s talk Dad Power. This Morning Air episode with John Morales and Fr. Marcel Taillon will introduce you to the fathers of the Holy Fathers. And wow... their stories are basically a crash course in heroic, everyday sainthood. Here's a quick tour:

Pope Leo XIV 

🪖 His dad was a WWII Navy vet who literally took part in the Normandy landings. (Operation Overlord) That’s not your average “soccer dad.”

📚 After the war, he became a teacher in Illinois; he modeled discipline, sacrifice, and brains, which clearly rubbed off on Pope Leo.

⚾ Oh, and he’s a diehard White Sox fan. 

Pope St. John Paul II

His mom died young, so it was just him and his dad, who he literally called his “first seminary.”

🕯️ His father’s quiet witness (like praying at his bedside) shaped JP2’s soul deeply; after his dad passed when he was still in high school, the Holy Spirit stepped in big time.

🎿 JP2 was the athlete pope: skiing, hiking, soccer, and theology in the woods. 

Pope Benedict XVI

His dad was a German policeman who quietly resisted the Nazi regime. Talk about courage. 👮‍♂️🛡️

Pope Francis

His dad was a railway worker in Argentina, faithful and humble, doing the work and raising his family right.

Pope Francis is famous for his simplicity and heart for the poor... not hard to trace that back to his dad’s blue-collar roots. 🚂❤️

Bonus: Faith, Fatherhood & Sports: A Holy Hat Trick 🎩⚾⛪

Fr. Marcel just got back from the Jubilee for Sports in Rome, where athletes from every corner (including NBA star Gordon Hayward!) shared how faith and athleticism fit together.

A good reminder:

👉 Don’t let sports become your religion.

👉 But do let it teach you teamwork, sacrifice, and joy.

🙏 Takeaway for Dads (and the rest of us):

📌 Ordinary dads + consistent faith = extraordinary impact.

Even when life was challenging... these fathers quietly built the foundations for future Popes. So, if you're a dad feeling like you're just trying to survive bedtime or pay the bills... take heart. You never know what kind of eternal ripple effect your faithfulness is making.

💬 As Fr. Marcel says:

“Don’t just evaluate your children by today. Take the long view.”

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Image via Alessia Pierdomenico / Shutterstock.

Drew talks with Msgr. James Shea, president of the University of Mary, about all things Pope Leo, young Catholics, and the future of the Church. Everything is looking pretty bright 🌟.

🌍📣 Pope Leo & The Youth: 

JPII was a youth magnet... remember the approximant 5 million strong crowd in the Philippines? 

Drew and Msgr. Shea agree that Pope Benedict was more reserved, but he still drew the young crowd with his quiet, gentle brilliance.

Pope Francis brought an entirely different charisma which was just as wonderful!

Pope Leo is already making waves; he's speaking directly to them like they matter now... not just someday. 

📍 Next World Youth Day: August 27 in Seoul, South Korea; mark those calendars and start saving those airline miles ✈️.

✈️ Teen Pilgrims, No Phones, Big Grace

Msgr. Shea explains how 150 high schoolers are prepping at the University of Mary before heading to Italy for a phone-free pilgrimage 🙏📵. That’s right... two weeks without their phones.

Msgr. adds that the teens are so excited to see Pope Leo. They love that he's from the Midwest!

🧑‍⚖️The Vocation Report: How Young Men Hear the Call

The average age guys feel a nudge toward priesthood is 16.

89% of priests say they were encouraged by someone who saw something in them.

That little nudge matters. Whether it’s a parish priest, a friend, or a grandma; your words could be a spark. 💬

Msgr. Shea first thought about priesthood in 3rd grade, forgot about it, then rediscovered the call in high school. He wasn’t pressured, but he was inspired by joyful, devout priests who were just really good to the kids. 

📞 Thinking About the Priesthood?

Here’s what Msgr. suggests doing:

Talk to a priest. Just open the conversation. No pressure, just honesty.

Explore different paths; look at diocesan vs religious orders.

Spend time in adoration, pray the Rosary, and read Scripture. Let Jesus speak.

The Future of Priestly Life: More Brotherhood

Monsignor Shea envisions a future where priests live in community... no more isolated rectories.

Imagine small bands of priests living together, praying together, eating together, and keeping each other strong in virtue. 🏠🍽️🙏

It’s beautiful and needed. Loneliness is real. Let’s love and support our priests. Invite them to dinner. Show up for them the way they show up for us. 💛

Want to visit the University of Mary this summer?

Check them out at 👉 cometoMary.life 

Final Word

If you're a young Catholic wondering what God’s calling you to, or you know someone who is... say something. Ask the question. Make the invitation. You could be helping form the next great saint. 💬🙏👣

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

🙏 Looking for a Spiritual Director? 

A listener named Nola wrote in asking a beautiful and important question: "How do I find a spiritual director?" 

Patrick recommends an article by Fr. Jordan Aumann, who wrote extensively on the topic. Patrick provided a reflection piece introducing one of Fr. Aumann’s chapters, which lays out the qualities to look for in a good spiritual director. 

📋 What Makes a Good Spiritual Director?

Fr. Aumann, like Patrick, emphasizes that it’s often best to seek out a Catholic priest. They usually bring a depth of spiritual experience, theological training, and a deep connection with the sacraments. That said, not all priests are trained spiritual directors... or therapists. Spiritual direction is something different. It’s not counseling, and it’s not just chatting about faith now and then. It’s a real relationship built on guidance, prayer, and personal growth in your walk with God.

Patrick explains that even with his background in theology and philosophy, he says he isn’t a spiritual director. He can give advice and insights, sure, but he knows that a trained spiritual director offers something deeper and more structured.

🧭 How to Start Looking

Patrick suggests a few practical steps:

Read the article and pray about what resonates with you.

Check nearby religious communities: Dominicans, Carmelites, or monasteries in your area may have priests trained in spiritual direction.

Ask your parish priest. Just politely ask if they might have time for monthly spiritual direction. Even if they’re busy, they might know someone they can refer you to.

It’s a Journey, Not a Contract

Patrick says that it’s okay if it takes time to find the right person. Try meeting with a priest a few times. If it doesn’t seem like the right fit, that’s fine; you can keep looking.

