This is the 3rd podcast to top the Apple charts from Ascension, a leading Catholic media company.
EXTON, Pa., Jan. 2, 2025 -- Ascension has released a 3rd instant-hit podcast at the #1 spot in all categories on the Apple charts, ahead of shows like The Joe Rogan Experience, Dateline, and The Daily. The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR) is a sequel to Ascension's 2021 breakout hit The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)® and 2023 The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)®, which have held the #1 Apple Podcast position for a combined total of 37 days.
A new Catholic podcast from Ascension Press is #1 on Apple Podcasts ahead of Joe Rogan, Dateline, and The Daily.
The Rosary in a Year had already made a splash in November as the #6 Top New Show on Apple Podcasts during the week of its initial announcement (Associated Press).
Now, it's at #1 in All Categories on Apple Podcasts, and has been the #1 podcast in Religion & Spirituality since 12/30/24. It has already seen hundreds of thousands of downloads.
"The world offers so much, but we want God," explains podcast host Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR. "In 1979, when the newly-elected Pope John Paul II was returning to communist-controlled Poland for the first time as the Holy Father, in response to his words, the crowd of over 1 million people cried out, 'We want God! We want God! We want God.' I can't help but see this cry being echoed by the millions of people who have participated in Bible in a Year, Catechism in a Year, and now Rosary in a Year."
"The success of our podcasts reflects a growing desire in our culture to seek spiritual connection and purpose," notes Ascension President and CEO, Jonathan Strate. "Being at the top of the charts once again is a testament to the hard work of our team in leveraging digital media to reshape how people engage with Catholic content."
Introducing New "in a Year" Podcast Host: Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR
Rosary in a Year host Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR, is a leading figure in Catholic media, well-known for his weekly videos on the Ascension Presents YouTube channel, including the channel's 2 most popular videos of all time: a Divine Mercy Chaplet prayer video with 7M views and a Rosary prayer video with 5.3M views. Fr. Mark-Mary has also written 2 best-selling books for Ascension and contributes to other media projects for his religious order, the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFRs).
Fr. Mark-Mary's love for—and expertise in—prayer, is precisely why Ascension was excited to green light the Rosary in a Year concept that Fr. Mark-Mary had first sketched out in a December 2021 Ascension Presents YouTube video. In that original video, the Bronx-based priest had given his audience a 10-minute rough sketch of how they could spend a year diving deeply into the prayers of the Catholic rosary. With the launch of The Rosary in a Year, Fr. Mark-Mary will be able to actually accompany his listeners through all 365 days of that prayer plan. Ascension has additionally published a companion book and parish resources to further enrich the experiences of both individuals and communities.
"The Bible In a Year" Podcast: #1 Global Podcast in Religion
The Rosary in a Year follows in the footsteps of The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)® which has been the #1 global podcast in religion since its 2021 debut. It was was the #5 most-shared show on Apple Podcasts in 2024 in all categories, and is the most successful Catholic podcast of all time. As of this writing, The Bible in a Year is #9 in All Categories on Apple Podcasts.
The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR) is Ascension's 3rd "in a Year" podcast in this brand family, and the 5th across all languages:
- 2021: The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
- #1 on Apple for 24 days across Jan. 2021 and Jan. 2022
- 2022: La Biblia en un año (Spanish edition of Bible in a Year)
- 2023: The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)®
- #1 on Apple for 13 days in Jan. 2023
- 2025: The Bible in a Year—Malayalam (India)
- 2025: The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR)
"In a Year" podcasts from Ascension have been #1 on Apple for a combined total of 38 days and counting.
As of this writing, Ascension owns 3 of the top 4 podcasts in Religion & Spirituality.
2025's other new podcast, The Bible in a Year—Malayalam, was created in collaboration with the Conference Catholic Bishops of India, who desired to bring the Bible in a Year resource to the great majority of people in India who do not speak English. Due to the rich history of the Christian Church in Kerala, which dates back to the Apostle St. Thomas in the 1st century, Malayalam became the first language choice for this project.
Fr. Mark-Mary Ames is the Director of Communications and the Director of Priestly Studies of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR). The primary mission of the CFR community is a wholehearted embracing of Jesus Christ and their founder and Holy Father, St. Francis of Assisi. Through their commitment to prayer and contemplation, the study of Sacred Scripture, fidelity to the Church and the sacraments, fraternal life, and generous service to others especially the poor, the CFRs receive the nourishment necessary to live out their lives as sons of St. Francis in the Capuchin tradition.
Fr. Mark-Mary is the host of the Ascension Presents video series The CFRs and the host of the 2025 podcast The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR). He is the author of 2 books from Ascension: Habits for Holiness: Small Steps for Making Big Spiritual Progress and The Father: 30 Meditations to Draw You Into the Heart of God.
His favorite work, however, is not nearly as public. Near and dear to Fr. Mark-Mary's heart is his work walking one-on-one with the suffering, hearing confessions, and offering service as a regular chaplain to the Sisters of Life formation convents.
Click here to see full biography.
Ascension is a multimedia network and the leader in Catholic faith formation and digital content. Over the past 25 years, Ascension has helped nurture the faith of over 20 million Catholics through award-winning books, the chart-topping Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)® podcast, more than 50 unique faith formation programs, and the Ascension Presents media and YouTube platforms.
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