From the Kitchen Table: The Duffys - Bringing Hope & Light At Christmas With Raymond Arroyo

Episode Date: December 22, 2022

On this episode, Sean and Rachel sit down with FOX News Contributor and New York Times bestselling author, Raymond Arroyo to discuss the defrocking of Father Frank Pavone by the Catholic Church.  Later, Raymond details the history behind his new children's book, The Wise Men Who Found Christmas, the research that went into writing it, and he shares what Christmas is like in the Arroyo household. Follow Sean and Rachel on Twitter: @SeanDuffyWI & @RCamposDuffy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is brought to you by Mejuri. From November 25th to December 2nd, get 25% off everything on orders over $150 in Mejuri's biggest sale ever. From bold hoops to minimalist stacks, Mejuri has something for everyone. Mejuri makes handcrafted fine jewelry for every day made with responsibly sourced materials.

So you can look and feel good about gifting and wearing them. Shop your wishlist 25% off at Mijeri.com today. Hey everyone, welcome to From the Kitchen Table. I'm Sean Duffy along with my Christmas co-host, my partner in life and my wife, Rachel Campos Duffy. Are you like making me Mrs. Claus today? Well, you've said I've started to look like Santa. So well, that's not true.

You've dropped a little bit. I have a white beard. I'm getting a white beard. Yeah. Anyway, that's too much TMI. Well, it's so great to be back at our kitchen table. Anyway. Oh, the white hair. Oh, yeah. That's too much of TMI. TMI. Yeah, too much TMI right now. Well, it's so great to be back at our kitchen table. And, you know, today I'm getting a double dose of Raven Arroyo.

Ooh. Because we had Raven Arroyo on Fox & Friends this morning, and he just whet our appetite on his book and on this hot topic that we're going to talk about today as well. We're going to talk about his book, but we're also going to talk about Father Pavone being, I guess, defrocked by the socialist Pope Francis. So let's, with no further ado, bring in our friend, New York Times bestselling author. I can't even tell you how many books have hit the New York Times bestseller list. The author of Seen and Unseen on Laura Ingram's Angel.

That too. And of his new Christmas children's book, which is amazing. And so we'll get to that. But, Raymond, welcome to the kitchen. Oh, thank you for having me. I'm glad you finished the sentence, Rachel, when you said, Raymond Arroyo came on and wet our appetites. Yeah, I thought for a minute you were going to say the couch. You thought I was going to say wet his pants?

Yeah, or the couch or something. I didn't know what you were going to say. Here's my first question. If I can just turn the tables, you knew this would happen. Are you all really at the kitchen table? I want a photographic evidence that you're there right now.

Take a picture and text it to me so I can post this. I'll do that for you. I want to see you all at the kitchen table. And then I want to know why wasn't I invited to sit on the kitchen table with you? I invited you to our home many times.

Yes. And you're always running around. You want to see your son. You've got shopping to do. Laura Ingram has you doing shows. That's true. And you never make it over to New Jersey. All right, I'm going to come.

I'm going to come. Let me sit on the table. Listen, the Arroyos are always welcome. People don't realize how close the Arroyos and the Duffies are. The Arroyos and Duffies have actually vacationed together. That's how close the Arroyos and the Duffies are. The Arroyos and Duffies have actually vacationed together. That's how close the Arroyos and the Duffies are. This is very true. Very true. In fact, I... He's gone to Disney World

and if he ever lost his job at Fox, he could become a tour guide. He was a great tour guide. We always mock him. Raymond would go through the park and he would whatever he had, whether it was an umbrella or a little flyer of some sort, he'd raise his hand like a tour guide and wave whatever he had his hand shaking about this way follow this way because that's see where he was there's so many people

you can't tell cats well yeah I mean look and the arroyo I only had four people you all had like 30 so it's 34 people and you're waving and you're trying to get them all together and and some want to go see the you know Lion King show other people want to hit together. And some want to go see the Lion King show. Other people want to hit Everest. And we've got to meet at the aquarium so we can get to the Harambe, you know, whatever that is, safari tour on time. And Disney is very stressful. I have to tell you. My anxiety has dropped significantly since I've stopped going to those parks.

Did you stop going because it's woke? Because honestly, other than the Duffys, I don't know, and maybe our neighbors, the Tuppers, I don't know anyone who's been to Disney more than Raymond Arroyo. That's true. I've been a lot. Well, look, when you live in Louisiana, we'd go twice a year. My parents would take us, and then I'd go with our local CYO group, and sometimes we'd go three times a year.

So, you know, you get to know it. But it's changed so much. I mean, it's like a lottery system. You're a refugee waiting for them to let you in at every attraction. You're talking about, like, how tedious it's become. But what's really sad is, you know, when we would go with all our little kids and their royals when they were younger, I think back then, I mean, we could justify going and the hassle and the money and everything else because it was a respite from a culture that we thought at that time um was really bad although it probably probably seems

pretty wholesome now to 10 15 years ago but but in any case i would say that they've ruined this experience. There's really, it's not that cultural, you know, oasis of innocence anymore. And it's really hard to justify the hassle and the cost. And the expense. No, no. They priced middle-class families and working-class families out of the parks. I mean, it's like you could go to Europe twice

for what it would cost a family of four to go to Disney World. I mean, it's off the charts. Maybe that's why they've gone so woke. Maybe they're appealing to liberal, rich, white families. Well, this is what I'm understanding. Maybe that's their market. Maybe. Because back in the day, if you look at the 80s, you had all these families that went to the park.