A spiritual director can offer a kind of spiritual compass... helping you grow in virtue, shed your vices, and draw nearer to Christ.

Sometimes a good spiritual director will tell you something that stings. That might just be God working through them to shine a light on an area that needs healing or attention.

So, Patrick advises to pray, seek, discern, and don’t be afraid to ask. God has a way of putting the right people in our path when we sincerely want to grow closer to Him.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

What if truly resting was actually holy? ⛺That’s exactly what Patrick Conley and Fr. John Paul Erickson explore in this deep, rich, and refreshingly countercultural edition of The Inner Life on Relevant Radio. 😌📖 Be sure to listen to the whole episode!

Father John Paul starts us off with an observation: Leisure, in its true spiritual sense, isn’t about Netflix binges or bottomless brunch. It’s about holy rest, that “seventh day” kind of resting... where we stop doing and start being with God.

Fr. Erickson links our burnout culture to the Exodus story. Yep, Moses vs. Pharaoh has something to say to your Google Calendar.

💼 Pharaohs, Profit, and the 21st-Century Exodus

Who's Pharaoh today?

👑 The Culture of Profit: You are what you earn.

📱 The FOMO Monster: Have to be in the loop 24/7.

💔 People-Pleasing: Can't say no. Must keep hustling.

😱 The Fear of Suffering: Comfort at all costs.

These pharaohs aren’t just out there. They’re also in here... in our hearts. 🫀 Jesus is the new Moses, leading us out through the Red Sea of Baptism into a life of worship and love.

🕊️ Leisure = Worship (Yes, Really)

According to Fr. Erickson, leisure’s purpose is love. 💘 Not just “self-care,” but true communion with God.

Think about it: God didn’t rest on the 7th day because He was tired. 😴 He rested to contemplate the goodness of creation, and we’re called to do the same. We're not meant to veg out, but to gaze lovingly on God's beauty, truth, and goodness.

The saints and even ancient philosophers got this: Contemplation is the highest human activity. Not doing. Being with God.

📞 Listener Shoutout: Leonard in California

Leonard, in his 40s and fresh off a master’s in Catholic Studies 🎓, calls in with a big one: "I’m restless… is it because I haven’t found my vocation?"

Father’s answer is profound 💬:

“There will always be some restlessness. Because only God fully satisfies.”

But he understands Leonard’s journey; his restlessness is a gift, a divine tug on the heart, pulling him toward his true calling: sainthood. Whether married, ordained, or single, vocation is about loving God and neighbor. Period.

😓 “But Isn’t Leisure Selfish… When There’s So Much Suffering?”

Fr. Erickson compassionately says: No. In fact, not making time for rest with God actually weakens our ability to love others well. 💔

He compares it to marriage:

“Even spouses doing great things can grow distant without quality time together… It’s the same with God.”

💡Leisure isn’t selfish. It’s relational. It’s giving time to the One who gave you time in the first place.

TL;DR 

You’re not a machine. God didn’t make you to make bricks for Pharaoh. 🧱

He made you to love, to worship, and yes… to rest.

✨ Leisure is worship.

✨ Rest is resistance.

✨ Your worth is not in what you do, but who you belong to.

So, take that walk, read that psalm, sit in silence. 🎧🌿 Just be with the Lord. He’s not in a rush.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Timmerie talks about a viral rant from influencer Paige Connell: a mom, wife, and full-time working woman who aired out her frustrations online. And yep, she admits that she thought about divorce. Over what, you ask?

🧼🍽️ The dishwasher. 🗑️ The trash. 🎒 And kids' backpacks. But hang tight, because this conversation is about way more than chores. Check out the whole episode!

Paige’s viral video blew up because so many women felt it: the overwhelm, the exhaustion, the invisible to-do list that’s constantly running in your head like a browser with 27 open tabs. 🧠💥

She shared how, despite having a good husband (like, objectively... a helpful, kind, involved dad), she still felt unseen and completely burned out. She became the project manager of her home, and it crushed her. One day she snapped: “I can’t do it all!”

Honestly, she’s not wrong to feel the weight. But...

🔥Timmerie & Devin Schadt's Take

Timmerie brings in Devin Schadt, founder of Fathers of St. Joseph, to give the Catholic hot take.

🧩 Marriage Isn’t About “Equity”.  It’s About Sacrifice

Modern feminism says: everything needs to be 50/50. Equal chore charts. Equal mental load. Equal everything.

Catholic teaching says: umm, nope. Marriage isn’t math... it’s a mission. Sometimes one gives 20%, the other gives 80%. It’s messy, but it’s sacred.

And equity doesn't work when people have different capacities, seasons, or actual roles.

🧠 The Perceived Problem vs. Reality

Paige’s husband was helping. But he wasn’t anticipating or planning the way she did, so she felt disrespected.

Devin points out: she didn’t want just help. She wanted him to read her mind, project-manage the house, and know what she needed without being told.

That’s not partnership... it’s pressure.

🧨 The Social Media Landscape

Devin doesn’t mince words: blasting your spouse online is a total fail. 🚫

Paige basically emasculated her husband in front of millions.

She turned a cry for help into a public shaming moment... and that’s not love. That’s venting turned viral.

Real respect is saying, "I believe in you. I know you can do this.” That’s what lifts men up and actually inspires them to step up more. 💪

🏁 And Now, the Deeper Stuff…

We're in a culture that worships comfort and runs from sacrifice.

People bail on marriage when it gets hard, thinking they can find someone better.

Catholic marriage is unitive, procreative, and redemptive. It’s designed to purify us from selfishness and lead us to heaven.

💡 Devin says this:

“The pain of loving someone sacrificially… is the pain of selfishness leaving the soul.”

❤️ Final Thoughts from Timmerie & Devin:

Ladies, your worth is not in your ability to do it all.

Men, you’re called to serve heroically, not just “help out.”

Marriage isn’t about keeping score... it’s about laying your life down.

Kids are not just a task to be accomplished. They’re eternal souls we’re forming. They need us, not just our productivity.

