On this podcast clip of The Inner Life, Patrick Conley speaks with Fr. John Gordon of the Archdiocese of Newark about how to manage emotions when life’s daily frustrations hit hard. You can listen to the entire episode here. 

Fr. Gordon explains that emotions themselves aren’t sinful – they’re part of being human. The problem comes when we let them lead us. Using the image of a three-car train, he describes faith as the engine, facts as the middle car, and feelings as the caboose. Our faith should drive us, grounded by truth, while our feelings follow behind.

When negative emotions rise – anger, frustration, discouragement – Fr. Gordon suggests turning them into reminders of our dependence on God: “Thank you, Lord, for showing me I can’t even get through the small stuff without You.” In this way, what the enemy intends for division can actually deepen our relationship with Christ.

He encourages you not to condemn yourself when emotions flare up, but instead to redirect those moments into prayer and trust, transforming weakness into an opportunity for grace. Be sure to listen to the entire episode 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.

On this podcast clip of&nbsp;The Inner Life, Patrick Conley speaks with Fr. John Gordon of the Archdiocese of Newark about how to manage emotions when life&rsquo;s daily frustrations hit hard. You can listen to the entire episode <a href="https://relevantradio.com/2025/08/keeping-the-faith-through-challenges-the-inner-life-august-20-2025/">here</a>.&nbsp;
Fr. Gordon explains that emotions themselves aren&rsquo;t sinful &ndash; they&rsquo;re part of being human. The problem comes when we let them lead us. Using the image of a three-car train, he describes faith as the engine, facts as the middle car, and feelings as the caboose. Our faith should drive us, grounded by truth, while our feelings follow behind.
When negative emotions rise &ndash; anger, frustration, discouragement &ndash; Fr. Gordon suggests turning them into reminders of our dependence on God:&nbsp;&ldquo;Thank you, Lord, for showing me I can&rsquo;t even get through the small stuff without You.&rdquo; In this way, what the enemy intends for division can actually deepen our relationship with Christ.
He encourages you not to condemn yourself when emotions flare up, but instead to redirect those moments into prayer and trust, transforming weakness into an opportunity for grace. Be sure to listen to the entire episode <a href="https://relevantradio.com/2025/08/keeping-the-faith-through-challenges-the-inner-life-august-20-2025/">here</a>!
<hr>
The&nbsp;best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It&rsquo;s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out&nbsp;<a href="https://relevantradio.com/listen/get-the-app/">here</a>.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

The Best of the Week

How Can We Regulate our Emotions During Challenging Situations? (The Inner Life with Patrick Conley)

Andy â When I receive the Eucharist, I notic

A caller named Andy from Long Beach raised a question many Catholics quietly wonder about: if Jesus said to eat His Flesh and drink His Blood, why do we usually only receive the Host at Mass? Are we missing something?

Patrick Madrid’s answer cuts through the confusion with a clear answer founded in Catholic teaching. First, he explains that at the Last Supper, Jesus was speaking directly to the Apostles, whom He was ordaining as priests. “It’s proper, it’s necessary…that the priest at the altar consume both the Host and the Precious Blood,” Patrick explains. That command was not directed to the entire congregation.

The deeper truth, however, is this: when you receive Holy Communion under either form, you receive all of Jesus, “Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.” Nothing is lacking. Patrick points out that this is evident every time we adore the consecrated Host at Mass. Even before the chalice is consecrated, the Church worships Christ fully present in the Host. If that weren’t true, Patrick notes, “it would be wrong to worship this because it’s something less than the Lord Himself.”

Historically, the Church often limited Communion to the Host alone to guard against a recurring misunderstanding known as utraquism, the false idea that receiving both forms is required to receive the whole Christ. While receiving under both kinds can be beautiful, it is never necessary.

Andy’s response says it all: “You’re very, very clear. I’m getting it 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.

A caller named Andy from Long Beach raised a question many Catholics quietly wonder about: if Jesus said to eat His Flesh and drink His Blood, why do we usually only receive the Host at Mass? Are we missing something?
Patrick Madrid&rsquo;s answer cuts through the confusion with a clear answer founded in Catholic teaching. First, he explains that at the Last Supper, Jesus was speaking directly to the Apostles, whom He was ordaining as priests. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s proper, it&rsquo;s necessary&hellip;that the priest at the altar consume both the Host and the Precious Blood,&rdquo; Patrick explains. That command was not directed to the entire congregation.
The deeper truth, however, is this: when you receive Holy Communion under either form, you receive all of Jesus, &ldquo;Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.&rdquo; Nothing is lacking. Patrick points out that this is evident every time we adore the consecrated Host at Mass. Even before the chalice is consecrated, the Church worships Christ fully present in the Host. If that weren&rsquo;t true, Patrick notes, &ldquo;it would be wrong to worship this because it&rsquo;s something less than the Lord Himself.&rdquo;
Historically, the Church often limited Communion to the Host alone to guard against a recurring misunderstanding known as utraquism, the false idea that receiving both forms is required to receive the whole Christ. While receiving under both kinds can be beautiful, it is never necessary.
Andy&rsquo;s response says it all: &ldquo;You&rsquo;re very, very clear. I&rsquo;m getting it now.&rdquo;
<hr>
The best way to listen to the&nbsp;Best of the Week&nbsp;is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It&rsquo;s free, and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out&nbsp;<a href="https://relevantradio.com/listen/get-the-app/">here</a>.

