The dial read 930AM out of Joliet, Illinois and the station
was Relevant Radio, a Catholic radio alternative to EWTN. The priest’s voice I
heard coming from the speakers was Father Richard Simon and the show was Go ask your Father. It is a call-in show
where people can ask any question they have about the Lord, the faith or the
Church. Father fielded the questions giving the nuts and bolts answers in a way
anyone could understand. He did so with
charity and humility. Humility – that was
something I rarely heard on political talk radio. It was refreshing. I was
interested.
I tuned in the next day. It was a different Father but the show
was the same. I came to learn that the show was hosted by a core of three
priests with an occasional guest priest filling any holes that came about. I
liked all the priests but Father Simon was my favorite. He was a man after my
own heart who could teach obscure facts with even more obscure humor. He knew
how to laugh at himself and was always charitable, especially with those who
just didn’t get it. Father Simon became so popular that Relevant Radio gave him
his own show – Father Simon Says. He now does a bible study of the daily
readings as well as answer questions from callers. Most enjoyable are his harangues
on any number of subjects concerning the Church and the faith. I was hooked.
Father Simon quickly became my favorite person to listen to.
I worked backwards through his pod casts and his writings. Soon the Lutheran
walls around my Catholic faith began to crumble as I learned why the Church
does what it does. It was like looking through a window with forty years of
grime on it. I couldn’t see anything clearly and therefore questioned the very
fundamentals I claimed to believe. Father Simon cleaned that window allowing me
to see the truth as never before. The truth will set you free and I was now
free to grow in my faith in profound and monumental ways. So began my true
conversion and I walked this road with new sight and understanding.
I am saved by grace through faith but if I had to give
credit to those who brought me to Christ they would be:
My parents for believing faith instruction was something to be passed
on.
Pastor Mueller for baptizing me.Pastor Stienkie for confirming me.
Father Mullane for converting me.
Bishop Doran for accepting me.
Father Ariel Valencia for welcoming me home.
And special
appreciation goes to Father Richard Simon for his continued instruction on what
it means and takes to be a true Catholic in this world. His teaching broke my
Lutheran mindset and was the instrumental force behind my second, my full
conversion to the Catholic faith. If I had not found Relevant Radio and Father
Simon I may have never found my way home.
God provides
for all. Sometimes he will give you exactly what you need. Sometimes he gives
you more. When he gives you more he provides you to someone else in need. He provided
what I needed when I needed it but there is always a reason why.
To learn
more about Relevant Radio check out their website:
To learn
more about Father Simon or to enjoy one of his harangues start with his blog:
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| Father Richard Simon |