TL;DR 👇

This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt stretched too thin in marriage or parenting (🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️). It’s a wake-up call to stop chasing Pinterest-perfect balance and start living out the messy, beautiful, sacrificial love that Christ modeled.

💬 So… what’s your take?

Ever felt the “mental load”? Do you think marriage should be “equal,” or something better?

🧡 Share this with a friend who’s drowning in laundry and wondering if they're the only one. 

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

If you’ve ever found yourself spiraling after watching a TikTok news video, this episode of The Patrick Madrid Show is your spiritual guidance.

👀 Be Watchful, Not Paranoid

Patrick and Producer Cyrus explore what it means to discern the signs of the times 🌍 without falling off the deep end into anxiety or conspiracy theories. Yes, we live in crazy times. Yes, there are real threats. Yes, AI can deepfake the Pope now. 😱 But that doesn't mean we need to panic. 

📱 Don’t Believe Everything You See on the Internet 

Patrick talks about how we're bombarded with fakes and frauds, especially on social media. Be discerning. Check your sources. Here’s how:

✅ Go to Vatican News for real updates from the Church 📰

🎙️ Stick with trusted Catholic sources like Relevant Radio

🙃 Don’t share shocking news until you’ve verified it

🛐 How to Not Freak Out When the World Is Burning (Spiritually Speaking)

Cyrus reminds us:

🧼 “Go to confession. Get right with God.”

That’s the spiritual equivalent of taking out insurance and installing a fire alarm. If you’re in a state of grace, you’ve got nothing to fear. 

This world isn’t our home. Like St. Teresa of Ávila said:

“All things are passing. God never changes.”

If you’re still worried? Just remember Padre Pio’s quote:

“Pray, hope, and don’t worry.”

✝️ TL;DR Catholic Survival Guide:

📵 Don’t believe every headline or deepfake

🧠 Stay smart: check sources, especially on Church news

🙌 Be ready: Go to Confession, receive the Eucharist, stay rooted in Christ

👑 Remember who wins in the end (Jesus)

Pray hard, scroll wisely, and keep your soul squeaky clean. We’ve got work to do, but we’re not doing it alone. Stay faithful, not fearful. 💪🔥

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Brian from Lakewood, CA calls in, sounding very torn. His 80-year-old mom has been going through it: on dialysis, suffering, cirrhosis of the liver... just totally worn out. She’s telling him she’s done, but Brian’s heart is aching and he’s scared. Would letting her stop dialysis be a sin?

Patrick Madrid assures him: "No... it’s not a sin."

Here’s why: Dialysis is extraordinary care, not ordinary care. That means it's morally permissible to stop it if it's burdensome, especially when it’s only prolonging suffering.

At 80 years old, in declining health, your mom has a right to say, "I’m ready to go home to God."

💬 Patrick gently reminds Brian: This could be a time to trust God and let go even if it's hard. 🙏

Brian’s love for his mom is beautiful and totally understandable. Wanting to hold on isn’t wrong. But as Patrick said, clinging too tightly can get in the way of letting God do His will.

So, if you're in a similar boat? Here’s the takeaway:

-It’s okay to say “enough” when treatment becomes more pain than peace.

-It’s not giving up. It’s letting go into God’s mercy.

And hey... hug your mom today, if you can. Or call her. Or say a Hail Mary for her soul. Moms are priceless.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

John Morales and guest Theresa Civantos Barber explored a bold and beautiful message from Pope Leo XIV for married couples. Yes, it's a challenge, but one that might just save the world (no pressure 😉).

Pope Leo told couples that marriage is about becoming a living, breathing witness that LOVE is real, forever, and totally worth it. ❤️

"Marriage is not an ideal, but the measure of true love... a love that is total, faithful, and fruitful." -Pope Leo 

So, What Does That Look Like? Theresa explains:

💔 Yes, the world’s full of broken relationships.

✝️ But Jesus calls us to unity.

🕊️ Marriage can (and should!) be a sign of hope, a light in the storm.

📿 The Saints Had Tantrum-Throwing Kids Too 😅

Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin (parents of St. Thérèse): Zélie once said, "If this keeps up, I shall be dead by lunchtime!" 🙃

The Ulma Family, Polish martyrs who proved a family can literally be holy together... even to the end.

Key takeaway: The saints weren’t perfect; they were faithful. They struggled; they got tired, and they probably forgot to thaw the meat for dinner too... but they kept coming back to Christ.

🙏 Invite the Third Partner

John reminded us of something beautiful from Archbishop Fulton Sheen: Marriage takes three: husband, wife, and Jesus. 👰🤵✝️

Without Christ in the center, marriage becomes just two people trying to out stubborn each other. But with Him, it becomes a holy dance. It's an opportunity to die to self and love more like Christ.

💡 Practical Tips:

Little gestures matter: hugs, kisses, holding hands during prayer... these small things build big love.

Fight for unity, not to be “right.”

Start small: Pray one Hail Mary together or just apologize if you've made a mistake. 

Read about the saints! Seriously, they’re more relatable than you might think.

✨ One Last Word of Encouragement:

“Don’t wait until tomorrow to become a saint.” -St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Whether you're single, married, dating, or barely surviving family life with toddlers and crackers everywhere, this challenge from Pope Leo is for you: Let your life, and especially your marriage, be a sign of hope... a living, joyful yes to love.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Patrick Madrid tackled a great question that could make you scratch your head a bit! 

How is it logical for God to create everything out of nothing? 🤔💭

Our buddy Anonymous Andy from Rhode Island wrote in with a serious theological puzzle. He gets that God is logical and cannot create contradictions (like a four-sided triangle or a married bachelor). Then Andy hits us with the question:

"If God created everything out of nothing, isn’t that a contradiction too?"

Patrick’s Breakdown: Why This Isn’t a Contradiction

A Contradiction = Two Opposing Truths at the Same Time

A four-sided triangle is actually impossible because "triangle" means "three-sided figure." If you try to add a fourth side, it's no longer a triangle. That’s a logical contradiction. Creating something out of nothing, however, is not.

2. God IS Existence Itself (Remember the Burning Bush?) 🌿🔥

Patrick takes us to Exodus 3, where Moses asks God, “Who should I say sent me?” and God replies:

🗣️ "I AM WHO AM."

