Ave Explores

Week Four: Southern Suffering and Sanctity with Fr. Korey LaVergne and Sr. Mary Michael Fox, OP

June 5th, 2024  |  Season 24  |  1 hr 40 mins

amy j. cattapan, ave explores, ave maria press, brian caulfield, cardinal timothy m. dolan, catholicism in the united states, chenele shaw, csc, eucharistic pilgrimages, fr. edward looney, fr. korey lavergne, fr. nate wills, fr. tim anastos, joann seaman, katie mcgrady, kerry robertson, kevin schmiesing, meg hunter-kilmer, op, sr. mary michael fox, stephen j. binz, timothy p. o'malley

From the inspiring faith of little Charlene Richard, a twelve-year-old girl who died of Leukemia and is now on the path to canonization, to the enduring resilience of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia during the Civil War and the culture wars of today, Catholicism in the South is far from just a cultural norm—it embodies a story of suffering and sanctity. Fr. Korey LaVergne, pastor of St. Edward’s Church in Louisiana and Charlene Richard’s home parish, and Sr. Mary Michael Fox, OP, offer profound insights into the vibrant and joyful reality of Catholicism in the Southern United States.

Week Three: The Holiness of Bl. Michael McGivney and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton with Brian Caulfield and Amy J. Cattapan

May 29th, 2024  |  Season 24  |  1 hr 18 mins

amy j. cattapan, ave explores, ave maria press, brian caulfield, cardinal timothy m. dolan, catholicism in the united states, chenele shaw, csc, eucharistic pilgrimages, fr. edward looney, fr. korey lavergne, fr. nate wills, fr. tim anastos, joann seaman, katie mcgrady, kerry robertson, kevin schmiesing, meg hunter-kilmer, op, sr. mary michael fox, stephen j. binz, timothy p. o'malley

The stories of saints in the United States are diverse and dynamic. The first American born female saint, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and the founder and first chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, Bl. Michael McGivney, show us how holiness is found in a unique way. Brian Caulfield and Amy J. Cattapan share the stories of these two holy American heroes that introduce us to Catholicism on the east coast.

Week Two: Our Lady in the Midwest with Fr. Edward Looney and Fr. Nate Wills, CSC

May 22nd, 2024  |  Season 24  |  1 hr 9 mins

amy j. cattapan, ave explores, ave maria press, brian caulfield, cardinal timothy m. dolan, catholicism in the united states, chenele shaw, csc, eucharistic pilgrimages, fr. edward looney, fr. korey lavergne, fr. nate wills, fr. tim anastos, joann seaman, katie mcgrady, kerry robertson, kevin schmiesing, meg hunter-kilmer, op, sr. mary michael fox, stephen j. binz, timothy p. o'malley

Whether it’s the Lady who appeared in a forest to young Adele Brise or the Lady atop a golden dome visible for miles from a college campus in northern Indiana, the Blessed Virgin Mary is revered, cherished, and celebrated in the American Midwest. Fr. Edward Looney, author and priest in the Diocese of Green Bay, and Fr. Nate Wills, CSC, chaplain to the University of Notre Dame football team, share the story of Catholicism in the Midwest of the United States, through the lens of Marian devotion and midwestern grit.

Week One: The Places and People of the U.S. Catholic Church with Kevin Schmiesing and Meg Hunter-Kilmer

May 15th, 2024  |  Season 24  |  57 mins 40 secs

amy j. cattapan, ave explores, ave maria press, cardinal timothy m. dolan, catholicism in the united states, chenele shaw, csc, eucharistic pilgrimages, fr. edward looney, fr. korey lavergne, fr. nate wills, fr. tim anastos, joann seaman, katie mcgrady, kerry robertson, kevin schmiesing, meg hunter-kilmer, op, sr. mary michael fox, stephen j. binz, timothy p. o'malley

What places hold significance, and who are the key figures in the narrative of Catholicism in the United States of America? From both a historical and modern perspective, the story of the Church in the US is expansive, diverse, and compelling. Authors Kevin Schmiesing and Meg Hunter-Kilmer share their insights and expertise on the noteworthy locations and influential figures shaping the Church in the United States today. Explore must-visit shrines and churches, delve into the inspiring tales of Americans on the path to sainthood, and embark on a captivating journey through Catholicism in America.

