The Best of the Week

John from Illinois called in with a big question : Because Pope Francis has passed away, who’s running things at the Vatican in the meantime? 🤔⛪     🧑‍⚖️ Who's in Charge When There's No Pope?   When a pope dies, things don’t go totally dark... but they do hit the brakes, hard .   -The machinery of the Apostolic See basically grinds to a halt . (Think of it li...

Patrick Conley and Fr. James Kubicki, SJ, a fellow Jesuit and spiritual director, pay tribute to the life and mission of  Pope Francis , who has recently passed into eternal life.    You can hear the full hour of tribute to Pope Francis here .      🙏 Jesus at the Center: Pope Francis’ “Why”   According to Fr. Kubicki, the fuel in Pope Francis&r...

As we mourn the loss of our Holy Father, it's also inspiring to reminisce back on when Pope Francis was first elected. If you've ever wondered what it was like to be in Rome during that historic moment, Timmerie will share her personal encounter and help you live vicariously through her!   You can hear Timmerie's full hour of reflections about Pope Francis and what happens when a pope dies he...

Fr. Simon, in one of his classic heart-warming, history-meets-holiness storytelling moments on Father Simon Says , gave us a powerful peek into Pope Francis’ past, back when he was still Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos Aires.      First off, Fr. Simon shared how Archbishop Bergoglio had a  huge heart for the marginalized , especially when it came to getting babies ba...

This Morning Air podcast clip features Glen Lewerenz speaking with Fr. Scott Pogatchnik from Minnesota about the Conclave process . 🙏     ⏳ The Waiting Game: Not Rushed, Not Random   Fr. Scott reminds us that  there’s a period of mourning first , as the Church honors and grieves the late Pope Francis. Only after that do things move into gear.   The Conclave typical...

📻 Setting the Scene   Father shares a moving tribute to  Pope Francis , following the Pope’s sudden passing a day after joyfully appearing at Easter Mass.     🙏 A Pope Who Gave It All   Fr. Rocky starts by describing how Pope Francis was “squeezed out like a lemon to the last drop.” His final public moments, blessing the world on Easter Sunday from the...

We’re flying to the Vatican (figuratively), thanks to Patrick Madrid’s latest episode. If you’ve been wondering  what happens when a pope dies , who shows up, and why Blessed Carlo Acutis’ canonization got paused, then this is your front-pew breakdown.     🕊️  First Things First: Pope Francis Has Passed   Patrick starts with a solemn but powerful re...

Whew... this one hits right in the heart. 💔 On this particularly somber episode of the Family Rosary Across America , our very own Fr. Rocky and Maggie  gathered with the whole Relevant Radio family to pray, mourn, and remember a holy soul: Pope Francis , who passed away. 🙏     ✝️ Prayer for the Soul of the Holy Father   For nine weeks straight , the family’s been lifti...

🏔️ The Saints: Adventures of Faith and Courage   🗺️ St. Thomas Aquinas - Episode One: The Knights of Aquino   Italy. 1239 A.D. The Aquino family’s castle lies halfway between two powerful forces: The Pope in Rome, and the Holy Roman Emperor in Naples. When conflict arises, which power will this noble family support? And will their youngest son fall in line with them? This is the in...

Doug Hinderer takes a moment to reflect on the passing of Pope Francis , a man he calls both Holy Father and spiritual dad to the world . In a beautiful twist of providence, his oldest daughter  Katie is in Rome... right in St. Peter’s Square as the world receives the news.   You can check out the whole hour where Doug also talks about Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation about marr...

The Vatican has officially announced the funeral arrangements for Pope Francis, whose funeral Mass will take place on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 10:00 AM local time (3 AM CT) in St. Peter’s Square. The Mass will be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, and concelebrated by bishops, cardinals, and priests from around the world.   Relevant Rad...

Patrick Madrid took us on a mini-Vatican science class today. If you've ever wondered  how the smoke in a papal conclave works , you need to listen in!     White Smoke = We Have a Pope!   First things first: when a new pope is chosen and he accepts the job (yes, acceptance is key... no forced papacies here),  you get the famous white smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney....

As the Church mourns the passing of Pope Francis, attention will soon begin to turn toward what comes next: the conclave, where the 267th successor of St. Peter will be elected. On  The Patrick Madrid Show , Patrick walked listeners through an important question:  Who is eligible to be elected Pope?   According to Canon Law (Canon 332 §1), Patrick explained, any baptized Cathol...

