What is Divine Mercy, and why should we never give up praying for the people we love? Fr. Chris Alar joins A Reason For Hope Podcast to explore Saint Faustina’s message, the power of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and common misconceptions about the Catholic faith.

Filmed at the National Shrine of Divine Mercy, this conversation with host Mario Costabile follows Father Chris Alar’s journey from a successful business career to the priesthood. He shares how his grandmother’s death by suicide led him to search for answers about salvation, prayer, and God’s mercy—and how that search transformed his life.

Drawing on the Diary of Saint Faustina, Scripture, and Catholic teaching, Fr. Chris discusses hope at the moment of death, praying for deceased loved ones, and trusting God even when we cannot see His grace at work. He also addresses questions about Mary, the Immaculate Conception, and the sacrifice of the Mass, while offering guidance on sharing the truth with love.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Divine Mercy and Saint Faustina’s influence on Fr. Chris’s vocation

• The Divine Mercy Chaplet and praying for loved ones who have died

• Why Catholics honor Mary and ask for her intercession

• The connection between the Immaculate Conception and God’s mercy

• How the Mass makes Christ’s one sacrifice present to us

• Loving others while remaining faithful to Catholic teaching

• Using social media and artificial intelligence for evangelization

Whether you’re rediscovering Catholicism, grieving a loved one, or seeking a deeper understanding of God’s mercy, this conversation offers encouragement to keep praying, keep learning, and draw closer to Jesus.

⏰TIMECODE⏰

00:00 Hook

02:13 Fr. Chris' Faith Journey

04:55 How did God confirmed the call to the priesthood

08:18 Why join the Marian Fathers?

09:53 The Importance of Sr. Faustina's Diary

12:39 How do we let more people know about Divine Mercy?

15:03 Fr. Chris' inspiration to catechize

21:02 The Importance of Digital Content for Catechesis

23:42 Importance of Knowing How to Defend Our Faith

26:38 What's the Biggest Misconception About the Catholic Faith

29:48 Fr. Chris' Relationship with The Blessed Virigin Mary

31:16 How was Mary sinless?

33:48 Fr. Chris' approach to Proselytizing

38:32 Advice to Deepen Your Faith

39:43 Fr. Chris' thoughts on A.I.

41:44 Benefits of becoming a Priest later in life

43:08 Becoming Provincial Superior

44:26 What's next for the M.I.C.?

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The A Reason for Hope podcast brings the richness of Catholic teaching into dialogue with the cultural moment. We address topics of relevance and areas of confusion in society and the Church through interviews with prominent Catholic speakers, candid conversations from the Array of Hope team, and discussions about Catholic doctrine with our Vice President of Theology & Evangelization, Dr. David Hajduk.

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