Not "I have being" but "I AM being." Unlike us, who received existence from something before us (our parents), God didn’t get existence from anything: He IS existence.

3. Everything in Creation Had a Beginning

Everything we see: planets, people, Patrick Madrid’s radio show, came into existence because something caused it to exist. Here’s the important thing: there has to be a first cause, something that always existed and started it all.

That "something" is God: the uncaused cause, the prime mover, the reason anything exists at all.

4. "Before" Creation? There Was No "Before"! 

We’re stuck thinking in terms of time, but time itself is part of creation. Saying, "What happened before creation?" is like asking, "What’s north of the North Pole?" (Nothing. ❄️)

When God created, it wasn’t like He was sitting around twiddling His divine thumbs. There was no "before": only God, eternally existing.

5. It’s About God’s Power, Not a Magic Trick

Creation ex nihilo (out of nothing) doesn’t mean "poof!" in a magician sort of way. It means that God, who IS existence, shares existence with created things. He isn’t reshaping pre-existing stuff like some cosmic Play-Doh; He gives being itself.

Final Takeaway: It's All About God’s Nature

Patrick wraps it up by emphasizing:

✅ Creating out of nothing isn’t a contradiction; it’s the logical result of who God is.

✅ If God wasn't the uncaused cause, nothing else could exist.

✅ He created not because He needed to, but out of love. 

TL;DR:

God creating out of nothing isn’t like a square circle; it's the only way anything could exist at all.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

On The Patrick Madrid Show, we heard from Pearl, a recent convert to Catholicism from Islam. Wow: her story is a rollercoaster of faith, history, and, honestly, some divine nudges. 

📖 Background: Pearl grew up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution as a Shia Muslim. Her family moved to the U.S. as war refugees in 1988. Despite her parents not being interested in Islam, Pearl returned to practicing it in her 30s but still felt something was missing.

📚 The Spark: Pearl’s a huge history buff who stumbled across The Patrick Madrid Show and became obsessed: listening every single day for two years. Patrick’s calm, analytical way of explaining things and the sheer volume of history-focused content really hooked her. 

🔍 The Search: Pearl went on a research spree: devouring Patrick’s books, scouring YouTube for old interviews, and just basically being an unstoppable seeker. It was especially one point that Patrick made repeatedly: “No matter how far we go back, we always find Catholicism.” That line stuck with her. She started seeing Catholicism as the original faith from which Islam borrowed. That realization made her want to go back to the source.

✈️ The Vanuatu Moment: While working freelance on a volcanic island (no big deal), she prayed for guidance in a random Seventh-Day Adventist church. The very next day, she ended up getting stranded on the island and met a woman working on a maternity ward project. Pearl ended up helping with social media for the project and became close friends with this Christian woman. Pearl finally shared her conversion story... telling her friend she became Catholic thanks to Patrick Madrid. 🙏

📍 What’s Next? Pearl’s based in LA and reached out to Patrick for some guidance on where to go from here. Patrick recommended:

-💒 Visiting the Sacred Heart Retreat House in Alhambra, run by joyful Carmelite sisters who can help her find a parish and deepen her faith journey.

-📚 Reading "From Islam to Christ" by Derya Little, another Muslim convert’s story that might inspire her even more.

It’s safe to say Pearl’s journey is just beginning. ✨ Let's keep her in prayer!

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

This episode of The Inner Life with Patrick Conley is a spiritual ride that blends papal reverence, personal conversion stories, and the kind of surprise twists only the Holy Spirit could orchestrate. 🕊️

You can check out the whole hour here!

👤 Special Guest: Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv.

Bishop Martin from Charlotte, NC joins Patrick to talk about Pope Leo XIV, and the very human side of ecclesial leadership.

🚨 Breaking Bishop News:

Bishop Martin shared about the time he met Pope Leo XIV (!!!) back when the Holy Father was still Cardinal Robert Prevost. Picture it: Rome, early April, a cozy office chat filled with laughter, bishop business, and talk of “Baby Bishop School.” 

🗣️ Quote of the day from Bishop Martin:

"He was absolutely delightful… we had a great conversation... not just about business, but also about the joys and surprises of the Church."

The Ripple Effect of Grace: Margie's Testimony

Now brace yourself for this:

📞 Caller Margie from California delivers an absolute tear-jerker. After years of praying for her mother's conversion, something miraculous happened. Her mom... once cynical and cold toward the faith was profoundly moved by Pope Leo XIV, whom she said reminded her of her own grandfather.

💒 From saying “you don’t need to go to Church” to driving hours to attend daily Mass at a Marian shrine, Margie’s mom experienced a radical heart shift that will leave you stunned and rejoicing.

💬 Bishop Martin responded with this:

"What you're witnessing is the ripple effect of grace… You’ve been tilling the soil of your mom’s life, and now she’s ready."

Themes to Pray and Ponder

The power of spiritual persistence: God always works through your faithfulness, even when you can’t see it yet.

The beauty of unexpected conversion: Grace breaks in where and when we least expect it.

Love for the Papacy: Pope Leo XIV is already having an emotional and theological impact around the world, especially among those who previously felt far from the Church.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Doug from Marriage Unhindered shared some serious wisdom on Catholic parenting in the dating arena. Whether you’ve got a teen tiptoeing into dating land or a twenty-something stuck in a love labyrinth, this podcast episode is a goldmine. Be sure to check out the full episode!

🙋‍♂️ Real Email, Real Parents, Real Concerns

A Catholic mom wrote in about her 16-year-old daughter dating a guy two grades ahead. Both families are solid; both kids go to Catholic schools. But…

Here’s what’s going on:

-Parents have been proactive about teaching chastity, boundaries, and healthy dating.

-They’ve allowed dating with boundaries; no one-on-one hangouts, preference for group settings or time at home.

-But reality sneaks in... after group outings, daughter sometimes ends up alone with boyfriend. 😬

-Since they go to different schools, daughter’s pushing for more time together; the parents aren’t loving that idea.

Doug’s Take on Dating:

Dating should be oriented toward marriage. If you're not within about two years of being able to marry, maybe wait.

Exclusive dating is best saved for the “I could see myself getting married soon” crowd.

