Welcome to another The Simple Catholic Sunday Funnies! Growing up, one of my favorite parts of Sunday was flipping to the comics section of the newspaper: a little pocket of humor, color, and light-heartedness to start the week.
Now, in that same spirit, I’m excited to share this weekly collection of wholesome, funny Catholic comic strips. Thanks to the incredible talents of artists like Father Alvaro Comics, The Catholic Cartoonist, Sam Estrada, and Fr. Michael DeBlanc. These comics bring a joyful twist to our shared faith, reminding us that laughter is one of God’s great gifts.
Special shout-out to Tomics by Tom Gould as our newest contributor!
You can follow Fr. Michael on Instagram: @patermichaeldeblanc and on Facebook Fr. Michael DeBlanc).
Bonus Comic from my Meme Hunt Last Week:
I hope this week’s edition of The Simple Catholic Sunday Funnies brought a smile to your face and a bit of lightness to your Sunday. In a world that can often feel heavy, it’s good to pause, laugh, and see our faith reflected in simple moments of joy.
Be sure to check back next week for more Catholic humor — and as always, feel free to share with a friend who could use a laugh and a little grace.
Every year, fifty days after Easter, the Church throws a birthday party of sorts. But this isn’t the kind of birthday where you blow out candles or awkwardly sing “Happy Birthday.” Pentecost marks something far more profound: the moment the Church was born through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Upper Room: Where It All Began
Imagine the scene. The Apostles and Mary are gathered together in the Upper Room. They’re praying, waiting, wondering what comes next. Jesus had promised them a Helper—the Holy Spirit—but they probably didn’t fully grasp what that meant. Then, suddenly, a mighty wind fills the room, tongues of fire descend, and everything changes (Acts 2:1-4).
This wasn’t some private mystical experience. The Spirit’s arrival empowered the Apostles to speak in different languages, proclaiming the Gospel to people from every corner of the known world. What began as a small, frightened group of disciples instantly became a bold, Spirit-filled Church ready to take the Good News to the ends of the earth.
Pentecost: The Anti-Babel
To understand the full meaning of Pentecost, it helps to look backward—all the way to the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11). At Babel, humanity’s pride led them to build a tower to heaven, thinking they could reach God on their own terms. God confused their language, scattering them across the earth.
Pentecost reverses Babel. Instead of division, we see unity. Instead of prideful self-reliance, we witness humble reception of God’s gift. The Holy Spirit unites people of every nation, not by erasing their differences, but by enabling them to hear and understand the Gospel in their own language. Everything at Pentecost points back to this truth: all good things—especially unity—come from God.
The Church’s Distinguishing Marks Revealed
Pentecost gives us the Church’s “baby picture.” Even in her earliest moments, we can see her essential features.
Charismatic: The Church is filled with the Holy Spirit’s gifts. Tongues, preaching, healing—all flow from the Spirit’s power.
Trinitarian: The Spirit’s descent reveals the full work of the Trinity—sent by the Father and the Son (Acts 2:33-36).
Marian: Mary is present at Pentecost, just as she was present at Jesus’ conception. The Spirit overshadows both Mary and the Church, birthing Christ and His Body.
Apostolic and Petrine: The Apostles, led by Peter, proclaim the first great homily of the Church, explaining how Christ fulfills the Scriptures. Peter’s leadership demonstrates his unique role (Matthew 16:17-20).
Sacramental: Peter calls the people to repent and be baptized, receiving forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38-39).
Catholic: Though the first converts were Jews, they came from every nation, foreshadowing the Church’s universal mission.
Always in a Situation of Pentecost
Pentecost isn’t simply a historical event to be remembered; it’s the Church’s ongoing reality. Saint John Paul II captured this beautifully: “The Church of Christ is always, so to speak, in a situation of Pentecost: she is always gathered in the Upper Room in prayer, and at the same time, driven by the powerful wind of the Spirit, she is always on the streets preaching” (June 8, 2003).
The same Spirit that empowered Peter and the Apostles is alive and active today. The Church’s mission continues, proclaiming Christ to every nation and generation. Even now, the Holy Spirit unites us across languages, cultures, and continents as one Body in Christ.
Pentecost, Holiness, and Mission
Saint Pope John Paul II often spoke of how holiness fuels mission. The Spirit doesn’t just empower us to preach; He sanctifies us to live holy lives. As John Paul II said, each saint is “a masterpiece of the Holy Spirit.” Holiness isn’t a luxury for a select few but the ordinary path of every Christian, made possible by the Spirit working in us.