Why Receiving Only the Host Is Receiving All of Jesus (The Patrick Madrid Show)

As Catholics, we are called to look honestly at surrogacy and in vitro fertilization (IVF), not simply because the Church says “no,” but because these practices reveal a deeper moral crisis about how we understand human life. On Trending, Timmerie explains why surrogacy is inseparable from IVF, a process that routinely creates multiple embryos, many of whom are discarded, frozen indefinitely, or lost along the way. Human life becomes something manufactured, managed, and contracted for, rather than received as a gift.

In today’s culture, baby-making has been commodified. If enough money is involved, a child can be ordered, transferred, or replaced. This mentality treats the human person as a product, not an end in himself or herself. The Church has consistently taught, drawing from thinkers like St. Thomas Aquinas, that the only proper attitude toward another human being is love, and that no person should ever be reduced to a means to an end.

Timmerie highlights how casually this loss of life is often discussed in IVF circles. Stories shared online may celebrate that “five embryos are left” or “one survived,” but rarely pause to grieve the many children who died in the process. We are not talking about failed experiments or plants that did not take root. We are talking about human beings.

At the same time, the Church makes an important distinction: every child conceived through IVF or surrogacy is fully loved by God and possesses infinite dignity. Critiquing the method is not a rejection of the child. It is possible, and necessary, to affirm the goodness of the person while naming the injustice of the process.

Surrogacy also places serious physical and psychological burdens on women, especially gestational carriers, who often face higher medical risks and deep emotional wounds. Consent and contracts do not make exploitation just. As Timmerie reminds us, just because we can manipulate biology does not mean we should.

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.

As Catholics, we are called to look honestly at surrogacy and in vitro fertilization (IVF), not simply because the Church says &ldquo;no,&rdquo; but because these practices reveal a deeper moral crisis about how we understand human life. On&nbsp;Trending, Timmerie explains why surrogacy is inseparable from IVF, a process that routinely creates multiple embryos, many of whom are discarded, frozen indefinitely, or lost along the way. Human life becomes something manufactured, managed, and contracted for, rather than received as a gift.
In today&rsquo;s culture, baby-making has been commodified. If enough money is involved, a child can be ordered, transferred, or replaced. This mentality treats the human person as a product, not an end in himself or herself. The Church has consistently taught, drawing from thinkers like St. Thomas Aquinas, that the only proper attitude toward another human being is love, and that no person should ever be reduced to a means to an end.
Timmerie highlights how casually this loss of life is often discussed in IVF circles. Stories shared online may celebrate that &ldquo;five embryos are left&rdquo; or &ldquo;one survived,&rdquo; but rarely pause to grieve the many children who died in the process. We are not talking about failed experiments or plants that did not take root. We are talking about human beings.
At the same time, the Church makes an important distinction: every child conceived through IVF or surrogacy is fully loved by God and possesses infinite dignity. Critiquing the method is not a rejection of the child. It is possible, and necessary, to affirm the goodness of the person while naming the injustice of the process.
Surrogacy also places serious physical and psychological burdens on women, especially gestational carriers, who often face higher medical risks and deep emotional wounds. Consent and contracts do not make exploitation just. As Timmerie reminds us, just because we can manipulate biology does not mean we should.
<hr>
The best way to listen to the&nbsp;Best of the Week&nbsp;is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It&rsquo;s free, and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out&nbsp;<a href="https://relevantradio.com/listen/get-the-app/">here</a>.

When Baby-Making Becomes a Business: The Moral Problem with Surrogacy (Trending with Timmerie)

On the Family Rosary Across America, Sylvia from Fresno called in to share a heartfelt struggle many spouses understand. She prays the rosary three times a day and is deeply in love with the Lord and Our Blessed Mother. Her husband, who entered the Catholic Church three years ago, believes but doesn’t express devotion in the same way she does. Between the demands of military life and his quiet approach to faith, Sylvia feels a little hurt and wonders how to help him grow closer to God.

Fr. Rocky’s response was a simple one: he asked what Sylvia’s husband likes to eat. When Sylvia explained that her South Korean and Hispanic husband does the cooking, Fr. Rocky offered a gentle strategy. Affirm the good he already does. Receive his gifts with gratitude. Then, in that moment of warmth, invite him: “Let’s go to church,” and thank God together for the blessings of your home.

The takeaway is simple but powerful: love often moves the heart before arguments ever do. If someone’s faith looks different than yours, start with appreciation, patience, and prayer. The smallest invitation wrapped in gratitude can become the beginning of something deeper.

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&nbsp;Family Rosary Across America, Sylvia from Fresno called in to share a heartfelt struggle many spouses understand. She prays the rosary three times a day and is deeply in love with the Lord and Our Blessed Mother. Her husband, who entered the Catholic Church three years ago, believes but doesn&rsquo;t express devotion in the same way she does. Between the demands of military life and his quiet approach to faith, Sylvia feels a little hurt and wonders how to help him grow closer to God.
Fr. Rocky&rsquo;s response was a simple one: he asked what Sylvia&rsquo;s husband likes to eat. When Sylvia explained that her South Korean and Hispanic husband does the cooking, Fr. Rocky offered a gentle strategy. Affirm the good he already does. Receive his gifts with gratitude. Then, in that moment of warmth, invite him: &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s go to church,&rdquo; and thank God together for the blessings of your home.
The takeaway is simple but powerful: love often moves the heart before arguments ever do. If someone&rsquo;s faith looks different than yours, start with appreciation, patience, and prayer. The smallest invitation wrapped in gratitude can become the beginning of something deeper.
<hr>
The best way to listen to the&nbsp;Best of the Week&nbsp;is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It&rsquo;s free, and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out&nbsp;<a href="https://relevantradio.com/listen/get-the-app/">here</a>.

How Can We Regulate our Emotions During Challenging Situations? (The Inner Life with Patrick Conley)

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