On Family Rosary Across America, Fr. Rocky greeted Macklin, a young listener. They quickly discovered a sweet connection: Fr. Rocky had met Macklin’s grandmother at the Walk to Mary in 2025, and the family hoped to see him again at this year’s pilgrimage.

But the moment took a deeper turn when Fr. Rocky asked for Macklin’s prayer intention. Macklin explained it wasn’t really a prayer intention, but instead a prayer of gratitude. “I finally have a father,” he said.

Fr. Rocky affirmed this great blessing as a gift and an answer to years of prayer, both for Macklin and for his whole family. A father’s presence, he noted, can bring stability, comfort, and a stronger foundation for a home.

The exchange was brief, but it carried a powerful reminder: God hears all of our prayers, especially the ones whispered for our families over many years. And sometimes the “best of the week” is simply a child’s quiet thank you, and a family’s new beginning.

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 Family Rosary Across America, Fr. Rocky greeted Macklin, a young listener. They quickly discovered a sweet connection: Fr. Rocky had met Macklin&rsquo;s grandmother at the Walk to Mary in 2025, and the family hoped to see him again at this year&rsquo;s pilgrimage.
But the moment took a deeper turn when Fr. Rocky asked for Macklin&rsquo;s prayer intention. Macklin explained it wasn&rsquo;t really a prayer intention, but instead a prayer of gratitude. &ldquo;I finally have a father,&rdquo; he said.
Fr. Rocky affirmed this great blessing as a gift and an answer to years of prayer, both for Macklin and for his whole family. A father&rsquo;s presence, he noted, can bring stability, comfort, and a stronger foundation for a home.
The exchange was brief, but it carried a powerful reminder: God hears all of our prayers, especially the ones whispered for our families over many years. And sometimes the &ldquo;best of the week&rdquo; is simply a child&rsquo;s quiet thank you, and a family&rsquo;s new beginning.
<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>.

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

“I Finally Have a Father”: A Child’s Thank You (Family Rosary Across America)

Theresa - How can I best explain to our adult 

Nathan from Santa Margarita, California, called The Patrick Madrid Show with a very real family question. He and his wife have four little kids aged nine, six, three, and one, and like many parents, they sometimes find themselves outside the nave during Mass, doing their best to keep the peace.

Before asking his question, Nathan shared a joyful gratitude: “You and your show are personally responsible for my wife converting to the Catholic faith, and now we’re one big happy Catholic family.”

Then came his concern. If he’s in the back of the church with a child for a stretch of time missing parts of the homily or other moments, should he refrain from receiving the Eucharist?

Patrick gently clarified a common misconception. Receiving Holy Communion, he explained, is not the same question as fulfilling the Sunday obligation. “You could arrive at a Mass right as they’re about to distribute Holy Communion, and you’ve missed the entire Mass. If you’re in the state of grace, you can receive Holy Communion.”

So what about the obligation?

Patrick acknowledged it’s hard to tell exactly where the line is, but he offered a practical guide rooted in common sense and charity. If you came to Mass, entered the church, and only stepped out because a child was crying—whether to the hallway, vestibule, or even outside the doors—you have fulfilled your Sunday obligation. You’re still there, present, and doing what a considerate parent should do.

The line is crossed, he said, when someone decides not to participate at all and chooses to “hang out here in the parking lot” and never really be present at Mass.

For parents trying to love God and neighbor with a toddler in arms, Patrick’s message was simple: keep coming, keep trying, and don’t let a season of noisy faith steal your peace.

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.