But, you know, obviously, if middle class families can't go any longer, the park is still packed. can't go any longer the the the park is still packed i mean you pay 150 bucks a ticket to go stand in line for two hours a couple times and then go back exhausted to your hotel room right it's just i mean the experience is is is not enjoyable i'm just going to tell you one quick story when i when i went to the park after i won my first race to congress i promised the kids we'd go to disney and we went and they have the parade, multiple parades every day down the middle road. I was used to parades and shaking people's hands. I felt like I had to get out of the Disney parade and walk down and shake everyone's hands.

I had to tell them, no, no, no. You get to watch this one, Sean. Shut up. Watch the parade. Mickey shakes hands, not you. That is the trip where we lost a two-year-old. It was horrible. It was horrible. And actually, Raymond,

you inspired me when I was writing my book. You said, use an experience that's happened. And that's why the little girl in my children's book, Paloma Wants to Be Lady Freedom, she gets lost in the Capitol.

It's based on the fear. I mean, literal fear. I was making deals with God because I thought some pedophile had taken off with my two-year-old. She got lost in the park. And luckily, like 30 minutes later, we found her. But it was scary as hell.

And then we got multiple fast passes after that to go to the park, which is great. Yeah, Disney felt bad. It panned out well. They could see we were traumatized, literally. We were ready to cancel the trip. And they're like, no, no, we'll give you some fast pass. Anyway, we get to talk about Disney all day long. But before, I want to talk about your book, Raymond.

But before, I want to talk about Disney all day long, but before I want to talk about your book, Raymond, but before I want to talk about Father Provence. So if you're not Catholic, and certainly if you're not a conservative Catholic, you may not know Father Provence is, but Father Provence is a priest who heads up. Is he still the priest? Well, he shouldn't be calling himself a priest. The Vatican has rescinded the title. But a priest is marked forever, you know. They don't, I mean, right. So all they did was basically take away his faculties and, you know, he can't say public mass. But interestingly, if a life... Explain why, Raymond, for those who don't know. Why is he being defrocked?

Yeah, Father Frank Pavone co-founded a group called Priests for Life, and for the last, I guess, 30-plus years, he has been the leading cleric and certainly the leading voice in the Catholic Church in America about the life issue. And he's galvanized clergy. I think he's raised awareness, certainly among the laity, about the preciousness of life. He has labored in the vineyard for a long time. That said, he also has gotten over his skis every now and then. He had conflict, and I'm not telling you anything that hasn't been reported. He had a difficulty with Cardinal Egan in New York, who wanted him to be a parish priest. He said, no, I don't want to serve in a

parish. I want to go out and preach. This is my calling, not to be locked down in a parish. I want to go out and preach. This is my calling, not to be in a, you know, locked down in a parish. So he moved to Amarillo, Texas, to a bishop there who supported his work. That bishop moved on, another bishop replaced him, and that guy in Amarillo was not too keen on Father Pavone or what he was doing. So they began going back and forth. So this seems to me, what they're saying is that it's blasphemous use of social media, whatever that means, and disobedience to the bishop. What is blasphemous use of social media? Explain. He sent a tweet out where he apparently, and again, the Vatican document doesn't stipulate, so we're speculating, but we are imagining what they're talking about is he became very political. Father Pavone backed Trump. But look, if your issue is life and you're the pro-life priest. Yeah. I mean, you do say, well, this was the pro-life candidate and everything that Pavone said Trump would do, he actually did.

He actually did. And and so then you had the Biden Trump race. Pavone's endorsed Trump, which is probably a bridge too far for a priest. You know, rabid political endorsement is something they frown on because and here's why conservatives and liberals need salvation. And you alienate half the flock when you start saying Republicans need only enter the sanctuary here. half the flock when you start saying Republicans need only enter the sanctuary here. So I get why they were a little annoyed by that. The Vatican or bishops might be annoyed. That said, every week, Rachel, and anybody who's watched my show on AWT, and I get tired, I'm sick of covering the financial and sexual abuse and criminality that has swamped the Vatican in recent years. And not just—I mean, there's a financial trial underway.

A major cardinal is involved who's a friend of the Pope's, and they took his cardinal—his entire cardinalate away from him, and then the Pope returned it in the middle of this trial. So mercy is extended to some people and withheld from others. Frank Pavone did not sexually abuse anybody. He didn't steal from anybody. It seems all he did was send out a tweet that said, Joe Biden, you're a GD loser. That's what he sent out. Well, I could stand behind that. Well, I mean, but but but is it I mean, but imagine someone saying, OK, you're no longer a wife and mother.

We're taking that away from you because you've gotten too political. The penalty does not match the allegation or the crime here. I'm sorry. It's disproportionate justice. So, Raymond, what less than defrocking, could have they reprimanded him? What other kind of penalty could happen? And just by the way, I'd like to comment, I served in the House. And you do have one party, almost 85% of them are pro-life Republicans.

And the other party, Democrats, there are no pro-lifers. They are all pro-abortion. 100%. And so you don't have much choice if your issue is life. However, I do agree with you. Priests can talk about the issue of abortion and probably not mention candidates.