-Teens can learn how to relate well with the opposite sex through group dating.

-Two years of dating before marriage leads to stronger odds of success as well as less pretending/more reality.

-Be consistent with boundaries. If they’re broken, privileges go "poof".

-When your teen whines, “Don’t you trust me?” try:

➤ “I do trust you; I just don’t trust every situation life throws at you yet.”

💡Parenting Advice:

Doug’s practical gems:

-Set boundaries and stick to them... no alone time, especially not in cars.

-Limit time together; one or two nights a week is plenty.

-If they keep breaking the rules, they don't go out. End of story.

-Don’t fall for teen logic traps. “You don’t trust me?” isn’t an argument; it’s a distraction.

-You’re the parent. Be kind, firm, and unbothered by emotional storms.

Bonus tip: Have little siblings tag along on “dates” or keep the hangouts at home with family. Siblings: the original accountability software 😇

📚 Bonus Book Plug

Doug recommends "Christian Courtship in an Oversexed World" by Rev. Morrow. He loved it so much he bought a copy for every one of his nine kids. It’s that good. 

💔Adult Kids & Enmeshment: When Breaking Up Feels Impossible

A caller mom shares the story of her 26-year-old daughter, dating a man who’s... let's say comfortably stuck. He lives at home, talks a good game, but there’s zero follow-through and a side serving of emotional manipulation.

Doug’s take:

-If he’s not changing after two years, he’s probably not going to.

- “Believe the behavior, not the words.” 

-Classic signs of enmeshment, love bombing, and control issues

-Time for daughter to go no contact... at least 60 days. No calls, texts, nothing. Space can bring about clarity.

Final Encouragement

Doug expects most high school relationships to fizzle naturally, but they can still be learning experiences. He praises:

-Open communication

-Good Catholic formation

-Intentional parenting, not helicopter parenting

Also, community college shout-out! Doug and his wife love the idea of a few extra years at home post-high school to help kids mature, stay grounded, and grow in virtue before heading out into the spiritual war zone of secular universities.

🎉 Catholic Parent Pep Talk

So, if you’re navigating your teen’s (or adult child’s) dating drama:

-Stay calm

-Hold the line

-Keep praying

-Trust the Holy Spirit

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Image via Marco Iacobucci Epp / Shutterstock

Patrick Madrid plays a short but powerful message from Pope Leo XIV, who spoke to a packed stadium in Chicago... Guaranteed Rate Field, to be exact, via video from the Vatican.

It’s only about 8 or so minutes long, but wow… it hits home. It's the kind of thing that makes you go, “Yeah… we really needed to hear that.”

💬 What Did Pope Leo Say?

In his calm, kind, slightly Peruvian-accented English, Pope Leo spoke right to the heart. Some highlights:

🕊️ The Trinity is love, and we’re invited into that love.

🤝 We need community now more than ever... real friendship, not just likes and follows.

🧑‍🎓 He gave a special shout-out to young people, especially those feeling disconnected or alone.

💛 God loves you; not because you earned it, but because He just does.

✨ He reminded us that we’re all called to be a light of hope in a world that’s feeling pretty dark.

🙏 Patrick’s Reflections

Patrick points out how much this message matters right now, when people are tired, angry, suspicious, and worn out.

That part about opening your heart to God’s love? Patrick says that’s the line we need to really sit with. It’s easy to forget… but God is still pouring out His love on us. Constantly. And all He asks is that we share it.

Give this a listen and maybe play it for someone else too. The world needs more of this kind of hope right now.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Image via Joseph Hendrickson / Shutterstock

Drew Mariani chats with Fr. Rocky, CEO of Relevant Radio, host of the Family Rosary Across America, and a life-long Cubs fan... who braved the enemy grounds of the White Sox stadium for a holy purpose. He witnessed Pope Leo XIV deliver a powerful video message to a crowd of 30,000+ at a mega Catholic event that was pulled together in under a month. 

Drew and Fr. Rocky both admitted it felt surreal to hear the Pope speak like someone from your neighborhood. Pope Leo sounded like your college theology professor or neighbor. It's amazing that he's from America! 

🙌 Joy in the Ballpark

Here’s what the day was like: 

🎶 Live music from the Leo High School Choir, who gave a goosebump-worthy Star-Spangled Banner.

😂 Adorable kids dressed as Swiss Guards and mini-Cardinals in a pretend conclave.

🎤 Fireside chats with people who knew Pope Leo personally from his days at Catholic Theological Union.

🕊️ And then… the moment: Pope Leo appeared on the big screen, dressed in white, calm and gentle, delivering a message that cut right to the heart.

💬 The Pope's Message: 

🧡 “You can’t earn God’s love.”

😌 “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” -St. Augustine

His message was personal; it felt like he was talking right to you. And yes, you can read the message on the Relevant Radio app and website.

🛐 Mass, Community & the Joy of Being There

Fr. Rocky made a key point: we need each other. Sure, AI can deliver sermons, and you can livestream everything. But there’s no replacing real, tangible, human connection: the kind you get when 30,000 believers gather to celebrate the Eucharist in a ballpark. The joy was palpable.

🌱 A New Springtime in the Church?

Drew asked the big question: Is this the beginning of something? A revival? Fr. Rocky thinks so. He sees:

✝️ Young people returning, stronger communities, and a deep hunger for Christ.

Father goes on to say that whether Pope Leo travels or stays close to Rome, what matters most is that he leads with clarity and love.

This event was a reminder. A holy nudge that God is moving... through joy and community.

Whether you’re a Cubs fan, a Sox fan, or just trying to find your way back to Mass… the invitation is clear:

👉 Open your heart. Let God’s love in. The rest will follow.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

If your marriage feels like it's slowly gliding from 30,000 feet down to “meh,” Doug Hinderer is your inflight marriage attendant with the oxygen mask of wisdom 😂. In this Marriage Unhindered podcast episode, Doug drops 12 simple but powerful habits to keep your spouse crazy in love with you... without needing a second honeymoon in Maui (though he’s not against it 😉).

You can listen to the whole hour here!

