Fr. Zach Burns joins The BeatiDudes for a hilarious and deeply moving conversation that starts with red beards, Franciscan height rankings, and the possibility that Fr. Zach may be the tallest friar in the world. Fr. Zach shares about growing up in a faithful Catholic family where Mass was non-negotiable, even if deep catechesis and prayer were not fully part of the family rhythm. With Paul Kolker, Nick Bezner, and Jeff Schiefelbein guiding the conversation around the Tiny Table, the episode quickly becomes a story about the seeds of faith, family formation, athletic identity, and the surprising ways God prepares a vocation long before a person recognizes it.

Fr. Zach then walks The BeatiDudes through his path from college athlete and aspiring teacher to a young man feeling like everything in life had fallen apart. After a disappointing athletic career, a painful breakup, difficulty landing a teaching job, and a stretch of weekend partying, he found himself spiritually exhausted and wondering what his life was really about. Then, in a moment sparked by a text about Pope Benedict’s resignation, Fr. Zach began asking whether holiness was something he could actually train for. His athlete’s mindset turned into a grace-filled opening: “I’m not holy, but I could be.”

What follows is a powerful vocation story rooted in the Lord’s mercy. Fr. Zach describes sensing God telling him that he was not seen as a failure and that God had something for him. The next morning, he woke up with a surprising clarity that he was going to become a Franciscan friar. From there, the doors seemed to open through spiritual direction, a return to Mass, the example of joyful friars, his parents’ unexpected encouragement, and a first experience of Eucharistic adoration that helped him truly pray for the first time. It is a funny, honest, and hope-filled reminder that God can turn perceived failure into a path of holiness, purpose, and joy.

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