You know, I sometimes want them to sound like political animals. Well, he can mention candidates. Here's where I stand on Pavone. I would say Pavone in politics, he has been 100% consistent calling out so-called or self-proclaiming Catholics who are pro-choice. And I think he has every right as a Catholic who ran with rosary beads, carrying rosary beads in his commercials,

he has the most radically pro-abortion administration in U.S. history. That is a fact, Raymond. Well, and I think and I think Pavone was reacting to that. And out of his concern, Sean's right and you're right. You can talk about the issue and there's nothing wrong about talking about a candidate's positions and saying this guy is out of step with Catholic teaching. But it's quite another to engage in partisan endorsement of a particular candidate. And then they said that this is blasphemy to use, you know, you're a GD loser. Now, if that's blasphemous in a day, and literally this week, there's an unfolding scandal at the Vatican where, again, another Jesuit friend of

the Pope, this guy was excommunicated in 2020, okay, by a Vatican office because he had allegedly, and now it looks like it's getting confirmed, but allegedly sexually abused nine nuns, okay? This guy was excommunicated because he dragged some of them into the confessional and gave them absolution so they wouldn't talk and forgave them for the sins they committed together. You can't do that as a priest. That's someone you laicize and throw out of the priesthood, okay? Guess what they did? They excommunicated him, and weeks later, they pulled it back. And guess who preached the Pope's Lenten retreat at the Vatican? This guy, this Father Ripko. It's unbelievable. So this is disproportionate justice

being meted out, and I think Pavone has found himself on the wrong side of the ethos and the politics in the Vatican today. Maybe another pope can lift this, but that's his only hope. They've said there's no appeal for this. No appeal. It's crazy. I mean, I just think he needs to wait this out. God willing, in our lifetime, we'll have another Pope, and hopefully this person will reinstate Father Pavone the way Pope Francis is reinstating all these perverts. And I've got to tell you, Raymond, I've been a proud Catholic, as has Rachel and you, for a very long time. But I've got to tell you, when I talk to some of my other evangelical friends, I kind of, and I'm honest about this, I kind of shrug my shoulders a little bit and hang my head a little bit because what

the Pope is doing is so embarrassing for even other people of faith. I get it. I see it. And I think there's a perception that Catholics are like Joe Biden. They're these liberal, you know, I'm okay, you're okay. There's, I mean, you don't read the Bible, like all these- Well, worse than liberal. They're these liberal, you know, I'm okay, you're okay. I mean, you don't read the Bible, like all these- Well, worse than liberal, you're heretics, you're pagans, you don't believe.

Heretics, yeah. You don't believe. And that's just not true. But here's what I have to say to everybody. You go back to, this is a moment at Christmas when we go back 2,000 years, and we should do that. It's good. because as we move out of Christmas into the Easter season, Jesus himself chose 12 apostles. 11 of them walked away from him. One of them sold him out, okay? That's about the average you get with bishops or anyone in leadership, okay? 12, you're going to get one out of 12. That's going to be the ratio of faith, someone who actually stands by what Christ taught

and tries to model it. Only John stayed. Yeah, that's right. Only John stayed. Raymond, that's why I had so many kids. I figured at least one of them will turn out well. Oh, no. At least one of them will take care of me in old age.

Your average is going to be much better than that. Your batting average isn't going to be very good. You only have three. Right, right. Well, that's a real gambler. One of them will take care of me in old age. Your average is going to be much better than that. Your batting average isn't going to be very good. You only have three. Right, right. Well, that's a real gambler. One of them's a girl. Yeah, one of them's a girl. So that bodes well for you being taken care of in old age.

What bodes well for me is you married Rebecca. That's right. She'll go on and on. She'll go on and on. Look, as long as she can order the Depends and bring in the tapioca, I'm fine. I'm OK. That's what that's what that's what Joe Biden says. Yeah, that's right. Yeah. That's what he says in Delaware. We'll have more of this conversation after this. you by Missouri. From November 25th to December 2nd, get 25% off everything on orders over $150

in Missouri's biggest sale ever. From bold hoops to minimalist stacks, Missouri has something for everyone. Missouri makes handcrafted fine jewelry for every day made with responsibly sourced materials. So you can look and feel good about gifting and wearing them. Shop your wish list 25% off at Mijeri.com today. Well, anyway, okay, so let's, this is a good, not the best transition to your book. Well, it is and it isn't. You know why? Because we need hope. We need hope. And there's scandal and there's darkness and there's death and contradiction all around us. The devil exists. And that's what I see when I look at all of this. You know, just quickly, Rachel, I worked for a woman named Mother Angelica. Some of your people

listening may know her, some may not. She was the first. She was an amazing woman. She was the first woman in the history of broadcast to found and lead her own cable network for 20 years. No other woman did it. And she was a religious nun, a sister, a cloistered nun. The bishops tortured her every day of her life. They tried to take her habit away. They tried to take over her network. They really instigated a stroke, which she had in 2001, that confined her to her corner room in her monastery for 13 years. But, you know, so when I watch this stuff play out, the ecclesial politics, that's the junk of the devil and man. We have to look above that.

