Ave Explores

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.

Week One of Prepare Your Heart: Preparing for Nazareth Fr. Agustino Torres, CFR

December 1st, 2023  |  Season 22  |  44 mins 49 secs

advent 2023, ave explores, ave maria press, cfr, fr. agustino torres, jackie and bobby angel, katie prejean mcgrady, meg hunter kilmer, prepare your heart, sr. zelie maria louis, sv, the way to nazareth

Fr. Agustino Torres, CFR, author of Prepare Your Heart, explains how the season of Advent is a chance to enter into the heart of Nazareth, a place of respite, rest, and formation. At the beginning of the liturgical year, it’s so easy to become consumed with the busyness of the season, the work that must be done for Christmas, and we can forget how this is ultimately a time to prepare to welcome Jesus. Fr. Agustino explains how when we purposefully prepare our hearts, we are joyfully anticipating the gift of Christmas in the best way possible.

Simplifying Liturgical Living with Elissa Tiprigan of Catholic Family Crate

October 25th, 2023  |  Season 21  |  43 mins 15 secs

ave explores liturgical living, ave maria press, be a heart, catholic all year, catholic concepts, catholic family crate, catholicism, domestic church, elisabeth williams, elissa tiprigan, erica tighe campbell, fr. john burns, katie prejean mcgrady, kendra tierney, live as a domestic church, living the seasons, monk manual, scott williams, sock religious, steffani aquila, steven lawson

When Elissa Tiprigan began searching for convenient and ready-to-use resources for liturgical living, she faced a challenge—there was a noticeable absence of such materials. However, undeterred by this, she viewed this gap as an opportunity to fulfill an important mission.

In response to this, Elissa established Catholic Family Crate, a heartfelt initiative designed to assist families, including her own, in easily accessing uncomplicated tools and activities that infuse the joyful spirit of the Church's calendar into their everyday lives.

Creating a Holy Home with Scott and Elisabeth Williams of Catholic Concepts

October 18th, 2023  |  Season 21  |  49 mins 24 secs

ave explores liturgical living, ave maria press, be a heart, catholic all year, catholic concepts, catholic family crate, catholicism, domestic church, elisabeth williams, elissa tiprigan, erica tighe campbell, fr. john burns, katie prejean mcgrady, kendra tierney, live as a domestic church, living the seasons, monk manual, scott williams, sock religious, steffani aquila, steven lawson

It all started as an idea to create silly socks for a saint’s feast day. From there, Scott and Elisabeth Williams turned their desire to share creative ways to celebrate something meaningful in the Church into their company, Catholic Concepts.

Listen to the story about how this couple went from fun socks to creating other beautiful products to help Catholics grow in their faith by sharing about saints, planning the week, and decorating a home with subtle references to Church teaching and devotions. Through their story, you’ll be inspired to express your faith and celebrate special days and moments in the Church year in creative, unique, and beautiful ways.

Embracing the Ebb and Flow of Advent and Lent with Fr. John Burns

October 11th, 2023  |  Season 21  |  1 hr 1 min

ave explores liturgical living, ave maria press, be a heart, catholic all year, catholic concepts, catholic family crate, catholicism, domestic church, elisabeth williams, elissa tiprigan, erica tighe campbell, fr. john burns, katie prejean mcgrady, kendra tierney, live as a domestic church, living the seasons, monk manual, scott williams, sock religious, steffani aquila, steven lawson

Advent and Lent, revered penitential seasons, stand as gateways to prepare us for days of rejoicing and victory. These seasons are so iconic that even secular society joins in with traditions including Advent calendars for everything under the sun and seasonal fish sandwiches at your favorite drive-thru. Fr. John Burns explains how the natural ebb and flow of the liturgical year, especially with Advent and Lent as pillars of penance within the seasons, allow us to more fully celebrate what is worth celebrating and repent when we need to repent.

Living the Seasons of the Moment with Erica Tighe Campbell of Be a Heart

October 4th, 2023  |  Season 21  |  51 mins 2 secs

ave explores liturgical living, ave maria press, be a heart, catholic all year, catholic concepts, catholic family crate, catholicism, domestic church, elisabeth williams, elissa tiprigan, erica tighe campbell, fr. john burns, katie prejean mcgrady, kendra tierney, live as a domestic church, living the seasons, monk manual, scott williams, sock religious, steffani aquila, steven lawson

Erica Tighe Campbell established Be A Heart as a contemporary lifestyle brand designed for Catholics seeking elegant ways to practice their faith and commemorate the various seasons of the Church calendar. While crafting her product line and writing her latest book, Living the Seasons, she has uncovered the profound significance of embracing both the present phase of life and the yearly cycle, recognizing them as invitations to align with God's purpose, design, and blessings.

Discover how you, too, can embrace the seasons of the liturgical year to empower your own walk with the Lord and share the reason for your joy with those around you.

Liturgical Living is for All Steffani Aquila

September 27th, 2023  |  Season 21  |  38 mins 10 secs

ave explores, ave maria press, catholic all year, catholic concepts, catholic family crate, elissa tiprigan, erica tighe campbell, fr. john burns, katie prejean mcgrady, kendra tierney, liturgical living, living the seasons, monk manual, scott and elisabeth williams, sock religious, steffani aquila

Liturgical living isn’t confined to family craft projects or activities for CCD classes. For Steffani Aquila, founder of His Girl Sunday and director of Liturgical Living for the Co-Cathedral in the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, liturgical living is an invitation for all faithful men and women to engage meaningfully with the rhythms of the year. Join Steffani as she chats with Katie on what feast days and sacred seasons can teach everyone, regardless of age or background, about Jesus and how embracing these practices helps us discover a joy-filled life based on tradition, hospitality, and togetherness.

How to Live the Liturgical Year with Kendra Tierney

September 20th, 2023  |  Season 21  |  46 mins 32 secs

ave explores liturgical living, ave maria press, be a heart, catholic all year, catholic concepts, catholic family crate, catholicism, domestic church, elisabeth williams, elissa tiprigan, erica tighe campbell, fr. john burns, katie prejean mcgrady, kendra tierney, live as a domestic church, living the seasons, monk manual, scott williams, sock religious, steffani aquila, steven lawson

Kendra Tierney wanted to teach her children about the depth and beauty of Catholicism and give them a lived discipleship that wasn’t stuffy or boring. In her quest to pass on a vibrant faith, she discovered the rhythms of the Church year—encompassing saints' feast days and the tapestry of liturgical seasons—as a foundation to illuminate, educate, and infuse the everyday with boundless joy and fun. Her exploration led to the creation of Catholic All Year, a one stop blog and shop that helps families embrace the liturgical year and nurture the faith within the home. Experience Kendra's journey to learn practical ways you can also bring your own faith journey alive and pass that joy on to those you love.

Living Life Intentionally with Steven Lawson of Monk Manual

September 13th, 2023  |  Season 21  |  55 mins 34 secs

ave explores liturgical living, ave maria press, be a heart, catholic all year, catholic concepts, catholic family crate, catholicism, domestic church, elisabeth williams, elissa tiprigan, erica tighe campbell, fr. john burns, katie prejean mcgrady, kendra tierney, live as a domestic church, living the seasons, monk manual, scott williams, sock religious, steffani aquila, steven lawson

How do we live intentionally, striving not solely for productivity but also for purposeful flourishing?

Steven Lawson, creator and founder of Monk Manual, explores how when we rush through life, we can miss moments that matter most. Steven’s conversation with Katie also offers insights on how to notice God at work in our daily lives and shows how the Church’s liturgical calendar and monastic orders provide a perfect template for intentional living.

The Eucharist Leads Us to the Poor with Fr. Malachy Napier, CFR

June 8th, 2023  |  Season 20  |  48 mins 21 secs

ave explores the eucharist, ave maria press, body blood soul and divinity, cfr, encounter jesus in the eucharist, engaging with our brothers and sisters in need, fr. malachy napier, katie prejean mcgrady, love others better, servant heart, source and summit of the catholic faith

Fr. Malachy Napier, CFR, talks about how the Eucharist compels us to take what we receive and go out into the world to serve those who are forgotten, hurting, and alone by loving them like Jesus.

The Heart of Eucharistic Revival with Bishop Andrew Cozzens

June 7th, 2023  |  Season 20  |  1 hr 21 secs

and divinity, ave explore the eucharist, ave maria press, becoming eucharistic people, bishop andrew cozzens, blood, body, catholicism, cfr, eucharistic adoration, eucharistic revival, fe, fr. craig vasek, fr. malachy napier, heather khym, jake khym, joel stepanek, kathryn whitaker, katie prejean mcgrady, mcgrath institute for church life, national eucharistic congress, perpetua charles, soul, sr. alicia torres, the catholic mass, the eucharist, the source and summit of the catholic faith, the university of notre dame, timothy p. o'malley

Bishop Andrew Cozzens of the Diocese of Crookston, chairman of the USCCB’s evangelization and catechesis committee, talks with Katie Prejean McGrady about the Eucharistic Revival and what can happen when people recommit themselves to Jesus.