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When a spiritual father dies, it’s not just the end of an era — it’s a moment for grief, gratitude, and renewed faith.

In this special episode, I sit down with my friend JD Flynn to unpack the life and legacy of Pope Francis — the parts that inspired us, the parts that challenged us, and the parts that still call us to deeper conversion today.

This conversation isn’t about politics. It’s about family. It’s about honoring the man who gave his life to shepherd the Church through some of the most complicated years in recent history — and asking what we are called to do next.

Want to jump right to the key moments? Here's where you can dive in:

3:30 - How Pope Francis defied political labels—and why that matters ⚖️

4:48 - Why this papacy didn’t fit into any easy box

6:51 - The messy moments—and why healing starts with truth

8:46 - His pastoral heart: daily calls to a priest in Gaza ❤️

13:11 - Why pretending “everything’s fine” actually hurts the Church

29:27 - The call to go back to the heart of it all. ✝️

32:26 - How his witness challenges you and me to grow in maturity

The Church isn’t just an institution, but a family. And when a spiritual father dies, it's time to come together and carry the best parts forward, meet the hard parts with faith, and keep working together—not with anger or division, but with the hope and joy that only Jesus can give.

Let's pray for Pope Francis.

Let's pray for the Church.

And Let’s pray that the future pope would be exactly what the church needs right now.

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The Chris Stefanick Show will soon be premiering on EWTN+ Streaming! You can start watching more great content at EWTN.com/ondemand/

........ ✈️ To learn more about all of Real Life Catholic Pilgrimages visit: https://reallifecatholic.com/pilgrimages/

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️ Listen to 3-Minute Reset, my NEW podcast with Pat Lencioni for working Christians: https://apple.co/3RHoSg2

What if one headline could rewrite your entire life?

“He is Risen.” Three words that flipped the world upside down—and they still change everything today.

In this episode, we dive deep into what the Resurrection of Jesus actually means for your life. Not in a distant, theological way—but in the realest, most practical sense. The tomb is empty. Death has lost. Your story is forever changed. We talk about the eternal victory that breaks into our ordinary days. The cancer diagnosis? Doesn’t win. That grief? Doesn’t define you. The enemy of death itself? Conquered.

And I’ll take you inside the tomb of Jesus—actual footage from one of the most powerful places on earth.

Timestamps:

00:00:16 – Why “He is Risen” Changes Everything

00:01:22 – The Kind of News That Rewrites Your Story

00:04:41 – The Real Enemy at the Gates (And How Jesus Beat Him)

00:06:15 – Why Christians Don’t Just “Make Peace” With Death

00:07:52 – How Jesus Transformed My Mother-in-Law’s Final Days

00:12:23 – St. Josephine Bakhita and the Redemption of Suffering

00:15:16 – Scientific Evidence Behind the Resurrection

00:16:47 – Your Life Isn’t a Story o...

Happy Holy Week, guys! This week before we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on Easter is a special time in the Church. So often, we get distracted by holiday plans and preparation that we let the week go by without reflecting on the magnitude of what really happened 2,000+ years ago. So that’s what I’m going to focus on over the next two weeks—the passion, death and resurrection of our God.

I’m going to be honest, this was a tough talk for me to write, and it might be tough for you to hear. But that’s what this week is all about. Sit in those feelings and let the events that took place have that impact on you. Be there with Jesus this Holy Week in the garden, in the praetorium, on the cross, and in the tomb. Let yourself be moved and affected by the story of our Lord’s passion, death, and resurrection. And remember, He is with you in your trials and suffering, and He did this all out of love for YOU. No matter your past, your present, your triumphs, your failings, your wounds—Jesus loves you so much that He died for YOU.

And as always, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to our YouTube channel so that you never miss an episode of the Chris Stefanick Show!

Thanks to Bishop Barron for the insight about all the world’s evils converging on Jesus, and to Fr. Benedict Groeschel for the insight about Jesus feeling abandoned so we wouldn’t have to feel that way alone.

Join the mission! Become a Missionary of Joy: https://reallifecatholic.com/moj/

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✈️ To learn more about all of Real Life Catholic Pilgrimages visit: https://reallifecatholic.com/pilgrima...

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✉️ Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly inspiration in your inbox.