And that's what I've tried to do through this book. That's what I think we have to do this season. Yeah, you know, it's so true. I was just telling Sean, my sister sent me a sermon from some priest. I don't even know who he was, but it was so good. He was talking about, you know, the paganism and the sexual disorder that we see in our day is something we saw in the time of St. Boniface, in the time of, you know, Our Lady of Guadalupe, when Mexico was converted through, you know, through Juan Diego. of stuff before and he really challenged the us to listen to really think of things differently to go you know what this is actually an exciting time to be alive an exciting time to be light and joy in this world and that there is hope and that's precisely what i do love about what you do

through your book but really through everything else that you do raymond i i really think that you are a ray of light and you are putting so many wonderful and beautiful things out into the culture. And this children's book, At Christmastime, revisiting the story of the Nativity and specifically of the three wise men, does just that. So why don't you take us on that journey? Well, I love what you said there, because, you know, Guta has that great line. It's one of my favorites. And he says, where light shines brightest, there are long shadows. And that really is the story of all of our times.

It's the story of every moment in history, whether it's Jesus' time or our time. There is darkness around. And remember, and this is why I wanted to situate the wise men in this book, you know, the wise men who found Christmas. They find Christmas stumbling in the darkness, Sean and Rachel. They find it with glimmers of light coming in and going out. That's like your life and mine. Inspirations come.

If we don't heed and listen to those inspirations, that still small voice you hear in prayer or when you're in the shower, when you're driving to work. If you're not heeding those little God moments, you miss the opportunity. The light goes out and it may not return. And in the case of the wise men, I thought this is a great allegory. And in the case of the wise men, I thought this is a great allegory when you dig deep and you look at the historic reality with the gospel story. It tells one tale, and it's beautiful, and we've lost it in time. And it's dangerous. It's just as frustrating as the situations we've been discussing in some ways. I mean, these guys knew.

They've been waiting years, reading the Jewish prophecies of a Messiah. They are looking to the sky. And you know, there's a prophecy, we never read it, in Numbers. It's in the book of Numbers, and it says something like, a star, you know, I see him, but he's not near. A star will rise, and a scepter shall rise from Israel. It's very clear in Numbers, that prophecy. So they were clearly looking for a sign that would rise in the east over Israel, okay? That's what they were looking for. And they find it. One day, this unmistakable, unique, astral event. We don't really know what it was. Was it planets coming together? Was it a comet? We don't know. There are many candidates, but that's immaterial. The fact is, they saw and

believed the moment had come to confirm the prophecy. So they get on their horses and they run after that light. They chase that truth. They go after that Messiah. And that's how we should approach Christmas and every day of our lives. Be looking upward for that light, that inspiration, that calling, and then get on your Palomino and ride out. That's your duty. It's the obedience to truth. It's an obedience to truth. And that, to me, is the message of the wise men who found Christmas. And I wanted that adventure, That to me is the message of the wise men who found Christmas. And I wanted that adventure, that sense of danger. You know, these guys weren't, I hate that they are always portrayed as three old tired kings on camels doing a gift drop by.

They're not. They're not. Doing a gift drop. Yeah. That's not, this wasn't a holy bridal shower, you know, a baby shower. Here you go, Mary. Here's some gifts for the kids. Thanks for having us.

That's not what this is. They are risking their lives by going to Herod, and they knew it. Herod had killed three of his sons and a wife, which I knew nothing of until I delved into this, to protect his throne. And, of course, he killed thousands of other people, too. But when you're willing to kill your family— There was child sacrifice involved. I mean, like, essentially after Jesus is born, Herod, so enraged, actually kills every, you know, firstborn son in that town.

Correct. You know, I got to tell you this. So you and Rachel were doing a live stream. Was that a podcast at Fox? When he first launched his book. No, it was a live book signing and Rachel was nice enough to host it. It was awesome. So the three of you did it together and I was in the building and I was down in Rachel's office because I don't

have an office. I just mooch off of her. Oh, wait a minute. Sean is getting an office. He has a show that's on. Well, now with his big Fox business show. Now with his big Fox business, but he's on the business floor. I'm one floor below Rachel. Oh, dear.

It's a metaphor. But that was not my point with this story. Rachel has been nice enough to let me use her office. I camp out there as if it was my own. And about 10 minutes into you guys' live book signing, I came down and walked in the room and you guys were talking. He's trying to wrangle us to get out to go to dinner. Right, I remember.

I sit down and I'm telling this to our listeners because I sat down and started to listen to you talking about the story and the conversation you two were having and I went to stop by for a couple minutes.

I stayed the next 50 minutes. No, then he started chiming in with questions and he really wasn't part of the show. He crashed my damn signing. He crashed it. So there are a lot of books

and I say that because I think there's a lot of books out there. There's a lot of Christmas books out there. Yes. So there are a lot of books. And I say that because I think there's a lot of books out there. There's a lot of Christmas books out there. Yes. And you have a few special books that you go, you know what? This is a great story. It's adventure. It's Christmas.

It's Wiseman. It's not camels, not old tired things. It is. Horses. Horses. Horses. I was enthralled. Oh, I love it. And so if you look at this book, it's sort of, again, I'm just like,, I was enthralled. Oh, I love it.