Nathan from Santa Margarita, California, called The Patrick Madrid Show with a very real family question. He and his wife have four little kids aged nine, six, three, and one, and like many parents, they sometimes find themselves outside the nave during Mass, doing their best to keep the peace.
Before asking his question, Nathan shared a joyful gratitude: &ldquo;You and your show are personally responsible for my wife converting to the Catholic faith, and now we&rsquo;re one big happy Catholic family.&rdquo;
Then came his concern. If he&rsquo;s in the back of the church with a child for a stretch of time missing parts of the homily or other moments, should he refrain from receiving the Eucharist?
Patrick gently clarified a common misconception. Receiving Holy Communion, he explained, is not the same question as fulfilling the Sunday obligation. &ldquo;You could arrive at a Mass right as they&rsquo;re about to distribute Holy Communion, and you&rsquo;ve missed the entire Mass. If you&rsquo;re in the state of grace, you can receive Holy Communion.&rdquo;
So what about the obligation?
Patrick acknowledged it&rsquo;s hard to tell exactly where the line is, but he offered a practical guide rooted in common sense and charity. If you came to Mass, entered the church, and only stepped out because a child was crying&mdash;whether to the hallway, vestibule, or even outside the doors&mdash;you have fulfilled your Sunday obligation. You&rsquo;re still there, present, and doing what a considerate parent should do.
The line is crossed, he said, when someone decides not to participate at all and chooses to &ldquo;hang out here in the parking lot&rdquo; and never really be present at Mass.
For parents trying to love God and neighbor with a toddler in arms, Patrick&rsquo;s message was simple: keep coming, keep trying, and don&rsquo;t let a season of noisy faith steal your peace.
<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 You’re in the Back of Church with a Crying Child, Are You “Missing Mass”? (The Patrick Madrid Show)

NOTE: This article features some sensitive topics that may not be suitable for younger readers. Please use discretion.

A listener named Diane called into Marriage Unhindered to share the kind of pain that takes your breath away. Nearly a year ago, on March 8, 2025, she lost her 28-year-old son unexpectedly. As she described the moment, her husband walked across the street to their son's home to let his dog inside. When he tried to wake their son, he couldn't.

Diane admitted that the pain was nearly unbearable for her and there were times she longed to “go to sleep and not wake up.”

She also shared another burden: anger at God. “In all of my 60 years, I have never … been angry at God,” she said, but in the beginning she was. Even now, the ache and the temptation toward despair still crosses her mind, yet she doesn’t want to lose the hope of seeing her son again.

Doug responded with steady compassion, naming what a mother longs for: “You want to talk to him. You want to hold him.” He encouraged Diane not to isolate, and to seek support through her parish or diocese, where grief groups can help carry the weight with her.

Guest Matt Young also offered practical next steps, pointing Diane toward peer support resources like the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Healing Conversations and local community chapters that can connect her with others who understand.

Then the conversation turned outward, to anyone listening in a dark place. Doug and Matt emphasized the nationwide crisis line. For anyone struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call or text 988, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

And in the middle of it all, Doug offered a tender, faith-filled reminder: we can keep loving our dead, praying for them, and even talking to them, trusting God’s mercy and the Communion of Saints.

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.

NOTE: This article features some sensitive topics that may not be suitable for younger readers. Please use discretion.
A listener named Diane called into Marriage Unhindered to share the kind of pain that takes your breath away. Nearly a year ago, on March 8, 2025, she lost her 28-year-old son unexpectedly. As she described the moment, her husband walked across the street to their son's home to let his dog inside. When he tried to wake their son, he couldn't.
Diane admitted that the pain was nearly unbearable for her and there were times she longed to &ldquo;go to sleep and not wake up.&rdquo;
She also shared another burden: anger at God. &ldquo;In all of my 60 years, I have never &hellip; been angry at God,&rdquo; she said, but in the beginning she was. Even now, the ache and the temptation toward despair still crosses her mind, yet she doesn&rsquo;t want to lose the hope of seeing her son again.
Doug responded with steady compassion, naming what a mother longs for: &ldquo;You want to talk to him. You want to hold him.&rdquo; He encouraged Diane not to isolate, and to seek support through her parish or diocese, where grief groups can help carry the weight with her.
Guest Matt Young also offered practical next steps, pointing Diane toward peer support resources like the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention&rsquo;s Healing Conversations and local community chapters that can connect her with others who understand.
Then the conversation turned outward, to anyone listening in a dark place. Doug and Matt emphasized the nationwide crisis line. For anyone struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call or text 988, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
And in the middle of it all, Doug offered a tender, faith-filled reminder: we can keep loving our dead, praying for them, and even talking to them, trusting God&rsquo;s mercy and the Communion of Saints.
<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 Grief Turns Dark, Don’t Go Through it Alone (Marriage Unhindered)

Temptation can be our downfall if we succumb to it. But if we reject it, we will emerge from it even stronger than before.

On Father Simon Says, Fr. Richard Simon points out that we even use the word in everyday life: “tempered steel” and “tempered glass” are materials that have been tested and proven strong. In the spiritual life, God permits testing “not because he needs to know what’s in us, but because we need to know what’s in us, that we might repent of it.”