On this special edition of  Morning Air , Fr. Rocky joined the program to reflect on the death of Pope Francis, calling it “a sad but happy day.” Despite frail health, the Holy Father made a final public appearance on Easter Sunday, riding through St. Peter’s Square in the popemobile, blessing the faithful and offering the  Urbi et Orbi . “He gave it his all, righ...

VATICAN CITY: The Vatican announced this morning that the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, the first millennial to be declared a saint, has been officially postponed in the wake of Pope Francis’ death. The ceremony, originally scheduled for next Sunday in St. Peter’s Square, will be rescheduled for a later date.   The postponement is a natural and respectful consequence of th...

Reporting from Rome, Relevant Radio correspondent Ashley Noronha shared an intimate glimpse of the scene from Vatican City, where thousands of pilgrims and tourists gathered under the shadow of the Pope’s passing.   “The square is still beautifully adorned with Easter flowers,” Noronha described, “tulips from the Netherlands line the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica...

Monsignor James Shea, President of the University of Mary and longtime contributor to  Morning Air , joined Relevant Radio live from Bismarck, North Dakota, to offer heartfelt reflections on the legacy of the Holy Father, Pope Francis.   Monsignor Shea shared that he was awakened at 4:30 a.m. to the news of the Pope’s death and immediately celebrated Mass for the repose of his soul...

Relevant Radio mourns the passing of Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88 in Rome today. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, to Italian immigrants in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was a man who consistently walked with the poor and brought the Church to the margins. On March 13, 2013, he was elected as the 265th successor of St. Peter: the first Jesuit, the first pope from the Americ...

On a somber yet hope-filled morning during the octave of Easter, Fr. James Kubicki, SJ, joined John Morales on  Morning Air  to reflect on the life and legacy of Pope Francis.   Fr. Kubicki, a long-time  Relevant Radio contributor and spiritual director at St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee, offered a deeply personal and Jesuit perspective. “There are no coinciden...

VATICAN CITY: The world mourns the passing of Pope Francis, who returned to the Lord at 7:35 a.m. local time in Rome at the age of 88. The announcement was made by Cardinal Kevin Farrell from the Chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae, the residence where the Holy Father spent his final years.   “Dearest brothers and sisters,” Cardinal Farrell stated, “with deep sorrow, I annou...

In this moving episode of  Morning Air , John Morales sits down with Martha Fernandez-Sardina to reflect deeply on the Seven Last Words of Christ, those powerful, sacred utterances Jesus spoke from the Cross.   We're invited to step closer to the heart of Christ and listen not just with our ears, but with our souls. Each of these final words is a gift, revealing Jesus' infinite love, mer...

In this final talk of his Holy Week mission series, “Close to Jesus to the Last: The Passion of Christ in Five Parts ,” Fr. Rocky brings us right to the foot of the Cross.     🌿  Palm Sunday to Good Friday: How Did We Get Here?   Fr. Rocky begins with that jarring shift: from the crowds shouting  “Hosanna!” on Sunday to “Crucify him!” b...

If you’ve ever needed a gentle reminder that you’re not alone in your struggles... this episode is it. 💛 On this night’s Family Rosary Across America , Fr. Rocky and Maggie showed up with the same warm, familiar presence we all love, ready to pray with you and for you.     Let’s Talk Plenary Indulgences (yes, YOU can get one!)   Father Rocky started things o...

This episode hits deep. Like, "maybe grab a cup of tea and your favorite blanket" kind of deep. ☕ Timmerie takes us into the heart of what it means to suffer as a Christian and  not just survive it... but be  transformed by it.   She opens with that jaw-dropping list of sufferings from St. Paul in 2 Corinthians: lashes, beatings, shipwrecks, dangers everywhere, and that daily anxie...

Okay, if you've ever sat in Holy Week Mass and thought, "How does all this incense, foot washing, and candle-holding apply to my real-life marriage issues?" ... then  this episode of Marriage Unhindered is going to resonate. 🎧💒   Doug Hinderer sits down with Catholic marriage experts Jim and Maureen Otremba (married 29 years) to chat about how the  Easter Triduum is basically a ho...