On The Drew Mariani Show, Drew raises a question that cuts right to the heart of our nation’s identity: Where do our rights come from? Do they come from government, or do they come from God?

That may sound like a simple question, but a recent exchange in the U.S. Senate showed just how confused our culture has become. Senator Tim Kaine – a Catholic himself – objected to the idea that our rights are given by God rather than government. He even suggested that believing in God-given rights was “troubling” and compared it to the mindset of oppressive regimes. Senator Ted Cruz quickly pushed back, pointing out that America’s founding document – the Declaration of Independence – states clearly that our rights are endowed by our Creator, not by lawmakers or political parties.

Drew invites one of the sharpest Catholic minds in the country, Professor Robert George of Princeton University, to unpack this controversy. Professor George reminds you that if rights are granted by government, then government can just as easily take them away. That’s a real path to tyranny. But if rights are given by God, then no human power can legitimately strip them from us. This is the bedrock principle of American freedom.

Professor George also speaks about how secularism has tried – and failed – to build a political philosophy without God. He reveals that he will soon deliver the Library of Congress’ prestigious Kellogg Lecture, where he’ll explain why secularist ideas can’t sustain freedom or human dignity. Even many non-religious scholars, he said, are beginning to see the cracks in a purely secular worldview.

This conversation is a reminder to Catholics and all people of faith that our rights are sacred gifts from God – not favors handed out by governments. If we forget that truth, we risk losing the very freedoms our nation was built on.

So where do our rights come from? The answer isn’t new. It’s written in our founding documents, rooted in Catholic teaching, and it’s as relevant today as it was in 1776: our rights come from God.

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Every Catholic has probably faced the question at some point: “Didn’t Jesus say, ‘Call no man father’?” It often comes from well-meaning Protestant friends or even skeptics who think Catholics are ignoring Scripture when they address priests as Father.

Fr. Richard Simon offers a clear, biblical explanation that goes beyond the soundbite. His response also sheds light on the deep spiritual relationship behind the title.

The Bible Passage in Question

The verse often quoted comes from Matthew 23:9, where Jesus says:

“And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.”

At first glance, this sounds absolute. But Scripture has to be read as a whole. Elsewhere in the New Testament, St. Paul repeatedly describes himself as a spiritual father.

St. Paul on Spiritual Fatherhood

In his Letter to Philemon, verse 10, Paul calls Onesimus his “child” whom he “begot” while in chains. The Greek verb used here means to engender or to father.

Paul also writes to the Corinthians:

“For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the Gospel” (1 Cor 4:15).

And in Ephesians 3:14-15, Paul bows his knees before the Father of Jesus Christ, “from whom every fatherhood in heaven and on earth is named.”

These verses show that the early Church did not erase the concept of human fatherhood – whether biological or spiritual. Instead, Paul embraces it as an image of God’s own fatherhood.

What Did Jesus Mean?

So, if Paul speaks of being a father in Christ, what does Jesus mean when He warns, “Call no man father”?

Fr. Simon explains: Jesus is condemning the misuse of authority, not the word father. The context in Matthew 23 is a warning against religious leaders who set themselves up as ultimate authorities. They wanted honorific titles and demanded allegiance that belonged to God alone.

Jesus also says in that same passage:

- “Call no man rabbi” (rabbi means my great one, a term of reverence).

- “Call no man teacher.”

And yet, across denominations, Christians still use titles like Doctor (literally “teacher”), Reverend (essentially “rabbi”), and Pastor. The prohibition is not against the titles themselves but against treating any human leader as if he replaces God.

As Fr. Simon puts it: “Don’t have gurus. Don’t hand your life over to another person as if they can dictate your every move – even what socks you should wear. That’s what Jesus is warning against.”

Why Catholics Call Priests “Father”

Catholics call priests Father because it names a relationship. Just as biological fathers give natural life, priests are entrusted with nurturing spiritual life through the sacraments, preaching, and pastoral care.