So if you look at this book, it's so again, so again, I'm just like, maybe I'm just a child at heart, but this is great for your kids. Well, we all are great for you, right? We all are. We all are Sean. And we should be children again at Christmas in the sense that we have wonder and awe. And that's what this story did for me. As I researched it, my mind was blown. First of all, who knew that—I'll just give your audience a quick rundown. We think there are three kings from the Far East and that they were, you know, we three kings of Orient are.

Three kings from the Far East, they were none of those things. There were not three of them. There were many more than three. They were not from the Far East, and they were not kings. They were magi. The Gospel talks about magi, wise men. Those are consuls to kings, okay? So they served a king.

Where were they? First century sources, Clement of Rome, Justin Martyr, Eusebius, they all say the wise men came from Arabia. But where? Where in Arabia? Arabia is a very slim place. Modern-day Saudi Arabia and Jordan, the kingdom of Nabatea, it was called, and the headquarters was modern-day Petra. So that's where the story opens in my book and in history. Modern-day Jordan. Modern-day Jordan in Petra, where they carve the buildings into the sides of mountains.

They're so cool. And it's still there. You can see it. But once I saw that and figured out who these guys were, where they were, then you ask yourself, why these gifts? And why do they, how do they move? It's only a 300-mile journey. It's a three-day journey to Jerusalem.

It's not long. It's quick. a 300-mile journey. It's a three-day journey to Jerusalem. It's not long. It's quick. They very likely got on. Since they were serving the king, the kingdom of Nabatea had introduced Arabian horses, bred horses, a hundred years before Jesus. That was the Tesla of the day. I am convinced that's what they would have ridden to see the Christ child because they wanted to get there fast. They're not on some slow pokey camel that was used to carry freight and pack, not people who were in a hurry. So I love that in the middle of the book, you have the three wise men on those horses running out and it gives it a sense of adventure. And who do they go to? They've got to go to Herod first.

And that is a risk to their own lives. And they knew it. All of that is just and I believe there was a risk to their own lives. And they knew it. All of that is just, and I believe there was a religious impulse. So much adventure in this book. You know, we were talking earlier in the show about Disney World. And one of my peeves about Disney World, it's what I love about it, but it also, if you have sons, it's one of the things you don't like about Disney World is it's so feminized, right? It's becoming so feminized. And what I love about the way you tell this story and the adventure in it is that the person who loves this book the most is my six-year-old son.

I mean, he just thinks it's amazing that there's horses. You blew all of our minds, but you really blew this kid's mind because he really thought it was camera. We talked about the horses and he just loves the adventure in it. And I love that you didn't sort of like, you know, so many of us see the Christmas story. And as you said, it looks like a, like a really boring bridal shower. Yeah.

Baby shower. No, it's, it feels like a baby shower. It feels like a baby shower and it's painted and everybody looks so, so quiet and like they're really pacified. I mean, your story is an adventure and when you really think about it and when you really look at the kind of

deep research that you did that was so impressive around this book, of course, it's not that you made up the story as an adventure, it's that the story was an adventure. Yeah, well I hope your son and you all will sit and watch the Fox Nation special. It's only like 25 minutes. And go ahead, Sean. He has a Fox Nation special on. That's right. I forgot about that. Yes. Yeah. We talked about it today on the show. We haven't watched it yet, but we should pull it up most definitely. Well,

do it at Christmas. You know, read the book. You can read the picture book and it's kind of a companion. Yeah. But it's a companion to the book because, look, you can't get into deep research and first century theology and archaeology with children in a picture book. You got to tell a good story. I hope that's what I've done. But I wanted to capture these amazing, brilliant researchers and theologians and astrologers whom I consulted, or astronomers rather. I always say astrologers. They don't read the Zodiac. That's a different one.

Yeah, they're the science of the stars. But I consulted them. That's you and Nancy Reagan. That's right. Nancy Reagan and I are reading our horoscope. I won't tell you what your horoscope says today. Leave your husband alone. Let him move to the upper floor.

But anyway, what, it's it's what I loved about it is I was able to feature these people that I had read so deeply and consulted with. And in a concise special, you get from the horse's mouth, so to speak, they're the rich depth of their research. And it kind of puts it all together. I marry the story with the research, and you get to see me on horseback. So, I mean, it's worth the price of the free Fox Nation membership. You know what's interesting that you say? You were talking about your special.

We've been promoting, and rightfully so, Pete Hegseth has a great special where he traveled to the Holy Land with his pastor and sort of told the story of Jesus through the places that he was in Israel. And so, you know, I've been thinking so much. network that makes room for a thing like, you know, the story of the wise men that you did or, you know, the story of Jesus, you know, as told to, you know, Pete Hegg said that as pastor. That we have segments, you know, just this morning, you know, we're telling hard, you know, hard hitting news about the border and about what our government is doing and the FBI. And in the middle of that, you know, we have Raymond telling the story of Christmas through his book.

This Christmas, one of the things I am most thankful for is that I work for Fox News and that we have these kinds of opportunities to not just tell the news, but tell the story, you know, the whole story of who we are and what our values are. I agree. And what drives all of us in terms of what we do in our lives and our family. Well, I think Fox and they're responding to an audience. And I've said this for years. The audience, they are people, they want something larger than what they see. They know there's something more than, you know, grabbing all you can in this life. And for those with a deep faith, they want to pursue that faith. And it is the

driving force of their lives. It governs and moves all these events we cover. So to ignore that, you ignore a huge part of the not only American, but human experience. So I love that Fox is willing not only to cover faith in the news as stories, but to allow us to go deeper into these inspirational inflection points and to bring this history to people that otherwise would be lost, Rachel. And I'm kind of upset that after 50 years, no one told me about these wise men or what the gifts meant. You know, frankincense, gold, myrrh, where they came from. I didn't know what frankincense and myrrh was. What?

