Religion & SpiritualityChristianityReligionEducation

Ave Explores

Ave Maria Press

A project of Ave Maria Press, Ave Explores helps you discover and learn about aspects of the Catholic faith from a variety of different angles, looking at topics relevant to the spiritual life in a fresh, engaging, and practical way.

Play

Open in

25 episodes
weekly
Avg 44 min
English

Episodes 25

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

Wednesday · 53 min
Week Three: World Youth Day, a Pilgrimage of People with Paul Jarzembowski
Pope St. John Paul II created World Youth Day because of his own profound experiences as a youth at large gatherings while on pilgrimage with his peers. Hoping to bring that joy to the masses, World Youth Day was born. Now with the 17th World Youth Day set to be held in Seoul, South Korea in August of 2027, Katie sits down with Paul Jarzembowski to learn how the unique pilgrim’s experience at a World Youth Day is unlike anything else in the Church or world today.
October 14 · 39 min
Week Two A Pilgrim’s Heart: How to "Be a Pilgrim" On and Off a Trip feat. Joan Watson (Verso Ministries)
St. Augustine coined the term peregrini to describe what it means to be a traveler through this life, making our pilgrimage toward our final home: heaven. This spirit of journeying, with a heart open to what God will do, is essential to pilgrimage. Joan Watson, pilgrimage formation manager for Verso Ministries, explores how a pilgrim’s heart is developed before, during, and after a journey to a specific place—and how we can carry that spirit with us every day.
October 12 · 39 min
Bonus Episode: Blessed Fulton Sheen's Impact
Katie joins Oscar Rivera on _Ave Spotlight_ for a conversation about the legacy of Blessed Fulton Sheen and the power of media to proclaim the Gospel. Fresh off receiving the inaugural Sheen Award for Impact in Radio and Podcasting, she reflects on the importance of using our platforms for something greater than recognition. Together, they explore Sheen’s groundbreaking television ministry and his remarkable gift for communicating timeless truths with clarity, boldness, humor, and a profound und
October 7 · 45 min
Week One: Travel and Pilgrimages with a Family feat. John Hale and daughter, Elizabeth Hale
When John Hale became CEO of Corporate Travel, it opened up a world of opportunities to explore new places, both on his own and alongside pilgrims. He and his wife, Kristen, also made it a priority to bring their children along on adventures around the world. In their first joint interview, John sits down with his eldest daughter, Elizabeth, to reflect on the impact of traveling as a family and the difference between taking a vacation and going on pilgrimage. Together, they share how these share
September 30 · 53 min
Teaser: Why Pilgrimages? feat. Edmundo Reyes of Seeking Beauty
Edmundo Reyes was bitten by the travel bug at a young age, always seeking adventure and hoping to discover something beautiful along the way. Years later, it was only fitting that he became the showrunner and executive producer of a Catholic travel series hosted by David Henrie, taking curious Catholics on a journey through Italy (Season 1) and Spain (Season 2), with many more destinations to come. But you don’t have to produce a travel show to have a pilgrim’s heart. Edmundo shares how we can a
July 1 · 25 min
Week Six: Books are a Bridge feat. Katie McGrady
At the beginning of this season, Pope Leo told the Vatican Publishing House that books are bridges of encounter. By the season's end, he told writers that books help us more deeply explore what it means to be human. In this concluding episode, Katie reflects on how reading has shaped her own life and faith, and why great literature has the power to transform us. She also shares a curated list of the books recommended by each of this season's guests, offering listeners a reading guide to continu
June 24 · 44 min
Week Five: A Russian Novel for Lent on Hallow feat. Alex Jones and Ashley Lenz
When Hallow CEO Alex Jones told Ashley Lenz he wanted to feature The Brothers Karamazov in the app’s annual Pray40 Lenten challenge, she had one condition: a weeklong retreat at Notre Dame. The retreat became the foundation for what would become Hallow’s most successful Pray40 campaign ever. More importantly, it confirmed a conviction at the heart of her work—that a truly good and beautiful book can open hearts to Jesus Christ.
June 17 · 51 min
Week Four: Finding Community through Great Books with Marcie Stokman and Colleen Hutt, Founders of Well-Read Mom
In this episode, Katie talks with Marcie Stokman and Colleen Hutt, co-founders of Well-Read Mom, a nationwide book club for women seeking deeper friendships and meaningful conversations through great literature. Marcie and Colleen share how reading good books transformed their own lives, making them a better person, wife, and mother. In a culture increasingly shaped by constant screens and distractions, they argue that literature helps us recover the lost arts of thinking, reading, and speaking
June 10 · 43 min
Week Three: C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien: Faith, Imagination, and the Power of Story feat. Kaitlyn Facista and Andrew Swafford
In this episode of Ave Explores: Catholicism in Literature, Katie sits down with Kaitlyn Facista and Andrew Swafford to discuss the enduring legacy of two of Christianity’s greatest storytellers, C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. Facista, author of Into the Heart of Middle-earth and founder of Tea with Tolkien, shares how Tolkien’s works played a significant role in her conversion to Catholicism. Drawn into Middle-earth by its unforgettable heroes and villains, she discovered profound lessons a