This holiness starts in prayer, continues in the sacraments, and grows through charity and humility. As the Holy Spirit moves us closer to Christ, our witness naturally overflows into mission, just as it did for the Apostles on Pentecost.
The Holy Spirit: The Hidden Gift That Makes All Things New
The Holy Spirit remains somewhat mysterious. We cannot see Him, but His effects are undeniable. Like the wind, we hear His movement and feel His presence. He empowers the Church, guides her into truth, convicts hearts, comforts the suffering, and strengthens the weak.
Pentecost reminds us that the Church’s strength never comes from programs, popularity, or human wisdom. It comes from God’s Spirit. What began in the Upper Room now radiates to the entire world—and continues today in every parish, family, and soul open to His presence.
So this Pentecost, as we celebrate the Church’s birthday, may we echo the prayer of Saint John XXIII that John Paul II often repeated:
“O Holy Spirit, Paraclete, perfect in us the work begun by Jesus… Let everything in us be on a grand scale: the search for truth and the devotion to it, and readiness for self-sacrifice, even to the cross and death.”
Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed Kramer Soderberg via phone call on May 14th, 2025. Some of the questions have been rearranged and edited to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given.
Growing up as the son of a college basketball coach, how have the lessons you learned from the court shaped your Catholic faith journey and your approach to spiritual “coaching”?
That’s a great question! I have been around the game of basketball my whole life. My dad was a college coach when I was born. Growing up in my early life I was the typical cradle Catholic. But after college I found myself learning more about the faith.
I realized that the stuff I learned on the court could be applied to my faith life. That I should approach my faith life with excellence like I did on the court. Another aspect that made me revert to the faith was the concept that if I wanted to achieve my goals in sports that it was really hard. Only later when I was reinvestigating the faith that I realized it was hard. The Catholic Church challenges you. It wouldn’t make sense if this journey was easy. Christ is challenging us to holiness and greatness. This is the same mentality that any great athlete pursues.
I love the word “strive”. It’s very connected to the title of my book: Fill Your Cup. My dad brought out three different sized cups to represent different types of athletes. And his message was that success was filling your cup (that you were given). True success in God’s eyes is to realize your potential and strive to fulfill your vocation and potential. It is so freeing to not worry about what anyone else is doing. That’s true success and sounds like the virtue of magnanimity.
Your dual identity as both a basketball coach and Catholic evangelizer is unique. How do you find these two callings complement each other, and what strategies from coaching translate most effectively to spiritual guidance?
I think my faith and vocation as a coach go hand and hand. Your Catholic faith should be intertwined with your life. It is simple for me to connect the two. When your faith is the most important part of your life it’s this mindset to not limit it to Sunday. To pray unceasingly. There’s certainly challenges: to a referee that’s annoying you or when players aren’t playing to their potential. But my faith helps me in these situations.
When I became a head coach, I thought I would get a lot more time to work on my Xs and Os and the gamplans. But what I learned was that I also focused on helping my players get in the right mindset and the idea of motivating my players for greatness was really the main role as a coach. The biggest crossover from being a college coach and my ministry is helping motivate and inspire people to that greatness, that sainthood and that desire to pursue it.
As a former player who excelled at both high school and college levels, how does your competitive background influence the way you approach challenges in your faith life and family leadership?
I think competitiveness is a great attribute. Like all good things, it can be skewed in the wrong direction. Competitiveness is so important in the athletic field and life in general. It comes back to this idea of pursuing greatness. It is not necessarily competitiveness against someone else, it is more so being the best I can be and challenging myself to the limits. That competitive fire as a player has never died as a coach. But when I realized that being Catholic is hard, the competitiveness translated to the spiritual life to drive me.
I have used the term crossover often, I don’t think I have paid attention to it.
Many Catholics struggle with bringing their faith into public spaces. As someone who moves between the athletic and faith worlds, what advice would you give to those looking to authentically integrate their Catholic identity into their professional lives?
I think that’s challenging. Most of us separate the two. On Sundays I go to Mass and on Mondays I go to work. During my reversion, I had a fascination with Jesus the person. I was thinking how he could be at peace all the time. What made him different? I grasped this idea that Jesus was always aware and connected with God’s Presence. This point hit home when I wrote this book. Constant awareness of God’s presence in your life is transformational. When I started to practice this, my life started to all become one (coaching, family life, and life).