This is not new to Catholic tradition. From the first centuries, Christians referred to priests, bishops, and monastic leaders as fathers. The Desert Fathers of the early Church were revered precisely because they guided others in holiness.

Fr. Simon emphasizes: “I am not for the title Father. I am for the relationship Father.”

A Relationship Rooted in Scripture

When Paul says he “engendered” believers in Christ, he is claiming spiritual fatherhood. The Church continues that same reality today.

Final Thought

So, the next time someone asks you, “Why do Catholics call priests father if Jesus said not to?” you can answer with Scripture itself: St. Paul called himself a father, Christ is the source of all fatherhood, and Catholic priests carry on that spiritual fatherhood today.

That’s not against the Bible – it’s right at the heart of 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.

Image via Adam Jan Figel / Shutterstock.

Rome correspondent Ashley Noronha joins John Morales for Relevant in Rome, where she reports on the Holy Father's recent General Audience – which centered around Jesus' Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Pope Leo XIV held his Wednesday General Audience inside Paul VI Hall because of significant heat in Rome. After the audience, he went to St. Peter’s Basilica to greet and thank those who could not fit inside. 

His catechesis focused on Christ in Gethsemane. He said that Jesus did not go to the Cross out of frailty, but he gave up His life out of sincere love for us. The Pope described that love as mature and completely free. In the Gospel of John, we hear that Jesus bravely approached His hour. The Pope said, "Jesus had prepared His whole life for this dramatic and sublime hour". The Lord certainly experienced trouble in His soul, but He still moved with courage.

Pope Leo explained what true hope truly is, and it doesn't try to run away from pain or hardship. We are meant to love even in the midst of hardship or suffering. The Holy Father urged you to pray for the strength to not give up – to always love even when life is difficult. 

He closed with a plea for peace in the Holy Land. He asked for a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, full humanitarian access, and respect for international humanitarian law.

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.

On September 7, 2025, at St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV canonized Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, declaring them saints for the universal Church during his first canonization Mass. Tens of thousands gathered for the celebration, including Carlo’s mother and siblings.

What Ashley saw on the ground

Relevant Radio Rome correspondent Ashley Noronha reports from the square the day after the canonization event. She describes a joyful crowd of about 70,000 pilgrims who arrived before dawn. Some camped near the colonnade. Others lined up as early as 3:30 a.m. The atmosphere felt like a family reunion of the Church. Flags waved from Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Ireland, Poland, and more. The night before, young people kept vigil in Eucharistic Adoration in St. Peter’s Basilica.

A first for Pope Leo XIV

Before the solemn rites began, Pope Leo stepped to the microphone and greeted the people. He reminded everyone that all are called to be saints. Then came the moment the Church had awaited. The decree was read. The Holy Father announced that Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati are now saints of the Catholic Church.

St. Carlo Acutis: “The Eucharist is my highway to heaven”

St. Carlo’s witness reminds us of the importance of the Real Presence and time we need to spend before the tabernacle. He taught that the Eucharist is the fastest road to holiness. Let's never forget this reality!

Ashley shares a really touching family moment. Carlo’s mother Antonia was present with the twins, Michele and Francesca, who were born years after Carlo’s death. Michele proclaimed the first reading from the Book of Wisdom. For many, this was the first time seeing the siblings at a major public liturgy.

St. Pier Giorgio Frassati: charity, mountains, and “Verso l’alto”

St. Frassati’s friends called him a soul of prayer and service to the poor. He climbed mountains with a pickaxe and a rosary, and he brought friends to daily Mass. 

What the Pope preached

Ashley gives us several takeaways from the homily and papal remarks:

-Love Jesus first. Both saints kept a daily friendship with Christ.

-Stay close to Our Lady and the saints.

-Practice generous charity. Illness and trials did not stop them.

-The Pope called life with God an adventure that asks for a whole-hearted yes.

A mother’s word to the Church

After the Mass, St. Carlo’s mother spoke with pilgrims. She repeated Carlo’s invitation to choose the Eucharist first. Her simple question became the day’s marching order.