I have to be honest. I knew incense, but myrrh, I didn't know where it came from. I did. It's an oil, right? Right. It's an oil. It's a medicinal. But I didn't know it came from tree sap that only grew on these southern Arabian trees.

And that's why you know they came from this kingdom of Nabatea. It was the thing and the commodity that they were known for. And that's why you know they came from this kingdom of Nabatea. It was the thing and the commodity that they were known for. And gold, of course, the Midian mines. Your family and my family are also connected. We're connected on so many levels. We're connected as friends. We're connected as fellow Catholics and Christians. We're also connected because we're both,

you come from Hispanic families, so do I, but you come from Louisiana. And Sean and I, through, you know, Sean through marriage, and I through my own background as having a mom from Spain and a father who's Mexican-American, the three wise men and Epiphany, January 6th, which has a very different meaning for me and you than it does for our government. We're reclaiming January 6th. We're going to reclaim January 6th.

This is the original January 6th, the Epiphany. Exactly, the Epiphany. And that is called Three Kings Day. And in Louisiana, y'all celebrate it a lot. And we celebrate it as Hispanics. But it's like in our family, it's like another Christmas. We celebrate it with the same gusto. The three wise men bring our

kids. They don't get as many gifts because what they get in our family, Raymond, is everyone gets the three wise men who come in camels, but who knows, maybe they came on horses. I don't know. The hay feeds all of them, Rachel. Yes. Well, we, they, my children put sugar in

their shoes and they put it under the altar and the three wise men bring three gifts for each child, just as they brought three gifts for the baby Jesus. Oh, so sweet. It's such a sweet tradition. I love that. I love that. I love the king cake because, you know, they get the cake and they have to find the baby in the cake, just like the wise men were searching for the baby. And the one who gets it, I mean, this, you know, this is kind of a French tradition, but the one who gets the baby in their cake, they get crowned. They are the king for that week. And the following week, they have to host the king cake party the next Friday. A party.

Yeah, a party for all their friends and kids. So it becomes like an ongoing, it's really an extension of Christmas all the way to Lent. It's the 12 days of Christmas. It is. That's what it was. And more. It's the 12 days of Christmas. It starts on Christmas.

And so all those people who throw their trees out on New Year's Day. Well, the day after Christmas they throw them out. Or sometimes the day after Christmas. I don't understand. Christmas continues at least through Epiphany. And certainly Christmas should remain in our hearts. And my tree stays up until the needles are off it, Raymond. Yeah.

Last year I shook them all off. Usually you're concerned about getting your needles all over the house as you take your tree out. Yes. It had no needles. Oh, my. There were no needles. Oh, no. The dog had consumed them all.

Oh, that's good. All the pine shads. The carcass. Gone. Wait right there. We're going to have more of that conversation next. Light up Black Friday with Freedom Mobile and get 50 gigs to use in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico

for just $35 a month for 18 months. Plus, get a one-time gift of 5 gigs of Roam Beyond data. Conditions apply. Details at freedommobile.ca. Listen, Raymond, I thank you for writing the book and bringing life and zest and stories into the Christmas season, but also a reminder, I love how you talk about darkness and light,

which is exactly what we're going through right now. We're in the darkness and coming into the light of the birth of Christ. But Raymond is the light in the darkness. He really is. Well, we have to keep looking for the light too. I would just... You know, I think... Go ahead. No, no, no. You go. You continue. It's your show.

I shouldn't be interrupting. No, I think... Listen, I expect that from you, Raymond. Come on. That's what we do. But if you're looking No, I think, no, you should. Listen, I expect that from you, Raymond. That's what we do. But if you're looking for a gift, and I don't hawk any goods at all. Yeah, you do. You hawk the All-American Christmas Box Book. And it was a great book. Yes, that's right.

This book, if you're looking for a gift for, it can be a child, but also an adult. Yeah. It's actually a really cool Christmas gift and book that tells a fascinating story in the season for which we celebrate, which is what you normally don't have. And it is that reminder of, hey, everybody, this is not Santa Claus. This is not, you know, just presents under the tree. This is actually the birth of Christ and what happened 2000 years ago. And this book is a reminder of that, which is why I love these little pieces that we can pull together that remind us what this great celebration is about. Anybody who knows me knows that I love to collect children's literature, and I have a little special

section for Christmas books within my little library of children's literature. And Raymond, it's so great to have your book this year as part of my children's Christmas collection. Well, it's important. Look, those traditions, I always say this, Rachel, it's so important. And, you know, we have your book, and it's so important to share those moments with children, to read to them. Because as important as the book is, and obviously we pour a lot of time, love, devotion, you squabble over this design or that design and put that illustration there, and the font's too small, but at the end of the day, the reader provides half of the journey. And I write these stories not so I can express myself or even share history with people. It's really so that