That’s why Jesus, led by the Spirit, entered the desert and faced the devil’s challenges head-on. When the enemy presses Him—“If you’re the Son of God, command this stone to become bread”—Jesus doesn’t negotiate. He answers with Scripture: “One does not live on bread alone.” The pattern repeats: the devil dangles “all this power and glory” and the lure of worldly kingdoms, but Jesus responds plainly: “You shall worship the Lord your God, him alone shall you serve.”

Fr. Simon pauses on a detail you might miss: the devil calls Jesus “Son of God,” but never “Son of Man.” Jesus uses “Son of Man” to describe Himself, echoing the Book of Daniel. God enters human history, walks among us. The enemy is content when religion stays safely contained. As Fr. Simon puts it, the devil is “fine if we keep our religion in church.” It’s when we live it publicly in our choices, our witness, and our daily obedience that the enemy starts pushing back.

And how does he push? Often with a question. Fr. Simon connects this to Eden: “Did God really say, ‘You shall not eat from any of the trees in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1)

The goal is to destabilize trust and make obedience seem optional, outdated, or naïve. The remedy is what Jesus models: knowing what God has said and standing on it. As Fr. Simon likes to joke (crediting his favorite theologian, the Reverend Billy Bob), “At the beginning of something, get your leading straight." In other words, you gotta know why God called you into this, because the devil’s going to try to shake your faith. That’s why we discern with prayer, wise counsel, and humility. We need guidance on this journey.

God has spoken through Scripture, His commandments, and Christ’s own teaching on life and love. When the questions come, don’t let them shake you. Study Scripture. Hold fast to the moral law given in love. And remember: the Word of God endures forever.

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.

Temptation can be our downfall if we succumb to it. But if we reject it, we will emerge from it even stronger than before.
On Father Simon Says, Fr. Richard Simon points out that we even use the word in everyday life: &ldquo;tempered steel&rdquo; and &ldquo;tempered glass&rdquo; are materials that have been tested and proven strong. In the spiritual life, God permits testing &ldquo;not because he needs to know what&rsquo;s in us, but because we need to know what&rsquo;s in us, that we might repent of it.&rdquo;
That&rsquo;s why Jesus, led by the Spirit, entered the desert and faced the devil&rsquo;s challenges head-on. When the enemy presses Him&mdash;&ldquo;If you&rsquo;re the Son of God, command this stone to become bread&rdquo;&mdash;Jesus doesn&rsquo;t negotiate. He answers with Scripture: &ldquo;One does not live on bread alone.&rdquo; The pattern repeats: the devil dangles &ldquo;all this power and glory&rdquo; and the lure of worldly kingdoms, but Jesus responds plainly: &ldquo;You shall worship the Lord your God, him alone shall you serve.&rdquo;
Fr. Simon pauses on a detail you might miss: the devil calls Jesus &ldquo;Son of God,&rdquo; but never &ldquo;Son of Man.&rdquo; Jesus uses &ldquo;Son of Man&rdquo; to describe Himself, echoing the Book of Daniel. God enters human history, walks among us. The enemy is content when religion stays safely contained. As Fr. Simon puts it, the devil is &ldquo;fine if we keep our religion in church.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s when we live it publicly in our choices, our witness, and our daily obedience that the enemy starts pushing back.
And how does he push? Often with a question. Fr. Simon connects this to Eden: &ldquo;Did God really say, &lsquo;You shall not eat from any of the trees in the garden&rsquo;?&rdquo; (Genesis 3:1)
The goal is to destabilize trust and make obedience seem optional, outdated, or na&iuml;ve. The remedy is what Jesus models: knowing what God has said and standing on it. As Fr. Simon likes to joke (crediting his favorite theologian, the Reverend Billy Bob), &ldquo;At the beginning of something, get your leading straight." In other words, you gotta know why God called you into this, because the devil&rsquo;s going to try to shake your faith. That&rsquo;s why we discern with prayer, wise counsel, and humility. We need guidance on this journey.
God has spoken through Scripture, His commandments, and Christ&rsquo;s own teaching on life and love. When the questions come, don&rsquo;t let them shake you. Study Scripture. Hold fast to the moral law given in love. And remember: the Word of God endures forever.
<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>.

“I Finally Have a Father”: A Child’s Thank You (Family Rosary Across America)

The Best of the Week

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