So my suggestion is to be constantly aware of God’s presence. Three triggers helped me to be reminded of God’s presence:
Nature
Other people
Struggles, annoyances
These triggers helped to remind myself to practice being aware of God’s Presence. When you practice you form habits. And when you have habits you will start to blend Sunday into Monday.
About four or five years ago I hung a Rosary on my hip and I grabbed my Rosary to help center myself and remind me of God’s Will during stressful moments during a game.
With the intense schedule of basketball season and raising five children, how do you maintain spiritual disciplines and prayer life during particularly busy seasons?
It’s challenging for sure. I have always been a routine based guy. I think most athletes are similar. I have about five to six simple morning prayers. I read the Gospel each day. Anytime I am driving to and from work I pray the Rosary and I try to go to Mass throughout the week (4-5 times).
During the season, I find it easier to be more focused on the Lord. My habits during the stressful times I have the habit of running to the Lord. It’s interesting that in the off season I find it tougher to stick to my routine and be aggressive in my prayer life.
As a basketball enthusiast myself: If you could compare your Catholic faith journey to any current NBA player’s career trajectory or playing style, who would it be and why?
I’d probably say Kobe Bryant. Early on in my faith life I had a lot of youthfulness and excitement. About halfway through that downfall (during Kobe’s career) I had a type of low-point before my reversion. After that low-point it seemed that Kobe grew as a father and basketball player. It is at the low point that we are the most aware of God.
About Kramer:
First time author, Kramer Soderberg, is a devoted husband to his wife, Andrea, and father to his five children with a sixth on the way due in September 2025. Son of long time college basketball coach, Brad Soderberg, Kramer grew up in Saint Charles, Missouri where he excelled on the basketball court at both the high school and college levels. He is the head coach at Millikin for the past four years.
Outside of coaching, Kramer devotes much of his free time to growing in his Catholic faith and spreading his love of Jesus to others through speaking opportunities and personal interactions throughout his community.
Sponsored: This article is made possible by Sacred Heart Tea, supporting quality and engaging Catholic content.
When Everything Changed
7 years ago my life forever changed and the Sacred Heart of Jesus played a huge role in this change. Today, I’m writing this article on what would have been the 18th birthday of my little girl. Instead, she never made it past 10 years old.
One moment I was online sharing about a new sunscreen I found and the next day I was posting to tell the world that my little girl had died in my arms. You see, just 13 days before her 11th birthday I had to rush my daughter to the ER with a severe headache. Within a few hours she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. It was too late to save her and that day I held my little girl in my arms and birthed her into the arms of Jesus. As she died I remember weeping and saying, “He makes all things new. He makes all things new.” I told her, “It’s ok to go baby. You don’t have to stay. Mommy’s here. Mommy loves you.”
A Mission Passed On
In the moment of her death I had an overwhelming sense of what God was calling me to do. You see, for various reasons Maggie had not yet completed her RE classes and was scheduled to receive her first Holy Communion the day I rushed her to the ER.
And all that year her RE teacher talked about what it meant to be a missionary, and she had decided that she was not going to be a hair stylist or a nun but instead she was going to go wherever God called her and she was going to be a missionary. I realized in the moment she died that she was now the greatest missionary she could ever be. That the miracles she could work from Heaven would be unlike anything she could have done while alive here on earth. And I KNEW that as her mom it was my job to help her in her missionary work.
Heaven Touches Earth
6 weeks after Maggie died I found myself at a women’s retreat at my parish that lasted all weekend. No phones. No clocks. Just us and Jesus. We had 24 hour adoration and I found myself sitting before the Eucharist for hours at a time. You see, the room we used for adoration was small and the table was short so I could literally sit at His feet and talk with Him the way a friend would. As I looked at Jesus and spoke with Him, I felt a profound sense that Heaven opened to us in that moment. I realized I wasn’t just spending time with Jesus—I was also on a mommy-daughter date, because Maggie was there with Him, surrounded by all the saints and angels in Heaven.
Held by the Heart
I sobbed as I stared at Him and I was overwhelmed by His Most Sacred Heart. I begged Him to place me within His heart because it was there that I would find solace. It was there I would find love. It was there I would find protection from the flames that threatened to consume me in my agony.
And so I found myself there. Surrounded by burning flames and embers and I felt at peace. I was curled up in His embrace and I never wanted to leave. I didn’t realize how long I had been kneeling there when my knees collapsed. I never hit the ground because 3 or 4 women had been watching me and immediately rushed to my side.