Teaser NEW Series: Catholic Hope in the US with Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan

May 8th, 2024  |  Season 24  |  1 hr 3 mins

amy cattapan, archbishop timothy m. dolan, ave explores catholicism in the us, ave maria press, chenele shaw, csc, eucharistic pilgrimages, eucharistic revival, fr. edward looney, fr. korey lavergne and sr. mary michael fox, fr. nate wills, fr. tim anastos, joann seaman, katie mcgrady, kerry robinson, kevin schmiesing, meg hunter-kilmer, national eucharistic congress, op, st. elizabeth seton, st. frances xavier cabrini, timothy p. o'malley

Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, the 10th Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York, shares his favorite Catholic churches and places in the United States of America. He offers insight into the current challenges facing Catholics, from a perspective of the historical Catholic Church, and reasons for his abundant hope in the Church in America today.

Lent Makes Us Fully Alive with Fr. Tim Anastos

March 22nd, 2024  |  Season 23  |  36 mins 36 secs

ave explores, ave maria press, cfr, claire and mike couche, csfn, fr. agustino torres, fr. tim anastos, katie prejean mcgrady, lent 2024, made for heaven journal, manny gonzalez, mark hart, sr. josephine garrett, tanner kalina

Fr. Tim Anastos, author and assistant chaplain at the St. John Paul II Newman Center at the University of Illinois, highlights how Lent offers us an opportunity to become fully alive in Christ Jesus. Through our weeks of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we have experienced the love of the Lord in distinct and profound ways. Now, as Holy Week unfolds and we participate in the liturgies of the Triduum, we witness the culmination of these graces and how they reveal that life is worth living with Jesus Christ.

The Eucharist Can Revive Our Lent with Tanner Kalina

March 15th, 2024  |  Season 23  |  32 mins 26 secs

ave explores, ave maria press, cfr, claire and mike couche, csfn, fr. agustino torres, fr. tim anastos, katie prejean mcgrady, lent 2024, made for heaven journal, manny gonzalez, mark hart, sr. josephine garrett, tanner kalina

In this sacred season, our ultimate aim is to draw nearer to Christ. And what better way to achieve this closeness than by physically spending time with him in the presence of the Eucharist?

Join Tanner Kalina, a passionate Eucharistic missionary for the National Eucharistic Revival, as he demonstrates how Lent is the perfect time to seek the Lord's presence. Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, Tanner reveals how this season offers a unique opportunity for the Lord to manifest his love, mercy, and kindness to us.

Lent is about having—and maybe doing—less to create space for the Lord to pour out his abundance upon us. This episode shares how we can allow the Eucharist to become our ultimate source of what more the Lord hopes to give

Lent Reveals Our Weakness with Sr. Orianne Pietra René, FSP

March 8th, 2024  |  Season 23  |  25 mins 31 secs

ave explores, ave maria press, cfr, claire and mike couche, csfn, fr. agustino torres, fr. tim anastos, fsp, katie prejean mcgrady, lent 2024, made for heaven journal, manny gonzalez, mark hart, sr. josephine garrett, sr. orianne pietra rené, tanner kalina

The further we get into Lent, the more likely it is that we have run into some—or many—missteps and pitfalls.

While this can feel discouraging, Sr. Orianne Pietra René, FSP, a passionate social media evangelist, helps us understand how when Lent is “hard” and we feel weak, that is precisely when the Lord shows up to do great things within us. Our poverty in Lent becomes God’s strength and glory.

Let the Lord Purify You in Lent with Manny Gonzalez

March 1st, 2024  |  Season 23  |  31 mins 41 secs

ave explores, ave maria press, cfr, claire and mike couche, csfn, fr. agustino torres, fr. tim anastos, katie prejean mcgrady, lent 2024, made for heaven journal, manny gonzalez, mark hart, sr. josephine garrett, tanner kalina

Join Emmanuel “Manny” Gonzalez, a graduate student at Franciscan University of Steubenville, as he shows how, despite our best intentions, we can inadvertently introduce a false sense of control into our lives through Lenten spiritual practices or even in our general spiritual journey. Without realizing it, we can squeeze the Lord out of our lives even as we do good and holy deeds. Manny shows us how to avoid this pitfall so that we can walk into Lent willing to let go of everything for the Lord and find ourselves with much more than we surrendered.

Keeping Lent Simple with Claire and Mike Couche of Finding Philothea

February 23rd, 2024  |  Season 23  |  33 mins 24 secs

ave explores, ave maria press, cfr, claire and mike couche, csfn, fr. agustino torres, fr. tim anastos, katie prejean mcgrady, lent 2024, made for heaven journal, manny gonzalez, mark hart, sr. josephine garrett, tanner kalina

Do you ever have BIG plans for Lent, only to feel overwhelmed as the weeks go on?

Claire and Mike Couche, founders of Finding Philothea, share how embracing simplicity—through carving out time for prayer, focusing on small acts of fasting, and learning generosity through acts of service—can wield greater impact than grand gestures of repentance and self-denial. When we complicate Lent, our practices can muddy the waters and make this time of prayerful rest overly stressful. When we keep Lent simple, however, we can see that it’s a time to prepare us for Heaven.