mothers and fathers and children and grandparents and those children can have a shared experience together, have a literary adventure where they begin to share their own perspectives, values, and most importantly, time and love together. That is what builds a culture and a family and our future, nothing else. So I see that as an important mission. Can I tell you something? It's so true. And can I tell you that it reminds me of little Valentina, our youngest, has Down syndrome. She's nonverbal. I'm not sure how much when I read to her, understands but I'll tell you what she does do Raymond and it's gonna make you want to cry if I sit in our I call the room where I have all the books and where I like to read to them I call the library when I sit in there she climbs up onto the

couch and she cuddles up next to me with with the book because she knows that with the book, because she knows that with the book, sitting next to her mommy is a special moment. And that's, I think, what you're talking about. Writing books. No, it's exactly what I'm talking about. And, you know, there's a lot of studies about the time spent. Yes, there's a lot of brain development in, you know, the words and recognizing words and language. But there's also a whole emotional and human growth that happens in the proximity to someone who loves you, sharing a story and taking time with you. That touch, that bond, it's irreplaceable. And as you, Rachel, and I am crying, as you know, that moment with your child, it's such a fleeting moment. It comes and it goes.

A few years, it seems like forever. It's really not. And it's so important, I think, for all of us to grasp those moments and take them and go on that journey with our families and take that time. It's the most important time you'll spend in maybe all your life. And Christmas gives us, you know, those days off to really kind of really indulge in that. And I love that. And I do believe there's something,

some special bonding and beautiful moments that happen in the midst of that. There truly is. And so Raymond, thanks for giving us a little adventure at Christmas. Taking us off our little seats and going back 2 000 years and jumping on some horses and yeah all right hey riding to bethlehem there's a reason yellowstone is so popular you know there's something romantic about that and kind of you know going into the frontier that's what these wise men did they went into the the unknown. They were threatened, you know, they were threatened and they still move toward the light. And that should be our watchwords this Christmas. Go and go and find Christmas. Chase it. Don't let it just kind of wash over you. That's not what we're called to do. I love that. Before we let you go, Raymond,

the real light in all of our lives is your wife, Rebecca. So tell us what the Arroyos do for Christmas. This is a couple of traditions that you guys have that makes Christmas special in the Arroyo house. Well, I can't tell you everything we do in the Arroyo house, but I'll tell you the things that I can't discuss. Yeah, we can't tell you. I know there are certain things you can't discuss on air. But well, we're having everybody over to the house this year. And Rebecca is, I know like Rachel, you know, mom has to help Santa on so many levels, making sure everything is turned in on time and getting all the orders inized chaos, you know, that I am just, my desk is a disaster. It's piled with books and papers and cars. Rebecca, the rest of the house is immaculate. You know, she confines the chaos to one room. So that's A. B, she goes out of her way to, I mean, I put the tree up, she really decorates everything else and it's impeccable. So Rebecca preserves, and I think

moms do this, not only the vision of Christmas, the visuals for us, but also the smells of Christmas on Christmas morning. You know, my mom makes her oyster dressing, Rebecca makes the turkey and her carrot casserole and those things. Those are familiar and important touchstones, not only for me, for the children. And now that I've got, you know, one living in one state and one in the other state and only one at home, you know this, you're beginning to have the, you know, the empty nest or partially empty nest. But when you, it's lovely that they want to come home because they want to reconnect to those things. And Rebecca really is the keeper of the heart of the family, those traditions, those smells and visuals, and of course the love that she expends through all of it. So she is kind of the silent partner because she doesn't like to be on the showboat.

doesn't like to, you know, be on the showboat. But though she could, I tried to encourage her to over the years because she's far smarter and more hilarious than I am. She comes from the theater world. I know. I know. But she's very, she's gotten very reluctant in these years. So maybe I can pull her out of the shell sometime. You have to worry, though, because you know what will happen.

I'll bring her on and then she'll completely take over the show and I'll have to retire. But maybe that would be a good thing. No, she's great. She's a lot of fun. She's awesome. I think you hit the nail on the head. I do think this is the story of families all across America

where yes, dad puts up the Christmas tree and yes, he does a few things around the house, maybe throw some lights up outside. But the real magic of Christmas, you talk about the smells and the look of the house with the decorations inside. Most of it comes from moms that make that happen. And it's that comfort that I think we all, like the memories that I have of my house growing up in Christmas are such fond memories. And you can see your own kids wanting to come back and experience that in the homes that we've now created, which is so wonderful. And again, some people just,

you know, have a day to get together, but others like us are celebrating something quite profound. Sure. And it's that much more special when you have your family, but also this faith that we've shared with our kids that we're able to celebrate. this faith that we've shared with our kids that we're able to celebrate. Well, it's the heart. It's reality. It's something they have to do. It's the gift that keeps on giving. You know, if they have faith and they take that from the family, they have a foundation and a bedrock for all their relationships, for all the woes and the joys they'll experience in their lives. And, you know, when you were talking, Sean, I kept thinking of that Sinatra song, which also makes me cry every time I hear it.

