Ave Explores

Week Four: Finding Community through Great Books with Marcie Stokman and Colleen Hutt, Founders of Well-Read Mom

June 17th, 2026  |  Season 33  |  51 mins 56 secs

alex jones, andrew swafford, ave explores, catholicism in literature, claire swinarski, colleen hutt, cs lewis, fr. johan teller, fr. michael brisson, haley stewart, hallow, jrr tolkien, kaitlyn facista, katie mcgrady, marcie stokman, op, sr. allison gliot, the brothers karamazov, well read moms

In this episode, Katie talks with Marcie Stokman and Colleen Hutt, co-founders of Well-Read Mom, a nationwide book club for women seeking deeper friendships and meaningful conversations through great literature. Marcie and Colleen share how reading good books transformed their own lives, making them a better person, wife, and mother. In a culture increasingly shaped by constant screens and distractions, they argue that literature helps us recover the lost arts of thinking, reading, and speaking well.

For many women, finding time to read can feel impossible. Marcie offers a simple answer: read together. Through book clubs and shared conversations, women discover a space to wrestle with the questions that matter most—the joys and sorrows, hopes and fears, and challenges of everyday life. These friendships provide the connection, encouragement, and sense of belonging that every person longs for.

Marcie and Colleen also explain the Well-Read Mom four-step process:

Read: Let go of the guilt and simply begin.

Compare: Connect the themes of the book to your own life.

Share: Engage in authentic conversations with others, ideally face-to-face.

Accompany: Support one another through life's struggles with compassion and confidentiality.

Three Takeaways
Reading fosters friendship, and friendship inspires us to keep reading.

Every person has a deep desire to be seen, known, loved, and connected in authentic community.

The Well-Read Mom four-step process offers a practical path to deeper relationships and a richer intellectual and spiritual life.

Week Three: C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien: Faith, Imagination, and the Power of Story feat. Kaitlyn Facista and Andrew Swafford

June 10th, 2026  |  Season 33  |  43 mins 31 secs

alex jones, andrew swafford, ave explores, catholicism in literature, claire swinarski, colleen hutt, cs lewis, fr. johan teller, fr. michael brisson, haley stewart, hallow, jrr tolkien, kaitlyn facista, katie mcgrady, marcia stockman, op, sr. allison gliot, the brothers karamazov, well read moms

In this episode of Ave Explores: Catholicism in Literature, Katie sits down with Kaitlyn Facista and Andrew Swafford to discuss the enduring legacy of two of Christianity’s greatest storytellers, C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien.

Facista, author of Into the Heart of Middle-earth and founder of Tea with Tolkien, shares how Tolkien’s works played a significant role in her conversion to Catholicism. Drawn into Middle-earth by its unforgettable heroes and villains, she discovered profound lessons about virtue, vice, courage, and sacrifice. In a culture hungry for authentic examples of goodness and bravery, Tolkien’s stories continue to awaken the heart and point readers toward truth.

Swafford reflects on encountering Tolkien later in life while reading The Lord of the Rings with his children. Those family readings sparked rich conversations, nurtured their spiritual imaginations, and created opportunities for catechesis. He also discusses introducing students at Benedictine College to Lewis’s Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Great Divorce, marveling at Lewis’s ability to reach students of every background and faith. Through imagination and story, Lewis demonstrates how art and literature can communicate truths that might otherwise remain hidden.

Journey through the wardrobe and wander into the Shire for an inspiring conversation about faith, imagination, and the transformative power of great stories.

Week Two: Murder Mysteries and Vampire Novels with Fr. Michael Brisson, LC, and Sr. Allison Gliot, FSP

June 3rd, 2026  |  Season 33  |  53 mins 5 secs

alex jones, andrew swafford, ave explores, catholicism in literature, claire swinarski, colleen hutt, cs lewis, fr. johan teller, fr. michael brisson, haley stewart, hallow, jrr tolkien, kaitlyn facista, katie mcgrady, marcia stockman, op, sr. allison gliot, the brothers karamazov, well read moms

Sr. Allison Gliot, FSP, and Fr. Michael Brisson, LC, both set out to write fiction, only to find their stories taking unexpected turns. One created a tale involving a priest entangled with the mafia; the other imagined a world where young adults navigate the mysteries of vampires. Unlikely stories from a priest and a religious sister—but perhaps all the more compelling because of their vocations. In this episode, we bring Sr. Allison and Fr. Michael together for the first time to discuss creativity, storytelling, and the surprising paths their novels have taken.

Week One: Reading in the Home

May 26th, 2026  |  Season 33  |  50 mins 5 secs

alex jones, andrew swafford, ave explores, catholicism in literature, claire swinarski, colleen hutt, cs lewis, fr. johan teller, fr. michael brisson, haley stewart, hallow, jrr tolkien, kaitlyn facista, katie mcgrady, marcia stockman, op, sr. allison gliot, the brothers karamazov, well read moms

Authors Haley Stewart and Claire Swinarski reflect on how a lifelong love of reading sparked their writing careers, helped cultivate a rich reading culture in their homes, and continues to open the door to deeper, more meaningful connections with others.

Teaser: Read like a Friar with Fr. Jonah Teller, OP

May 20th, 2026  |  Season 33  |  56 mins 5 secs

alex jones, andrew swafford, ave explores, catholicism in literature, claire swinarski, colleen hutt, cs lewis, fr. johan teller, fr. michael brisson, haley stewart, hallow, jrr tolkien, kaitlyn facista, katie mcgrady, marcia stockman, op, sr. allison gliot, the brothers karamazov, well read moms

To kick off the new series of Ave Explores on Catholicism in Literature, Fr. Jonah Teller, OP, shares how a lifelong love of reading shaped his faith, imagination, and vocation. In an age dominated by scrolling and screens, he reflects on why great books still matter and how the classics form us in wisdom, virtue, and attentiveness to God and the world around us. