Most people remember Saturday Night Live legend Chris Farley for his outrageous sketches and humor — but did you know he was also deeply Catholic?
Chris Farley had a beautiful devotion to his Catholic faith that shaped his life.
Farley grew up in a big Irish Catholic family in Wisconsin. He attended Catholic school, served as an altar boy, and later went to Marquette University, a Jesuit college. Even amid the chaos of Hollywood, friends said he still went to Mass regularly and carried a rosary in his pocket.
Of course, Chris struggled, too — with fame, addiction, and the constant pressure to stay funny. Yet through it all, he tried to stay close to God. His confessor priests and friends remembered him as humble, prayerful, and full of heart.
Recently, this side of Chris Farley’s story came up in the new EWTN podcast, “Catholics and Cappuccinos,” where host Siobhan Fallon Hogan (SNL, Forrest Gump, Men in Black, Holes, New in Town, Seinfeld) reflected on Farley’s faith journey.
The conversation highlighted how Farley’s humor and humanity can inspire Catholics to find and share joy—even through brokenness.
In the latest Catholics and Cappuccinos episode, Siobhan interviewed actor Kevin James, who is also a devout Catholic.
James mentioned the beautiful Napa Institute Eucharistic procession in New York took place a few weeks ago.
"I love it. It moves me so much. You’d never expect these people to be drawn, but guess what—you can’t not. We were created for that. There’s something inside. If they don’t know, if they’ve lived a life where they don’t know, there’s still something pulling them. It’s God. They don’t realize it. When you see that beauty, the joy that comes from it… Speaking of which, when I was on SNL, I used to—Chris Farley and I—did you know Chris?" Siobhan asked.
"I never did. That’s one of the ones where—I know he went to Mass all the time. I’ve talked to (Adam) Sandler all the time. I’m like, What was he like? What did he do?” James answered.
Siobhan said,
"We used to live in the same neighborhood, so we’d go to Mass together. SNL is so nocturnal. You’d go to the party and not get home until like 5:00 in the morning, and then we’d go to Mass Sunday night. Chris would be like, 'So sorry, so sorry,' and I’d be like, 'Chris…' He’s like, 'No, it’s bad.' But he was so faithful. When he wrote the Clown’s Prayer out for me, which is a beautiful prayer. I don’t know if you know it; I’ll give it to you. When he died, I walked down to Lorne’s (Napa Institute—) and left it. And at his memorial at St. Malachy’s in New York—who would you expect to get up? Adam… they were all great friends. But there was a shut-in he used to go see. He was so faithful."
"He was such an example for me. I would talk to Sandler about it, because you could see the struggle. I’m struggling with stuff, and he was going through it. The fact that he was still going—he always…," James added.
Farley’s life, despite its struggles, remains a poignant example of how humor, humility, and holiness can coexist.
So next time you laugh at one of his sketches, say a little prayer for him — and maybe grab a cappuccino and give that podcast episode a listen!
About the Podcast
“Catholics and Cappuccinos” is EWTN’s newest podcast hosted by Siobhan Fallon Hogan, who interviews Catholic actors, singers, writers, and religious figures. With humor and heart, she explores how their Catholic faith shapes their careers and vocations. Guests include Jonathan Roumie (The Chosen), Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond), Cathy Moriarty (Raging Bull), Federico Castelluccio (The Sopranos), Sister Mary Gabriel, Father Michael Duffy, and many more.
In the latest episode—available now on EWTN+, EWTN.com, and YouTube.com/EWTN—Siobhan sits down with Kevin James (The King of Queens, Grown Ups, Mall Cop, Zookeeper). Together, they discuss faith, Kevin’s new movie Solo Mio with Angel Studios, Chris Farley’s legacy, the Kinnane brothers, fasting, and the joy of possibly working together again in the future.