Lent isn't Just for Easter with Mark Hart

February 16th, 2024  |  Season 23  |  38 mins 41 secs

ave explores, ave maria press, cfr, claire and mike couche, csfn, fr. agustino torres, fr. tim anastos, katie prejean mcgrady, lent 2024, made for heaven journal, manny gonzalez, mark hart, sr. josephine garrett, tanner kalina

What’s the purpose of Lent? It’s a simple question, and one Mark Hart answers in a very honest and straightforward way: Lent prepares us for heaven. If we view Lent merely as a spiritual bootcamp to get ready for Easter, we will miss out on all the season has to offer. However, by approaching Lent with a broader perspective, we'll realize that these forty days can prepare us not only for the rest of our lives but also for the joys of heaven.

The Wilderness of Lent with Fr. Agustino Torres, CFR

February 14th, 2024  |  Season 23  |  29 mins 27 secs

ave explores, ave maria press, cfr, claire and mike couche, csfn, fr. agustino torres, fr. tim anastos, katie prejean mcgrady, lent 2024, made for heaven journal, manny gonzalez, mark hart, sr. josephine garrett, tanner kalina

When Ash Wednesday rolls around, many of us are ready—even excited—to start our Lenten resolution. However, as the weeks go by, our resolve can wane. What do we do when our Lenten practices become challenging to maintain?

Fr. Agustino Torres, CFR, the author of Made for Heaven, offers us a way to enter this season as he explains why he felt called to write about going into the wilderness of Lent with a willing spirit and a ready heart. If we “fight” Lent, we close ourselves off to God’s greater plan for these forty days. If we go into the desert remembering that Jesus went there first, we will see growth in our faithfulness.

Evaluating Relationships for Lent with Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN

February 9th, 2024  |  Season 23  |  36 mins 57 secs

ave explores, ave maria press, cfr, claire and mike couche, csfn, fr. agustino torres, fr. tim anastos, katie prejean mcgrady, lent 2024, made for heaven journal, manny gonzalez, mark hart, sr. josephine garrett, tanner kalina

As we approach Ash Wednesday, the question on every faithful Christian's mind is, "What should I do to make this Lent an intentional time to grow closer to God?" In this episode, Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN, offers a new focus to this sacred season by encouraging us to examine the very fabric of our relationships—with ourselves, with others, and most importantly, with God. She provides practical advice on how intentional fasting, heartfelt prayer, and compassionate almsgiving can be tools to strengthen our most important connections. Through this, you will learn that going into Lent “blind” won’t set you up for success, but going into Lent “examined” can lead you to a preview of Heaven.

Week Four of Prepare Your Heart: Holding Jesus like Mary in Advent with Sr. Zelie Maria Louis, SV

December 22nd, 2023  |  Season 22  |  36 mins 20 secs

advent prayer journal, ave explores, ave maria press, bobby and jackie angel, cfr, fr. agustino torres, katie prejean mcgrady, meg hunter-kilmer, prepare your heart, sr. zelie maria louis, sv

Mary opened her arms to the child Jesus, and we are called to do the same. Sr. Zelie Maria Louis, a Sister of Life serving pregnant women in Manhattan, reflects on how we can look to Mary as a perfect example of holiness and love of the Lord in the final days of Advent.

Week Three of Prepare Your Heart: Building a Home like Joseph with Bobby and Jackie Angel

December 15th, 2023  |  Season 22  |  39 mins 16 secs

advent season, ave explores, ave maria press, cfr, fr. agustino torres, jackie and bobby angel, katie prejean mcgrady, meg hunter-kilmer, prepare your heart advent journal, preparing for christmas, sr. zelie maria louis, st. joseph, sv

Jackie and Bobby Angel, authors, speakers, and podcasters, share how the spirit of hospitality and a charism of welcome are essential in order to enter into Advent. When we open our homes to others, and when we work to build a home of love, we are embracing the spirit of St. Joseph.

Week Two of Prepare Your Heart: Holy Witnesses in Advent with Meg Hunter-Kilmer

December 8th, 2023  |  Season 22  |  39 mins 4 secs

advent prayer and meditation journal, ave explores advent 2023, ave maria press, bobby angel, cfr, fr. agustino torres, jackie angel, katie prejean mcgrady, meg hunter-kilmer, prepare your heart

Meg Hunter-Kilmer offers insights into how the stories of the saints can help us more purposefully enter into Advent, preparing our hearts with the witness of faithful men and women who have spent their lives preparing to meet Jesus.