✈️ The Setup:

Doug compares marriage to a plane that slowly loses altitude. Like, you don’t even notice at first: 29,999...29,998...until boom 💥, your ears pop and you’re like, “Wait...what happened to us?”

But the good news? You can totally course correct. He gives you 12 ways to get back to that deep, mature, old-sweater kind of love: you know, the cozy, warm, “you’re my favorite person to do absolutely nothing with” kind of thing 🧣❤️.

🎯 1. Make them feel like the VIP in the room

👀 Eye contact. 📱Put down the phone.

When they talk, actually listen.

Not just “uh-huh” while checking your fantasy football score. Be present. Be engaged. Be their biggest fan.

😂 2. Laugh together like life depends on it

Because sometimes it does.

Marriage is hard; humor is your glue.

Inside jokes, goofy faces, laughing at your toddler’s meltdown (privately)...it keeps things light in heavy seasons.

3. Fight fair 

Fighting is normal. Contempt is the killer.

No name-calling. No door slamming. Even in conflict, still respect each other.

🎁 4. Surprise them in meaningful ways

Doesn’t have to be a weekend getaway (but again, not saying no).

Handwritten notes. Favorite snack. A warm cup of coffee waiting.

✨The little things are the big things. ✨

🌱 5. Let them grow (and grow with them)

You’re married... not cloned.

Encourage their hobbies, passions, weird obsessions with sourdough or CrossFit.

6. Keep the romance going... especially when life is nuts

Life gets busy. Kids are loud. The dog puked.

Still, hold hands. Plan date nights. Send sweet texts.

Don’t let intimacy become a to-do list item (or worse...get left off the list).

🙏 7. Say "Thank You!" (like, a lot)

Not just “thanks.” Be specific.

💬 “Thanks for doing the dishes.”

💬 “Thanks for rubbing my feet even though I clearly haven’t showered today.”
Gratitude makes love grow. Every time.

📵 8. Turn off the world and tune into each other

Dinner time = no screens.

Even just 10 minutes of uninterrupted convo shows: you matter most.
(Yes, even more than March Madness 🏀.)

📣 9. Be their biggest cheerleader

Got a spouse going through something hard? Or chasing a dream?

Say: “I believe in you. I’m proud of you.”

You’re not just married... you’re a team.

🏠 10. Build shared goals

Dream together.

Raise your kids well. Travel. Do a home reno. Start a food truck named "Holy Guacamoly."

It’s our future... not just yours or mine.

11. Have the hard convos... even when it’s awkward

Don’t say “I’m fine” when you’re clearly not.

Be honest, even if it’s messy.

You don’t have to solve it all right now, but don’t lie about your feelings.

💍 12. Choose them. Every. Single. Day.

Love isn’t a one-and-done.

Every morning, you wake up and say:

💬 “Today, I’m going to love you well. You’re my person.”

That’s the secret sauce.

Bottom Line

Great marriages don’t happen by accident.

They’re built brick by brick, laugh by laugh, thank you by thank you.

Even if you’ve lost some altitude, you can climb again. ⛅

So go hug your spouse. Look them in the eye. And maybe hold their hand in the car (unless you’re driving... then maybe one hand 😅).

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

If you’ve ever thought, “Man, I really should go to confession…” and then promptly decided to clean your fridge instead, this episode of The Drew Mariani Show is 100% for you.

This time, Drew sits down with Bishop Donald Hying (yep, the Bishop of Madison, WI 🧀✝️) to talk about why Confession isn’t scary and why it’s actually one of the most healing, freeing, and life-changing things you could ever do.

You can listen to the whole hour of conversation here, where they also talked about evangelization, hope, the Eucharist, and so much more. 

🔥 What You Should Know:

Confession is the ultimate spiritual detox.

Bishop Hying reminds us that on Easter night, the first thing Jesus does is give the apostles the power to forgive sins. That’s how much He wanted this gift for you.

You’re confessing to Jesus.

Through the priest, Jesus is the one receiving your heart. The priest is just the instrument (and he’s not there to yell at you).

Think you’ve been away too long? Think again.

Drew shares the story of his cousin: a total party animal who hadn’t been to confession in 30 years. He went, opened his heart, and had a massive conversion. 

Worried you keep confessing the same sins? That’s normal.

Bishop Hying says: “It means you’re not doing new sins!” Really, healing is a process. Keep showing up, and sin’s grip gets weaker every time.

Priests will never share your sins.

Like, ever. The Seal of Confession is so serious that priests have gone to prison or even died rather than break it. Your secret? Safe forever

Bishop’s Bold Challenge 

He throws out a 12-month spiritual experiment:

✅ Go to confession once a month for a year.

✅ At the end, ask yourself:

• Am I holier?

• Am I happier?

• Am I freer from my bad habits?

(The answer will be YES 🙏)

Jesus is waiting. Not with a wagging finger, but with open arms, a gentle smile, and the grace to completely transform you. Just show up and be honest.

So… maybe this is your nudge to find a confessional this week? 😉

Hit up the Relevant Radio app where there's a Confession Helper. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. 💖

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Here’s the scoop from The Patrick Madrid Show when Maria from Oshkosh, Wisconsin called in with a very real Catholic dilemma 😬. She asked:

"If a job makes someone work on Sundays, is it a sin to miss Mass?"
"Can I just go during the week instead?"

Here’s what Patrick had to say:

😇 NOT a Sin If…

- Your job genuinely requires Sunday work and it’s outside your control (think: 👮‍♀️ police officers, 👨‍⚕️ doctors, 👩‍⚕️ nurses, emergency responders: people who keep the world turning).

-You're trying to make it to Mass, but it's just not possible due to your shift.

God knows your heart. If it’s not your fault, you’re not sinning.

😬 BUT It IS a Sin If…

- You could go to Mass but choose not to because:

- 💰 Overtime looks good

- 💤 It’s more convenient to skip

Basically, if it’s in your power to get to Mass and you just don’t make it a priority? Yeah… not good. That’s skipping out on a serious obligation.

⛪️ Weekday Mass? Good! But Not a Substitute 

- Going to Mass on, say, a Tuesday or Wednesday doesn’t “count” for Sunday.

- Exception: Saturday Vigil Mass (after 4pm) ✅ does fulfill the Sunday obligation. The Church made that concession because… life happens.

