The number one podcast in the world starting the new year doesn’t belong to Joe Rogan.
It does not belong to Alex Cooper, Mel Robbins or anyone from the Kelce clan.
It belongs to Father Mark-Mary Ames of Ascension Press. Or, actually, as he told Fox News Digital, it belongs to God.
In the time when Bible sales are on the rise Amidst research suggesting that people are generally giving up on religiosity, it’s somewhat of a surprise that “The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR)” climbed to #1 on Apple Podcasts to start the new year — holding that spot for three consecutive days before dropping to a noteworthy No. 2 spot on January 4th.
His modest host is the director of communications and director of Priestly Studies of the Franciscan Brothers of the Renewal (CFR), whose primary mission is to “accept Jesus Christ and their Holy Father, St. Francis of Assisi, with all our hearts.”
The author of “Habits for Holiness” spoke with Fox News Digital on SEEK25 DCa four-day event featuring conference sessions, world-class Catholic speakers, music, Mass and adoration for anyone seeking their pillars of prayer, fellowship, inspiration and fun. There he explained everything, from what motivated him to live a virtuous life, what the rosary should really be and how really feels the success of his podcast.
Podcast legend Joe Rogan’s ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ is currently No. 3 on the Apple Podcast Top Shows, just behind Father Mark-Mary Ames’ ‘The Rosary in a Year,’ which dropped to No. 2 on January 4th after three straight days at the top of the charts.
Father Mark-Mary Ames, who was born and raised in Orange County, California in what he described as a “rich family,” said Mother Teresa inspired him to give up his privileged life to serve others.
“I heard there was a group of Franciscans in New York who were die-hards and slept on the ground. And I looked them up, and I read our constitutions – which is what we say we are – and I said, ‘if that’s true, that’s all I ask.’ So I was a very, very normal kid, on a normal path, and then God just made this happen.”
“I was created to give my life to the poorest of the poor,” he added. “The great, profound experience of my life has been what God has done in generosity. And so there is nothing that I have left behind or sacrificed that has not been repaid a hundredfold. It is in new and deeper ways.”
Although it’s not the job he’s most proud of, the priest spoke to Fox News Digital about how the baton was handed to him from successful Alum Ascension Press Father Mike Schmitz for his “Rosary in the Year” podcast, describing the rosary itself as “a great remedy for our time.”
“There is something special there God wants to do according to Mary it continues even now. So it’s interesting that even Mary is the one who keeps coming,” he said. “I think the number one thing [that] it seems that there is some special grace that God has given to the rosary where he wants to do some special work. And the crown is the thing that unlocks it. It opens the door of grace.”
‘The Rosary in a Year’ podcast was #1 on Apple in all categories, ahead of Joe Rogan, 3 days into 2025.
The rosary can be confusing and even scary for some – but the priest claims it is actually “perfect”.
“Praying the rosary… is like physical therapy for the soul.”
“It took hundreds of years to develop to what it is, as a perfect prayer that has our way of receiving and coming to God,” he said. “But also, it’s really good for our humanity. We’re all over the place. It’s really hard for us to focus and concentrate, and the human ability to focus on concrete for long periods of time is kind of like the foundation on which prayer is built. It’s going to be really hard to hear God , get to God, if you can’t pay attention at all. And that’s why I think there’s a part of praying the rosary as physical therapy for the soul. It really atrophies the muscles.”
While his podcast serves to break it down each of the Marian mysteries and the structure of this perfect prayer with deliciousness in mind, offering both experienced meditators and newcomers the opportunity to understand it in a deeper way, Father Mark-Mary discovered that the devotion of the Rosary can actually be a personalized experience – adding to its perfection.
“[Praying the rosary] it’s not really a commandment, but on Sundays you have to go to Mass,” he said, explaining the difference between devotional and liturgical prayer. “And so within devotion there are good, good things. Whether that’s a good thing for you or not, there’s actually room for you to make that decision within it. There’s a lot more room for personalization.”
WHAT IS THE STRANGEST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED AND YOU THOUGHT GOD WAS REAL
An expert on the rosary admitted that even he can lose focus when praying it.
“A million percent,” he admitted. “And it’s something that’s like… it shouldn’t be controversial to people or put them off. This is my own journey because I want to be better and grow deeper.”
This was precisely the motivation – or calling, as he described it – that made him apply to lead “Kruna for a Year”.
“I’m just trying to be true to what’s in front of me. And if God wants to make this thing number one, great. If he wants to do all kinds of awesome things, that’s up to him.”
Despite his success so far, the famous friar told Fox News Digital that there are “more beautiful” things happening in the world that the media doesn’t pay attention to:
“There are many, many people in my life who are doing things that are much nicer and much more moving than a podcast being a number one hit. People just don’t know about it,” he said. “I am very grateful for the podcast, its popularity and it is a source of grace for people and helps them in prayer. [But] it’s not the hardest thing i do. It’s not the most honorable thing I do. And it’s definitely not the most heroic or touching thing my brothers and neighbors do.”
Readers can learn more about these beautiful things here.
