St. Charbel, Marian Devotion, and the Rise of Young Catholic Men with Fr. Charbel (Franciscans of the Immaculate)

This episode is packed — saints, miracles, Marian devotion, vocations, fatherhood, fasting, silence, and the rise of a new generation of men hungry for God.

Fr. Charbel, a Franciscan Friar of the Immaculate, joins Adam and David in Tulsa along with first-class relics of St. Maximilian Kolbe and St. Charbel, sharing powerful stories of faith, mission, intercession, and what young Catholic men are longing for today.

IN THIS EPISODE

1. Meet Fr. Charbel — his order, his mission, and why Marian consecration is central

Fr. Charbel introduces the Franciscans of the Immaculate, an order founded to continue the Marian mission of St. Maximilian Kolbe:

• Total consecration to Mary as a fourth vow
• A spirituality built on St. Francis + St. Maximilian
• Missionary availability (“Send me anywhere in the world”)
• Heavy emphasis on prayer, poverty, obedience, and Marian devotion

He explains how Our Lady’s presence has shaped every major moment in salvation history — from Nazareth to the Cross — and why consecration gives Mary “permission” to form us the way she formed Christ.

2. A surge of young men seeking God

As the newly appointed vocations director, Fr. Charbel reveals something astonishing:

40+ serious vocation inquiries in just two months.

Why the sudden surge?

• Men want something real
• They crave mission and purpose
• They want orthodoxy and reverence
• They want a spirituality that demands something of them
• Marian devotion draws them in a unique way

“It’s inspiring,” he says. “Young men want authenticity.”

3. Stories of Divine Providence and the adventure of religious life

The guys talk about:

• The Franciscan blend of active + contemplative
• The thrill of trusting God with everything
• Poverty that becomes a doorway to providence
• Why Franciscans never seem to fundraise (“God just provides”)

Religious life, he says, is more adventurous than most men realize.

4. Deep dive: Who is St. Charbel? Why is he exploding in popularity?

St. Charbel Makhlouf, a Lebanese hermit, is becoming one of the most beloved saints of the century.

Father explains why:

• Lived a hidden, humble, ascetic life
• 23 years in community + 23 years as a hermit
• Entire life centered on the Holy Eucharist
• Body discovered incorrupt with supernatural light rising from his tomb
• Over 29,000 documented miracles since 1950
• Miracles among Muslims, Druze, Orthodox, and nonbelievers
• Global pilgrims: 2 million+ per year

One stunning story:

A Muslim sheikh publicly visited St. Charbel’s shrine to thank him for healing his mother of cancer.

“Why would God confirm the life of a hermit who spent his life before the Eucharist,” Father asks, “unless the Eucharist is truly what the Church says it is?”

5. Lessons from St. Charbel for modern men + fathers

What does a hermit from Lebanon have to teach us? A lot.

Fr. Charbel lays out practical takeaways:

• Faithfulness in the small things
• Silence — making space for God’s voice
• Daily prayer even without consolations
• Obedience and humility
• Eucharistic devotion
• Marian devotion as a way of being formed
• Asceticism and fasting: dying to self in small ways
• Doing your duty with love

As he says: “God doesn’t call you to be successful. He calls you to be faithful.”

6. Mary, her titles, and how she draws men to Christ

The guys discuss:

• Why we must be unashamed of Marian devotion
• The richness of her many titles:
• Mother of God
• Cause of Our Joy
• Mother of Good Counsel
• Undoer of Knots
• Seat of Wisdom
• Why Marian consecration doesn’t distract from Jesus — it leads to Him
• Why she is the “surest and quickest way” to holiness

Fr. Charbel emphasizes “You can never love her as much as Jesus already does.”

7. Books, Resources, and Where to Find More

Fr. Charbel’s order publishes incredibly practical Marian books:

• “Preparation for Total Consecration” (33 days in the spirit of Maximilian Kolbe)
• “Beloved Disciple” — how to live your consecration daily
• “Rule of Life: St. Maximilian Kolbe’s personal spiritual notes” (brand new)

Visit: AcademyOfTheImmaculate.com

Learn about the order: MaryMediatrix.com