They lifted me up and put all of their weight under my arms. I was on my knees again adoring the One I love only this time with the support of my sisters around me. I stayed there on my knees with their help and that weekend I left with an understanding between me and Jesus. God called me to be a missionary because He had called my daughter to the same mission, and as her mom, I knew it was my role to help her carry it out.
Into the Sacred Heart
And what is the mission? Christ and Him crucified! Christ and His Most Sacred Heart.
What storms have you endured? Is it hard to find peace? Does it feel impossible to remain standing? Ask Jesus to hide you in His Sacred Heart and it is there you will find protection from the storms that rage around you. Your pain won’t be taken away and your suffering won’t be non-existent. But you will find the peace and love you need to live life to the fullest.
Maggie, I’ll see you in the Eucharist baby girl. Mama loves you now and forever.
Thanks again to today’s article sponsor! Visit Sacred Heart Tea to find high quality and delicious teas.🍵
Sponsored: This article is made possible by The Last Weapon, supporting quality and engaging Catholic content.
In the cosmic battle between good and evil that rages both in the heavens and in human hearts, Catholics have long recognized that we are not defenseless. We have been given powerful spiritual weapons. Chief among our protectors stands the Blessed Virgin Mary—the Destroyer of All Heresies and our most reliable ally in spiritual warfare.
The Ancient Enmity
The battle lines were drawn in the very beginning. In Genesis 3:15, God Himself establishes the fundamental conflict: “I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers; They will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel.” This prophetic declaration reveals Mary not merely as a passive figure in salvation history, but as Satan’s greatest adversary—the one who would ultimately crush the serpent’s head through her divine Son.
This enmity is not accidental but divinely ordained. Where Satan’s rebellion was rooted in pride, Mary’s triumph comes through perfect humility. As St. Louis de Montfort observed, “What Lucifer lost by pride Mary won by humility.” Her complete “yes” to God at the Annunciation became the antithesis of Eve’s “no” in the Garden, making Mary the new Eve who would undo what the first had corrupted.
The Destroyer of Heresies
Mary’s title as “Destroyer of Heresies” reveals her active role in defending divine truth. This title was formally recognized by Saint Pope Pius X in his encyclical Pascendi Dominici gregis, where he invoked Mary under this powerful title in the Church’s battle against modernist errors. Unlike Satan, who is the father of lies and the author of confusion, Mary stands as the embodiment of pure faith. Her unwavering acceptance of God’s revelation serves as a beacon of truth in a world clouded by deception and false teaching.
This protection against heresy is not merely theological—it’s deeply personal and practical. Mary serves as our model of faith, showing us how to receive God’s truth completely and without reservation. She exemplifies the virtues of faith, hope, and charity that we need to combat the lies that Satan whispers in our daily lives. Her example teaches us to ponder God’s word in our hearts, constantly seeking deeper understanding rather than being swayed by every wind of doctrine.
The Perfect Advocate
Mary’s role as our advocate in spiritual battle goes back to the early Church Fathers. St. Irenaeus contrasted Eve’s disobedience with Mary’s perfect obedience, showing how Mary’s “yes” defended all of humanity and freed us from the consequences of disobedience. This advocacy continues today—she who stood faithfully at the foot of the cross now intercedes for us from heaven.
Her maternal mediation is uniquely powerful because it combines a mother’s tender care with perfect union to God’s will. God has placed Mary close to Christ, uniting her intercession as a mother with Christ’s intercession as our eternal High Priest. She presents our petitions to her Son and transmits His graces to us, serving as both our advocate before the throne of grace and our protector against the evil one’s attacks.
Weapons of Prayer
In this spiritual warfare, Mary has given us specific weapons—most notably, the holy Rosary. The Rosary is not merely a prayer but a weapon of spiritual combat. As tradition holds, the Rosary serves as both “a weapon of war and a battering ram against heresy.” Through the repetitive prayers and meditation on the mysteries of salvation, we unite our hearts with Mary’s contemplative spirit, allowing her to lead us deeper into the heart of her Son.
The genius of the Rosary lies in its accessibility and portability. Like any effective weapon, it must be readily available when the battle intensifies. Modern Catholics understand that spiritual warfare doesn’t confine itself to scheduled prayer times—temptations arise throughout our daily routines, requiring us to have our spiritual weapons always at hand. This understanding has inspired innovations like The Last Weapon’s pocket-clipped rosary, designed to ensure this powerful prayer is never out of reach when the spiritual battle calls.