📅 Real Life Example

Maria’s husband works Friday through Monday, 12–14-hour days. There's no time for Mass.

Patrick said that if there’s no humanly possible way to go, and it’s beyond your control... it’s not a sin.

If he can adjust things: maybe shift hours or snag Saturday evening off? He should. Gotta do what you can to keep that Sunday holy 🙏

TL;DR

✨ If you can make it to Sunday Mass, you must.

✨ If you truly can’t because of work and you’ve tried? God gets it. It's not a sin.

✨ Weekday Mass = awesome! But not a Sunday sub.

✨ Saturday Vigil? Yes, that works.

Final Thought 💭

We all have to work, but God also knows when you're doing your best. Just don’t treat Sunday Mass like it’s optional; it's a commandment, not a suggestion. Remember: Mass isn’t just an obligation… it’s a gift. 🎁💒

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Okay, put on your theological thinking caps, because in this podcast episode of The Patrick Madrid Show, you'll get a great answer to a BIG question: How do we know Jesus founded the Catholic Church and not some other Christian group?

Patrick brings the receipts 📜, the analogies 🌍, and yes… the flat earth references.

📨 The Question That Sparked It All

A listener named Timothy emails Patrick this question:

“Hey Patrick, aren’t you being a little harsh? You call out Protestants for coming down on Catholics, but then don’t you come down just as hard on non-Catholics? Aren’t both sides just passionate about what they believe?”

Timothy’s tone is respectful. And Patrick loves it. He takes it seriously. He gives a full, no-punches-pulled response: rooted in reason, history, and good old-fashioned Catholic confidence.

🌎 The Flat Earth Analogy

Patrick compares Protestantism to… flat earth theory. 

Not because Protestants are dumb (he’s clear about that; they’re very sincere, smart, and well-meaning), but because:

❗️You can be sincere… and still be sincerely wrong.

He argues that Protestant theology, like flat earth theory, is demonstrably false. It just doesn’t hold up when you look at Scripture, history, and the writings of the early Church Fathers. Just as science clearly disproves a flat earth, Church history disproves that Protestantism was ever the original Christianity.

📖 So What Does the Bible Say?

Patrick points out that Protestantism often relies on concepts like:

-Sola Scriptura ("Bible alone")

-Once Saved, Always Saved

…which aren’t in the Bible... and in some cases are even contradicted by the Bible.

He brings up passages like:

📜 2 Thessalonians 2:15: Hold fast to the traditions, oral and written.

📜 1 Corinthians 11: Keep the traditions as I delivered them.

These support Catholic teachings about Scripture and Tradition. Patrick says that trusting only personal Bible interpretation turns the faith into a theological Rubik’s Cube: everyone has their own twist on it. That’s just not how Jesus set it up. 🙅‍♂️

🕊️ Early Christians Weren’t Protestant, They Were... Catholic

He brings up St. John Henry Newman, the Anglican scholar who tried to disprove Catholicism… and ended up converting because the evidence was so overwhelming.

The early Church:

-Believed in the Real Presence in the Eucharist

-Celebrated the Mass as a sacrifice

-Had sacraments, priests, apostolic authority

-Baptized babies

-Defended Trinitarian doctrine against heresies

And all this was happening centuries before the Reformation.

Protestantism, Patrick argues, is a latecomer: a break from the historical Church, not a return to it.

The Church is Noah’s Ark 🚢

Patrick closes with a beautiful, personal touch:

The Catholic Church is the Ark Jesus built to carry us through the flood of confusion, division, and error. He didn’t leave us a Rubik’s Cube Bible to figure out solo. He left us a Church: one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.

That’s why Patrick is confident, not just passionate. He's not trying to win arguments. He’s trying to show that there’s an unbroken, visible, historical Church founded by Christ, and it’s Catholic.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Image via Bart Sherkow  / Shutterstock

Patrick Madrid and Producer Cyrus give a nostalgic tribute to Brian Wilson, the musical mastermind behind The Beach Boys, who passed away at the age of 82. 

Right out the gate, Patrick sets the tone: "I don’t even really need to explain who Brian Wilson was." Because really, if you’ve ever heard surf rock, heavenly harmonies, or the phrase “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” ... you’ve met the magic of Brian Wilson.

🏄‍♂️ Brian Wilson: More Than Just a Beach Boy

Between 1962 and 1966, the Beach Boys racked up: 10 Top 10 hits and 7 additional Top 40 Hits

And guess who wrote or co-wrote almost every one of those hits? Yep, Brian Wilson. He was the creative nucleus.

🎸 Beatles vs. Beach Boys: The Most Wholesome Rivalry Ever

Patrick drops a music-history nugget: Paul McCartney credited Pet Sounds as the direct inspiration for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. 😲

In fact, McCartney felt so "musically challenged" by the Beach Boys' harmonies and arrangements that it pushed the Fab Four to elevate their own work. Now that’s legacy. 💿🔥

Behind the Genius: Struggles with Mental Health

But the story wasn’t all surfboards and sunshine. Patrick mentions the darker undercurrents of Wilson’s life:

Mental health challenges, substance abuse, and years of seclusion

Despite that, Brian continued creating music... writing from home and heading into the studio solo when the touring days faded. The genius never stopped, just shifted.

Patrick reflects on who we’ve lost, but also who we’ve been given. Brian Wilson was brilliant, a true American original, a gift to music... and to the world. 🌊💙

💌 "Like what you heard?" Share the love and memory. Play it for your kids, crank it in the car, and say a prayer for Brian. Amen. 🎵🕯️

If you missed Patrick Madrid's full conversations about the immigration topic, you can get caught up here!

Hour 1

Hour 2  

Hour 3

📜 What Does the Law Actually Say?

Patrick wanted to get clear on the actual legal status of immigration... no hearsay, just U.S. Code citations. Here's what he found:

📍 First illegal entry into the U.S. = Class B misdemeanor (up to 6 months in prison and/or fines).

📍 Reentry after deportation = Felony (up to 2 years... or 20 if you have a serious criminal history like drug trafficking or violent crimes).

📍 Fake documents = Big felony. 