“Make your life a masterpiece”

Ashley and her husband John offered a talk in Rome on the virtues of both saints. The theme fit the Pope’s appeal. Let God write a masterpiece in your ordinary day. Keep the sacraments steady. Serve the poor. Invite friends to pray. Small choices add up.

St. Carlo Acutis teaches that the path stays simple. Go to Mass. Stay for Adoration. Teach children to see and love Jesus present.

St. Pier Giorgio shows that leisure can lift us to virtue. A hike can end in Vespers. A club can become a circle of charity.

Both show that holiness fits real life, not only monastic walls.

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 Father Simon Says, Fr. Richard Simon draws a powerful parallel between the manna in the desert and the Eucharist today. Just as the Israelites were told to gather only enough manna for the day, God still calls His people to trust Him daily – especially in the Eucharist.

Fr. Simon explains that the Eucharist is about a firm trust: “The work of God is to trust in the one He sent.” Like the ancient “Counting of the Omer,” where barley (symbolizing our earthly selves) gave way to wheat (our spirit turned toward God), the disciples – and we – are invited to grow through testing and transformation.

That transformation begins with honesty. “God only works with confessed sin,” Fr. Simon reminds you. Grace can only reach us when we admit our need for healing.

The Eucharist, then, becomes the ultimate trust test. Do we long for it, or do we simply check the box of weekly obligation?

Fr. Simon challenges us to reflect:

-Do I hunger for Mass?

-Do I trust that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist?

-Am I being transformed, or just going through the motions?

It’s a reminder that what might seem like “just bread” is in fact a test of the heart – and an invitation into deeper trust in Christ.

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 Father Simon Says, a listener named Pat from Wisconsin asks a great question you might have wondered: “Why does the Catholic Bible have more books than the Protestant one?”

Fr. Simon gives a clear and memorable answer. Early Christians used the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Jewish scriptures, which included all the books found in today’s Catholic Old Testament.

Centuries later, during the 1500s, Martin Luther noticed the Jewish canon had fewer books. Believing the Christian Bible contained “extras,” he placed them in a separate category – and eventually, Protestant Bibles left them out completely.

As Fr. Simon puts it: “It’s not that Catholics added books – it’s that others took them out.”

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 FotoDax / Shutterstock.

Jessica from Chicago calls in with a heartfelt question: her husband goes to Mass but doesn’t say the prayers out loud. He stands silently, praying in his heart. Is that wrong?

Jessica’s concern is about the kids. She worries they won’t engage at Mass if Dad seems unresponsive. And when she encourages him to participate more vocally, he asks, “Why do I need to say it out loud if I’m already praying inwardly?”

Patrick explains that Canon Law doesn’t require us to speak the prayers aloud, so technically, her husband isn’t doing anything wrong. But he added an important perspective: the Mass is communal. As members of the Body of Christ, our visible participation helps build up others – especially within our families.

Children learn by watching. If Dad prays silently without showing any outward response, they may interpret it as disinterest, even if he is fully engaged interiorly. Patrick compared it to saying “I love you”: it’s meaningful to feel it in the heart, but it makes a deeper impact when spoken out loud.

The takeaway is that visible faith matters. Leadership in the family often begins in the pew. Even a quiet effort – mouthing the words, joining in the songs – shows the children, “I’m here, I care, and I’m praying too.”

Jessica’s real desire is simple: for her children to see faith expressed, not hidden. And that’s a lesson every family can relate to.

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.

Can a marriage be saved, even after a total collapse?
Doug Hinderer says yes – if both husband and wife are willing to fight for it.

A Cycle of Divorce... and an Unexpected Turn
Doug shares the remarkable story of a woman whose life seemed destined for heartbreak. She married three times, carried the pain of childhood trauma and her parents’ divorce, and entered relationships seeking excitement instead of covenant commitment. The wounds of her past followed her into each marriage, leaving chaos and broken trust behind.

As Doug points out, we all bring our histories into marriage. Unless those wounds are healed, we are bound to repeat them. Statistics confirm this reality: children of divorce face a far greater risk of divorce themselves, unless someone chooses to break the chain.

