Ave Explores

From Atheism to Catholicism with Leah Libresco Sargeant

May 14th, 2021 | Season 10 | 34 mins 13 secs

Leah Libresco Sargeant discusses her conversion from atheism to Catholicism, highlighting how she used math and science to reconcile the ideas of objective moral truth and God's existence. She reflects on how we can help others to convert by answering questions, opening our homes, and being a witness to faith in everyday life.

How to Talk About the "Tough Stuff" of Faith and Science with Tod Worner, M.D.

May 12th, 2021 | Season 10 | 29 mins 11 secs

Dr. Tod Worner, editor of the Word on Fire Institute's Evangelization and Culture journal, talks about how to tackle difficult topics of faith with skeptics and non-believers. He suggests starting from a place where each side can acknowledge their human dignity and a shared desire for truth and the ability to explain the natural world.

The Ethics of Vaccines and Health Care with John Brehany

May 7th, 2021 | Season 10 | 48 mins 20 secs

Bioethicist John Brehany addresses the debate about whether it is ethical for Catholics to receive the currently available COVID-19 vaccines. He also reflects on how answering questions concerning bioethical issues—ranging from end-of-life care to medical intervention and from contraception to vaccination—is a form of accompaniment and ministry, critical in the life of the Church today.

Answering Bioethical Questions with John A. DiCamillo

May 5th, 2021 | Season 10 | 39 mins 54 secs

John Di Camillo, a staff ethicist at the National Catholic Bioethics Center, offers moral principles to guide decision-making in bioethics and discusses how to answer common bioethical questions about such issues as vaccinations, infertility, abortion, and end-of-life with charity and Church teaching.

Recognizing How Small We Are with Paul Giesting

April 30th, 2021 | Season 10 | 35 mins 52 secs

Geologist Paul Giesting discusses how working as an environmental regulator has helped him to contemplate mankind's tiny place in the colossal universe. Giesting says studying the planet through its geology has expanded his faith and given him a deeper appreciation of God's power.

Science is a Mission Field with Chris Baglow

April 28th, 2021 | Season 10 | 28 mins 44 secs

Chris Baglow, director of the science and religion Initiative at the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame, discusses how faith and science approach truth. He said that by exploring science with the eyes of faith and approaching faith with a desire to understand science, the Church can evangelize in new ways.

Caring for Creation with Kathleen Hoenke

April 23rd, 2021 | Season 10 | 28 mins 10 secs

Kathleen Hoenke, a spatial ecologist and program director at the St. Kateri Conservation Center, discusses growing native plants and building rain gardens on church properties. She says her faith came to life when she realized the grandeur of God in the natural flowers that grew in her own backyard. As a result, how she manages her household, what she grows in her garden, and what she teaches her children have changed.

The Catholic Climate Covenant with Elena Gaona

April 21st, 2021 | Season 10 | 24 mins 43 secs

Elena Gaona discusses the mission of the Catholic Climate Covenant, highlighting how the organization works to bring solar power to parishes, create climate care teams for dioceses, and encourage the faithful to care for the earth and slow the effects of climate change.

Why Faith and Science is Worth Talking About with Brandon Vogt

April 14th, 2021 | Season 10 | 31 mins 44 secs

Brandon Vogt, senior content director of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, explains that faith and science are not only compatible but also necessary to understand the mysteries of creation. He also offers strategies to best explain how faith and science work together to those who have serious doubts.

Faith Alive in Rome with Mountain Butorac

March 19th, 2021 | Season 9 | 28 mins 5 secs

The Catholic Traveler Mountain Butorac discusses the vibrancy of parish communities in Rome and how pilgrimages help people grow deeper in their faith and understand the beauty of the universal Church.

Pilgrims in Ireland with James and Catherine McLoughlin

March 17th, 2021 | Season 9 | 48 mins 37 secs

James and Catherine McLoughlin have lived and worked in England, the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland. They discuss Catholicism in each country, explain how faith comes alive on pilgrimages, in small groups, and through acts of service, and look ahead to the future of the Church in the United Kingdom.

The Church in Haiti with Sean Forrest

March 12th, 2021 | Season 9 | 24 mins 32 secs

Sean Forrest, founder of Haiti180, discusses his international mission that serves the impoverished of Port Au Prince. Forrest, who travels to Haiti frequently to work with missionaries and operate an orphanage, says Catholicism is an anchor in the Haitian culture.

From Kenya to Rome with Samuel Maina

March 10th, 2021 | Season 9 | 24 mins 23 secs

Samuel Maina, a seminarian in the Diocese of Nyeri in Kenya, shares his vocation journey and how his love of the Church in Africa and the vibrancy of the African culture in worship, community, and study led him to discern the priesthood.

The Vibrant Youth of India with Percival Holt

March 5th, 2021 | Season 9 | 43 mins 54 secs

Percival Holt, former president of the Youth Council of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, discusses the vibrant Church in India, especially within youth and young adult ministry. Having traveled throughout India advancing the youth worker movement, Holt also explains the diversity within Indian Catholicism, where liturgical worship is an expression of local regions and communities.

A Faithful Fight for the Environment with Joe Moeno-Kolio

March 3rd, 2021 | Season 9 | 34 mins 37 secs

Joe Moeno-Kolio, a climate change advocate in Samoa, discusses how the Catholic faith is thriving in the South Pacific, especially in small village communities that are grounded in family life. Moeno-Kolio also explains how working to fight climate change, and care for God's creation is critical work for every Christian.

The Universal Church Close Up with Brenda Noriega

February 26th, 2021 | Season 9 | 38 mins 54 secs

Brenda Noriega reverted to Catholicism when she moved to the United States from Mexico. She discusses how to end division and create unity and build community within our local parishes and throughout the world.

Episode Archive