A Father and Son’s Journey to the Catholic Church

In this episode of Ordinary Time, I sit down with Dr. Asher Chanan-Khan and his son Matthew for a powerful conversation about suffering, truth, and their unexpected journey into the Catholic Church. Dr. Asher Chanan-Khan is a world-renowned blood cancer specialist who has spent decades advancing treatments for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. But after receiving his own terminal cancer diagnosis, he suddenly found himself facing the very suffering he had spent his life helping others endure. At the same time, Matthew was walking through what he describes as a “dark night of the soul” following deep personal struggles and the impact of divorce. In the middle of that pain, he unexpectedly encountered Christ again after visiting a Catholic Church. As Matthew began discerning Catholicism through OCIA, Dr. Asher attended alongside him — not because he wanted to become Catholic, but because he wanted to ensure his son was not being taught false doctrine. What began as skepticism slowly became something much deeper. Coming from a non-denominational background, much of what Dr. Asher believed about the Catholic Church was shaped by misunderstanding and criticism. But the deeper he looked, the more he encountered beauty, history, truth, and a faith that challenged everything he thought he knew. One statement from Matthew especially stayed with him: “If you want to have a serious, deep relationship with the Lord, then you go to the Catholic Church.” That statement forced Dr. Asher to wrestle with a difficult question: “If I believe this is true for my son… why would it not also be true for me?” This is an honest and deeply moving conversation about suffering, fatherhood, faith, healing, and ultimately surrendering to Christ. If this episode impacts you, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone searching for hope and truth. #Catholic #ConversionStory #CatholicChurch #OCIA #Faith #JesusChrist