Ave Explores

Sarah Swafford Reflects on the Advent theme of Watchfulness

November 28th, 2021  |  Season 14  |  22 mins 59 secs

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Sarah Swafford says it is important to slow down and embrace peacefulness and simplicity as we enter Advent. Reflecting on watchfulness—the first of the four weekly themes in Adore—Swafford said she has learned to do less so that she can watch for ways the Lord might surprise us during the season.

Accompaniment as the Model of Evangelization with Paul Jarzembowski

November 19th, 2021  |  Season 13  |  35 mins 7 secs

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Paul Jarzembowski, assistant director of youth and young adult ministries at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, discusses {Evangelii Gaudium}, Pope Francis's Apostolic Exhortation on evangelization. Jarzembowski explains how accompaniment and encounter are the key elements of evangelization.

Finding the Good in Gaming with Jon Blevins

November 17th, 2021  |  Season 13  |  30 mins 17 secs

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Jonathan Blevins, founder and CEO of Little Flower Media, discusses his switch from sharing the faith through parish ministry to evangelizing with gaming on the streaming platform Twitch. By embracing gamers and hosting conversations about faith online, Blevins has opened up a new area of evangelization for the Church.

Sharing Authentic Stories of Faith with Scott Boyle

November 12th, 2021  |  Season 13  |  31 mins 52 secs

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Scott Boyle, associate director of recruitment and formation for the Notre Dame Echo and Notre Dame Vision programs, discusses how these week-long summer camps at the University of Notre Dame are life-changing experiences for thousands of young people who have learned to share their faith through authentic storytelling and witness.

Authentic and Real Evangelization with Chris Padgett

November 10th, 2021  |  Season 13  |  40 mins 35 secs

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Chris Padgett, internationally known Catholic speaker and author, discusses how evangelization begins and ends with an authentic witness to the ways Jesus has changed your life. He says stories and humor are especially important when trying to help people encounter the Lord.

The Sacraments as the Source of Sharing with Fr. Blake Britton

November 5th, 2021  |  Season 13  |  31 mins 2 secs

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Fr. Blake Britton, a priest in the diocese of Orlando, says that you can begin evangelization at home by immersing your family in the Church's sacramental and liturgical life. He recommends examples such as praying the Liturgy of the Hours or making daily Mass a priority.

Prayer as the Source of Evangelization with Gloria Purvis

November 3rd, 2021  |  Season 13  |  35 mins 10 secs

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Gloria Purvis, host of The Gloria Purvis Podcast from America Media, believes that evangelization must be rooted in your personal prayer life. With stories from her life and from her professional experiences as a radio host and internationally known Catholic speaker, Purvis uses examples from her own life and work to explain how tackling tough topics with others should be done with charity and conviction.

Understanding Your Charisms and Gifts with Mallory Smyth

October 29th, 2021  |  Season 13  |  35 mins 53 secs

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Mallory Smyth discusses how understanding our gifts and paying attention to how the Holy Spirit calls us to use them is the first step in sharing the faith. She also shares how her reversion to Catholicism and her work in various ministries has shown her that we are all called to uniquely give witness to Jesus.

Learning to Listen with Shannon Schmidt

October 27th, 2021  |  Season 13  |  39 mins 57 secs

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Shannon Schmidt, a pastoral associate in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, discusses how working in parish ministry has taught her the value of listening and meeting people where they are in order to provide them with what they need.

Evangelization Begins with Relationships with Marcel LeJeune

October 20th, 2021  |  Season 13  |  29 mins 46 secs

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Marcel LeJeune, founder of Catholic Missionary Disciples, says forming authentic and honest relationships is the key to sharing the faith with others. He explains that evangelization is not a program to fix people.

How to Help People Listen to the Bible with Alex Jones of Hallow

September 29th, 2021  |  Season 12  |  30 mins 29 secs

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Alex Jones discusses the founding of Hallow--a Catholic prayer and meditation app--which came from his desire to read and meditate more on scripture. Scripture is a key component of the app, including audio recordings of books of the Bible, Gospel challenges, and scripture-based sleep stories. Jones said thousands of users have developed a habit of reading the Bible because of Hallow.

The Book of Revelation with Jeff Cavins

September 24th, 2021  |  Season 12  |  28 mins 20 secs

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Jeff Cavins, biblical scholar and a contributor to The Bible in a Year podcast, says that the book of Revelation is often misinterpreted as predicting the future. Instead, Revelation reveals that Heaven is a Mass and we are all invited to it.

The Real Stories Behind the Gospels with Sarah Christmyer

September 22nd, 2021  |  Season 12  |  27 mins 48 secs

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Sarah Christmyer, contributor of The Ave Catholic Notetaking Bible, discusses how she grew to love Scripture and explains how reading the New Testament, especially the Gospels, helps us to know Jesus fully.

The Jewish Roots of the Old Testament with Andrew Glicksman

September 17th, 2021  |  Season 12  |  33 mins 5 secs

Andrew Glicksman, chairman of the theology department at the University of Dallas, discusses his love of the Old Testament and explains how studying the sacred text brings about a greater appreciation for the New Testament and the story of Jesus.

Praying the Psalms with Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN

September 15th, 2021  |  Season 12  |  28 mins 15 secs

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Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN, shares her vocation story and discusses how living in community and praying the Liturgy of the Hours have been sources of joy and consolation in her life as a religious sister. She challenges all of us to let scripture--especially the Psalms--become a regular part of our lives.

The Surprising Parts of Scripture with Rev. William L. Burton, OFM

September 10th, 2021  |  Season 12  |  37 mins 45 secs

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Fr. William L. Burton, OFM, says that many Catholics are hesitant to read Scripture because they assume they'll get it wrong, but even scholars sometimes make mistakes. Burton explains there are surprises on every page of the Bible and encourages every Catholic to keep God's Word as their constant companion.