June 3 · 53 min
Week Two: Murder Mysteries and Vampire Novels with Fr. Michael Brisson, LC, and Sr. Allison Gliot, FSP
Sr. Allison Gliot, FSP, and Fr. Michael Brisson, LC, both set out to write fiction, only to find their stories taking unexpected turns. One created a tale involving a priest entangled with the mafia; the other imagined a world where young adults navigate the mysteries of vampires. Unlikely stories from a priest and a religious sister—but perhaps all the more compelling because of their vocations. In this episode, we bring Sr. Allison and Fr. Michael together for the first time to discuss creativ
May 26 · 50 min
Week One: Reading in the Home
Authors Haley Stewart and Claire Swinarski reflect on how a lifelong love of reading sparked their writing careers, helped cultivate a rich reading culture in their homes, and continues to open the door to deeper, more meaningful connections with others.
May 20 · 56 min
Teaser: Read like a Friar with Fr. Jonah Teller, OP
To kick off the new series of Ave Explores on Catholicism in Literature, Fr. Jonah Teller, OP, shares how a lifelong love of reading shaped his faith, imagination, and vocation. In an age dominated by scrolling and screens, he reflects on why great books still matter and how the classics form us in wisdom, virtue, and attentiveness to God and the world around us. Fr. Jonah also offers practical ways to build reading into everyday life and cultivate habits that make space for deeper reflection, e
May 8 · 41 min
BONUS EPISODE: One Year with Pope Leo XIV
On May 8, 2025, Pope Leo XIV was elected the 267th pope of the Catholic Church. In the months since, his leadership, messages of peace, and warm presence among the faithful have offered much to reflect on. In this special episode of Ave Explores, Katie McGrady and Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP, discuss the lessons and insights Pope Leo XIV has shared with the Church and the world.
April 3 · 38 min
Easter: Feast after the Fast with Laura Kelly Fanucci
We usually arrive at Easter ready to stop "counting the days" of Lent and happy to end our fasting. Laura Kelly Fanucci's new Easter devotional, Living Easter encourages us to enter the 50 days of Easter with the same focus and purpose as we did for the 40 days of Lent.
March 30 · 40 min
Holy Week: The Shock of Holy Week with Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP
Holy Week arrives with a sudden silence—marked by darkness, stillness, and striking liturgical traditions—that invites us to enter more deeply into the mystery and memory of Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP, helps us prepare for the intensity of the week by sharing the rich Holy Week traditions of the Dominican Order.
March 21 · 37 min
5th Week of Lent: Lent Makes Us Courageous with Pete Burak
Author of A Man on Purpose, Pete Burak shares how courage doesn’t begin with heroic moments, but with daily faithfulness. In this episode, he explores how small, sometimes difficult Lenten practices—like fasting—form us to respond when God calls us to step forward in bigger ways.
March 14 · 34 min
4th Week of Lent: The Cross is Humbling with Meg Hunter-Kilmer
Crucifixion was meant to be a humiliating death, a public sign of defeat. Yet Jesus transforms the Cross into the place of ultimate victory. In this episode of Ave Explores, Meg Hunter-Kilmer reflects on how gazing upon the Cross humbles us—revealing both the depth of Christ’s love and the saving power found in what once seemed like failure.
March 7 · 38 min
3rd Week of Lent: Suffering with Christ featuring Mary Lenaburg
When we stand at the foot of the Cross, we encounter true compassion—literally, “to suffer with.” Mary Lenaburg knows this compassion intimately. Having experienced profound sorrow and deep joy, she understands that suffering is not a season to escape but a place to remain with Christ. While her life has not been a perpetual Lent, she has learned how to walk through it—standing beside Jesus at the Cross and discovering there a love that redeems every trial.
March 2 · 48 min
2nd Week of Lent: Friendship at the Cross with Fr. Jeronimo Espinosa and Ali Hoffman
Lent invites us to stand at the foot of the Cross—but never alone. The Christian life is meant to be lived in communion, alongside companions who help draw us closer to the Lord. In this episode, Fr. Jerónimo Espinosa and Ali Hoffman reflect on how friendship and community have shaped their faith over the years. Through their shared journey, they reveal the beauty of growing in intimacy with Jesus through genuine relationships and the transformative grace that comes from encountering the Lord to
February 21 · 48 min
1st Week of Lent: Dignity at the Cross with the Sisters of Life
Rooted in their mission to uphold the dignity of every human person, the Sisters of Life witness to the truth that no one is beyond God’s love and mercy. During Lent, we are invited to stand at the foot of the Cross and encounter the Lord’s loving gaze, even in his suffering. Sr. Cora Caeli and Sr. Magnificat Rose share how they live Lent as religious sisters, reflecting on why the cross is not something to avoid but to embrace—especially as we repent, convert, and cling to Christ throughout the

Showing 1–20 of 25 episodes