When God Entered the Story
Everything began to change in her third marriage. Faith entered the picture, and she and her husband began attending church. She discovered commitment not as a fleeting feeling but as a lasting choice. Her husband eventually pursued becoming Catholic, and she followed. At first, she resisted – but by reading Catholic books and seeking understanding – her heart softened.

It was through the Catholic Church that she found what she had been missing: a vision of marriage as a lifelong covenant – not something to be discarded when it gets hard. For the first time, her relationship rested on trust, faith, and perseverance.

The Church’s Wisdom on Marriage
Her husband was struck by how casually the world treated divorce. Catholicism offered something different: marriage as a bond “until death do us part.” This vision gave their relationship a foundation stronger than feelings or circumstances.

Now they live a faithful Catholic marriage that is solid and life-giving. Together, they are breaking the cycle of generational pain. Their children will grow up knowing that love requires sacrifice – and that real love looks like the Cross.

A Joyful Update
In the same episode, a listener named Matthew called in to share moving news. After he and his wife struggled with infertility, they entrusted their desire for children to the Blessed Mother. In May, they conceived. 

Doug’s Closing Wisdom
Marriage is hard, even when it’s good. It is not the end of a romantic story but the beginning of a lifelong journey. And while the world tells us marriage is about happiness, Doug reminds us:

“Marriage isn’t about happiness; it’s about holiness. But holy people are happy people.”

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.

Suffering Up Close: A Personal Story

Fr. Simon begins with a heartbreak. A close friend is suffering terribly, and her husband is left crushed, asking the question that eventually finds every believer:

“Why do people who love God so much have to suffer so much?”

It feels like a fair question. If we love God, shouldn’t life get easier?

The answer, of course, is no.

The Furnace of Suffering

Fr. Simon reflects on the prayers we whisper by a hospital bed: “Lord, heal her… step in… do something.” And yet, so often, the silence stretches on, leaving us helpless and bewildered.

But here’s the hard Gospel truth he shares:

“I suspect that when we stand at the throne of God, we’ll look back on the worst days of our lives and realize… they were the best.”

Why? Because those are the days when we really loved.

This is not the sentimental, Hallmark-card kind of love, but the gritty, tear-streaked love that costs us something. It's the kind of love that mirrors Jesus on the Cross, and that love endures.

A Brother’s Final Days

Fr. Simon recalls his own brother – devout, generous, and terminally ill. After visiting his wife’s fresh grave, he sat in silence – knowing his own plot was beside hers. He couldn’t even speak – he simply mouthed one word: “Why?”

In that silence, Fr. Simon’s sister quietly reminded him:

“At the heart of our faith, there is a Cross.”

That is the truth at the center of Christianity. We follow not a pain-free prosperity guru, but a crucified Christ. And when we suffer with love, we share in His glory.

The View from Heaven

From earth, suffering feels unbearable. But seen from heaven, it may be the very place where our hearts beat most like Christ’s.

Because in those moments…

We feel deeply. We pray honestly. We love sacrificially.

And suddenly, the noise of the world fades. All that remains is you, the person you love, and the God who first chose to suffer for us.

Suffering does not mean God has abandoned you.
It means you are standing beside Him on Calvary.

And that, friend, is holy ground.

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 Family Rosary Across America, Fr. Rocky and Maggie join you in prayer, hope, and a few surprises from young callers.

12-year-old Francis from Phoenix calls in with incredible news: his little brother Vincent, who had been in the hospital, is now completely healed – no brain damage, no lasting effects, nothing. His family had been praying a novena to Blessed Michael McGivney, and on the ninth day, Vincent came home. Their father was so moved he decided to join the Knights of Columbus. Could this healing be the miracle that propels Fr. McGivney to sainthood? The family, and listeners, are praying for it.

Then, 14-year-old Sage from Minnesota shares a prayer request for her dad who doesn’t believe in God. Fr. Rocky encourages her to keep showing love and gratitude to her father each day, reminding us that love opens doors where words sometimes cannot.

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.