Ave Explores

Everyday Faith for Everyday Catholics

About the show

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.

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Episodes

  • Science is a Mission Field with Chris Baglow

    August 4th, 2021  |  Season 11  |  31 mins 30 secs
    ave explores, ave maria press, christopher t. baglow, faith and science, mcgrath institute for church life, notre dame

    Christopher T. 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 says 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.

  • At the Foot of the Cross with Leticia Ochoa Adams

    July 28th, 2021  |  Season 11  |  34 mins 52 secs
    ave explores, ave maria press, faith, grief after suicide, hope, katie prejean mcgrady, leticia ochoa adams, mary

    Katie Prejean McGrady visits with Leticia Ochoa Adams, a wife, mom, and speaker from Texas, who shares about grief, hope, and faith following the suicide of her son and how we can look to Mary as mother and comforter during the darkest days.

  • Helping Teens Be Mentally Healthy with Roy Petitfils

    July 21st, 2021  |  Season 11  |  53 mins 9 secs
    anxiety, ave explores, ave maria press, depression, katie prejean mcgrady, mental health, roy petitfils, suicide, teens, young people

    Roy Petitfils returns to join Katie Prejean McGrady to talk about crises teenagers face today and how to have honest conversations about mental health.

  • Ending Racism in America with Fr. Josh Johnson and Sr. Josephine Garret, CSFN

    July 14th, 2021  |  Season 11  |  1 hr 13 mins
    advocate for change, ave explores, ave maria press, black catholics, csfn, fr. joshua johnson, racism, rosary for racial repentance, sin of racism, sr. josephine garrett

    Fr. Joshua Johnson and Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN, share their experiences as Black Catholics, discuss why racism is sinful, and explore how Catholics are called to advocate for change.

  • Broken Saints for Broken People with Meg Hunter-Kilmer

    July 7th, 2021  |  Season 11  |  49 mins 54 secs
    ave explores, ave maria press, catholic saints, holy men and women, katie prejean mcgrady, meg hunter-kilmer, overcoming challenges, pray for us, saints, stories

    Meg Hunter-Kilmer, author of the forthcoming Pray for Us, loves to tell stories of the saints, especially those who are not as well known. She shares how growing close to holy men and women has helped her to love Christ more. Hunter-Kilmer says each saint she’s grown close to has been a unique match during particular challenges in her life.

  • The Stuff of Our Faith with Mike Aquilina

    June 30th, 2021  |  Season 11  |  35 mins 31 secs
    a history of the church in 100 object, ave explores, ave maria press, basilica, catholic history. sacraments, catholicism, mike aquilina

    Mike Aquilina, bestselling and award-winning author of A History of the Church in 100 Objects, relates how Catholics are a sacramental people, and objects such as the chains of St. Peter and the dome of the basilica named for him are significant to our understanding of faith. Aquilina also shares how ancient locations central to Christianity’s early development have helped him grow his love for the Lord.

  • The Power of Healing with Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT and Fr. John Burns

    June 23rd, 2021  |  Season 11  |  55 mins 42 secs
    ave explores, ave maria press, catholicism, forgiveness, fr. john burns, healing, katie prejean mcgrady, mental health, solt, sr. miriam james heidland, summer playlist

    Popular Catholic speakers and authors Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, and Fr. John Burns join Katie Prejean McGrady to talk about forgiveness and healing.

  • Mary and the Pears with Jeannie Gaffigan

    June 16th, 2021  |  Season 11  |  35 mins 45 secs
    ave explores, ave maria press, catholic, catholicism, comedy, faith, jeannie gaffigan, jim gaffigan, katie prejean mcgrady, mary, pears, tumors, when life gives you pears

    Katie talks with Jeannie Gaffigan, director, producer, comedy writer, mom of five, and wife of Jim Gaffigan.

  • 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.