It's called Christmas Memories. And he recorded it late in like the 60s. And there's a line in that song where he says, I close my eyes and see all the children with shining faces who now have children of their own. I always cry when I hear that line because it's so true, you know, and that's what we're here for. We're not here forever. We're here to be like those wise men. You're just passing through. Well, you've got a part in the journey, you have a job to do, but really you're passing this truth and this light on to the next generation. That's your only job, really, to help make whole, loving, holy people who can be good

citizens and continue this journey. That's all you're here for. And I think sometimes people worry about their own anxiety levels and myself and me, and I need to live separately so I can find myself. No, you find yourself in a family, as you all know. That's right. And I always say, Raymond, that everything God does is so intentional. Jesus could have come into the world in any form, in any way, and he came through a family. Clearly, Jesus, God, wanted us to learn something through a family. And I think you're absolutely right. You find yourself through a family. And I think you're absolutely right. You find yourself through your family.

And we're just so blessed to have. I just think I'm so grateful to be Catholic. I'm so grateful to be Christian and to really understand that this holiday is not just about decorating and seeing grandma or whatever. It really is a birthday party. A birthday party that will lead us to heaven. Hey, before I let you go, what was the name of the friend?

I'm just, I'm on. Oh, Christmas. Already looking up the song. Christmas Memories, and I'm so glad you are. And let me tell you, every time I hear, it's a very, it's a, I have to admit, it's a melancholy song. It's not a kind of,

I'll haul out the holly. It's not that kind of song. It's a man looking back on the Christmases he's known and those he's having now. But that line always gets, I'm in the car listening to it. I always break down crying. It's just one of those triggers. But look, I love you guys so much. I love our friendship.

Love you too, Raymond. And that you've allowed me the time on the podcast and that we've been able to share some fun times in front of the camera. And I hope we have many more in 2023. Raymond Arroyo, God bless you and Merry Christmas to you and your family. Thank you for joining us at the kitchen table. Merry Christmas guys. Next time I'm coming to the kitchen table and I want to eat.

Yes. You better. You're coming to Jersey. I want lunch. Bye. Great Raymond Arroyo. Thank you for joining us. Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas. You know, which I, I, again, Rich, again, we've talked about his book, but there's not that many books that get me going. I guess I love Christmas, and I love how he brought this story to life and kind of redid it in probably the way it really happened, which is so cool. And whenever you listen to Raymond Arroyo, and we're blessed to have him as our friend, you said he's said he's a light and he has because he brings so much passion and

so energy i was gonna say when we were at the start of the podcast we were talking about disney and um i feel like after we were all in the park together the duffies and the arroyos at the end of the day i felt like one of the kids i'm like i'm so darn tired and i'm like i'm excited he ran us around he's also very opinionated about it. But Raymond, but he kept his energy and his fun. But he also was, he would say, oh no, we're not doing that right. That's dumb. Come on, everybody.

We're going this way. He was a little Mussolini. Yeah. But he was a happy Mussolini. He's a happy Mussolini. A happy little dictator. I, I, I. We went, we took his recommendations.

I must have fixed it. There was so much to see. He knows that part he knows what's good you know the other fun thing is going out to dinner with Raymond and if you have a few

cocktails in you too boy that's a fun dinner oh good one time I went out to dinner with Raymond and he brought these nuns and they were drinking too oh

I guess I wasn't there for that they were drinking little limoncello's and yeah it was fun no he's fun and I

one of my favorite segments on the Ingram Angle is when he comes on and does his segments it yeah it was fun no he's fun and i i uh one of my favorite segments on the ingram angela's when he comes on and does his segments it's so much fun so he is he is light and you know what i've seen and unseen you you hear him but he's he is so so deeply steeped in the catholic faith and knows so much about the church and follows this um more so than anyone that that i know and is always a great resource to kind of go, what is going on? Oh yeah, no one knows more about what's happening at the Vatican.

And you know what? That's interesting that you say that, Sean, because he does know all the dark stuff. He does. More than any of us know. And in so many ways, he knows the underbelly. And yet he is such a faithful Catholic. He understands, just as he was explaining

earlier you know that that the the warts that we see on the church are not the church you know that um you know he understands that it's eternal and um and he he doesn't let that stop him the you know the the bad stuff he knows because he knows so much good as well and he but he also doesn't say everything that he knows right he keeps which is a faithful well. But he also doesn't say everything that he knows, which is a faithful act on his part to go. I'm not going to keep some of the stuff behind us. Anyway. Although he's pretty forthcoming on Fox and Fox this morning. Well, I got to go back and watch that.

Listen, I want to thank you all for joining us and having a little conversation with Raymond Araya. We're only a few days away from Christmas. We're going to put on our podcast too, coming up here before Christmas, just you and I, Rachel. Let's do what Raymond said, Sean. Let's chase after Christmas. Let's not let it wash over us.

Let's chase it. Okay. We've got five more days. Let's chase it, baby. We're going to chase you around the kitchen here. No, no, don't chase me around. You don't have that. All right.

All right, listen, everyone. If you like our podcast, you can rate, review, subscribe. Wherever you get your podcasts. Give us high marks. And listen, we thank you for joining us until tomorrow. Have a great night and Merry Christmas. Listen ad-free with a Fox News podcast plus subscription on Apple Podcasts. And Amazon Prime members can listen to the show ad-free on the Amazon Music app. All right.

Merry Christmas, everybody. The Fox News Rundown. A contrast of perspectives you won't hear anywhere else. Your daily dose of news twice a day. Featuring insight from top newsmakers, reporters, and Fox News contributors. Listen and subscribe now by going to foxnewspodcast.com.