Daily Readiness for Battle
Mary’s protection is not reserved for extraordinary moments but extends to our ordinary daily struggles. Her universal spiritual motherhood means she cares for all of Christ’s brethren “who are still journeying on earth amidst dangers and difficulties, until they reach their heavenly home.” This maternal care recognizes that we face spiritual battles in boardrooms and classrooms, in traffic jams and family disagreements, in moments of temptation and discouragement.
The key to accessing Mary’s protection is maintaining constant connection with her through prayer. Just as St. Padre Pio would call the Rosary his weapon, understanding that regular, accessible prayer creates an unbreakable bond with our heavenly Mother. This consistent devotion transforms Mary from a distant figure into an intimate protector who walks with us through every spiritual skirmish.
The Church’s Battle Plan
The Church herself seeks to imitate Mary’s example in the ongoing battle against error and evil. Like Mary, the Church contemplates God’s saving plan and accepts divine will, striving to present God’s true face to a world that often distorts or rejects divine truth. Mary serves as both the Church’s model and protector, showing us how to embrace mystery while maintaining unwavering faith.
Her role as teacher of true theology guides the faithful in growing in knowledge and discernment—essential skills for recognizing and rejecting the subtle heresies that pervade our culture. In an age when religious truth is often relativized or rejected outright, Mary’s example of complete faith provides the stability we need to remain anchored in authentic Catholic teaching.
Victory Assured
Perhaps most encouraging of all is the certain knowledge that Mary’s protection guarantees our ultimate victory. The woman clothed with the sun in Revelation represents the Church under Mary’s maternal care, and despite the dragon’s fury, her offspring are ultimately protected. Satan may rage against those “who keep God’s commandments and bear witness to Jesus,” but Mary’s intercession ensures that no weapon formed against us shall prosper.
This confidence allows us to engage in spiritual battle not with fear, but with the bold assurance that comes from fighting under the banner of the Queen of Heaven. With Mary as our protector, advocate, and guide, we can face each day’s spiritual challenges knowing that we are never alone in the fight. The Destroyer of All Heresies stands ready to crush the serpent’s head once again in our own lives, leading us safely to her Son who is our eternal victory.
In recognizing Mary as our surefire protector in spiritual battle, we discover not only a powerful intercessor but a loving mother who desires nothing more than to see all her children safely home in heaven—victorious over every assault of the evil one.
Thanks again to today’s article sponsor! Visit The Last Weapon to arm yourself for the spiritual battle. ⚔️🛡️📿
I feel brand new! Amen! 🙏Biblical typology 🙏🗼🕊️Just a letter off! 😄June is super-stacked. 😎❤️🔥🙏🙏🙏🙏🙂✝️Another miracle for Carlo Acutis! 🙂🧱🎺🎺A 10/10 Dad Joke 😄😄😄Life is fleeting. Spend your time here wisely. 🙏An early Pentecost meme 🔥🔥🔥 One of the longest words in the Catholic dictionary. 😄Jesus heals. 🙏Happy Belated Ascension 🙂🙏
That’s all I have this week. Stay tuned for next week’s Catholic Meme Monday. Receive updates straight to your email inbox by subscribing to The Simple Catholic blog.
P.S. If you prefer receiving quality Catholic humor in daily doses follow me on Instagram @thesimplecatholic.
Welcome to another The Simple Catholic Sunday Funnies! Growing up, one of my favorite parts of Sunday was flipping to the comics section of the newspaper: a little pocket of humor, color, and light-heartedness to start the week.
Now, in that same spirit, I’m excited to share this weekly collection of wholesome, funny Catholic comic strips. Thanks to the incredible talents of artists like Father Alvaro Comics, The Catholic Cartoonist, Sam Estrada, and Fr. Michael DeBlanc, these comics bring a joyful twist to our shared faith, reminding us that laughter is one of God’s great gifts.
Comic from Fr. Michael DeBlanc:
You can follow Fr. Michael on Instagram: @patermichaeldeblanc and on Facebook Fr. Michael DeBlanc).
I hope this week’s edition of The Simple Catholic Sunday Funnies brought a smile to your face and a bit of lightness to your Sunday. In a world that can often feel heavy, it’s good to pause, laugh, and see our faith reflected in simple moments of joy.
Be sure to check back next week for more Catholic humor — and as always, feel free to share with a friend who could use a laugh and a little grace.