📍 Helping someone enter or stay illegally = Yep, that’s a felony too.

Patrick wasn’t being heavy-handed. He just emphasized that laws exist for a reason and that if we want to change them, there’s a process. As he quoted President Obama: “If you don’t like the law, change it.” Fair enough, right?

🏛️ Law & Compassion: Not Mutually Exclusive

Patrick stressed this again and again... compassion matters, especially for vulnerable folks. But he also pointed out that enforcing laws doesn't mean being cruel. 

Let’s work for laws that are just and merciful. But in the meantime, we can’t pretend the laws don’t exist just because we don't like them.

🗣️ Steve from California Calls In

Steve, a security guy from L.A. with some real-life experience, painted a vivid picture:

He described scenes of chaos in downtown L.A.: graffiti, looting, even pallets of bricks supposedly set up for protests. 

He expressed sadness and frustration, especially as a Latino man whose family came here legally.

He wasn’t denying that people are suffering, but he felt that many are taking advantage of the system and causing destruction, not seeking help.

He also made a poignant point: There are undocumented folks who have lived here for decades, working hard and raising families, and now face a scary future. It’s a messy, emotional, deeply human issue.

Big Takeaways

Law matters... not because we lack heart, but because without law, society crumbles. (“If someone breaks into your house, do you call the police or not?”)

Bad laws can and should be changed.

Compassion should never be optional.

He reminds us of Jesus’ words: “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.” 🏛️ But also never forget to render unto God what is God’s: love, dignity, mercy.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

The Gift of Life Isn’t Optional... It’s Sacred

In this episode of Marriage Unhindered, host Doug Hinderer talks with Sylvia, a woman who’s been married for 25 years...with no children by choice. Sylvia explains her decision stemmed from the brokenness of the world: the evil, suffering, divorces, poverty… and, sadly, advice from her own late mother to avoid both marriage and motherhood.

While Doug listens respectfully, he doesn’t leave the beauty of life unspoken. 💬

Check out the whole hour here!

Sylvia's View: 

-She and her husband intentionally chose not to have kids.

-They practiced Natural Family Planning and abstinence... not contraception.

-Her rationale: A fallen world full of “heartache,” “starving children,” and “unfit parents”

-She admits she never desired children, despite loving her nieces and nephews.

🙌 Doug’s Response: Respectful Disagreement with Gospel Roots

Doug responds:

“If we all stopped having children, what would happen to the world?”

That line hits home.

Doug gently suggests that it's precisely people like Sylvia, good-hearted, conscientious Catholics, who are most needed to raise holy children in a broken world. ✝️🌍

He acknowledges life is messy, parenting is hard, and yep, you’ll travel less. But the joy? The irreplaceable connection? The legacy of love that comes through children? 💖 That’s where marriage often reaches its full, sacramental depth.

🌟 Evelyn Calls In: “We Lost a Good Mother Today”

Then enters Evelyn: married 53 years, with 4 kids, 16 grandkids, and 3 great-grandkids. She doesn’t blast Sylvia. Instead, she mourns that someone so kind could’ve been an incredible mother.

She reminds us:

“Children are the reason we held on to our marriage. We held on for dear life.”

🎉 Evelyn even had a bishop at her 50th anniversary party! Her story brings to heart the joy and grit of marriage open to life. The sacrifices are real, but so are the miracles.

The Church’s Teaching: Children Are Not Optional Accessories

Doug wraps with an important point prompted by an email:

One of the main purposes of marriage in the Church is to be open to life.

🏁 Bottom Line (With Holy Boldness!)

💡 Doug never shames Sylvia, but he never affirms her choice either. He celebrates the gift of life, the purpose of marriage, and the calling of every Catholic couple to be open to children: biological, adopted, or spiritual.

He leaves you with this conviction: Families are messy, sacred, and worth it 🙌🔥

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

When you feel that anger flair up, Fr. Richard Simon has powerful advice that cuts straight through to the heart.

Your personal grudge isn’t doing anyone any favors (least of all you). 👀

Word of the Day: "Vengeance"

Fr. Simon looks at the Old Testament where the prophet Jeremiah is praying for God to smite his enemies. Like, full-on “Let me watch You take them down, Lord.” 

Fr. Simon brings up the classic line from God in Deuteronomy 32:35: “Vengeance is mine, says the Lord.”

The Hebrew word for vengeance is “naqam.” Which literally just means… vengeance. (No fancy theological loopholes there.)

Revenge ≠ Righteous

Fr. Simon shares this key insight:

“When I take vengeance, I'm saying to God: ‘I’ll handle this. I don’t need You.’”

💡 Translation: Trying to get even = trying to play God. That job’s taken. 👑

😤 “But I Can’t Forgive Them!”

This is where Fr. Simon says: 

Forgiveness just means letting go.

You don’t have to feel all warm and fuzzy. You just have to stop clutching that bitterness like it’s a spiritual security blanket.

If you're stuck? He gives this gem: 👉 "Lord, I can't forgive them, but I give You permission to forgive them for me."

YES. That counts. 🙌

🚫 Theological Road Rage? Don't Do It.

Fr. Simon brings the laughs with a dead-on warning about what he calls:

“Theological road rage”: when you stew over someone who wronged you and plot little imaginary vengeance stories

🛑 Cut it out. Not only does it not help, but often the other person may not even know you're upset.

❤️ A Sweet Real-Life Story from a Listener

Mary from St. Paul calls in to share how she was able to forgive:

-She’s at adoration, feeling angry at someone.

-Turns out… that someone is literally in the chapel too. 😳

-She hears God gently say: “She’s my kid too.”

Fr. Simon laughs and adds:

“I always tell God, ‘If You knew people like I do, You wouldn’t like them!’ But… He still does. He even likes me.”

🛐 TL;DR Spiritual Nuggets:

-Forgiveness is not a feeling, it’s a decision.

-Let go of the “you owe me” mindset.

-God loves the person you can’t stand. Just like He loves you.

-Don’t let anger rent space in your heart... especially when the rent is paid in peace.

📢 Final Thought: If you’re still angry, offer that up to God. He has the eternal toolbox to fix it. You don’t.

Honestly... life’s too short for theological road rage.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.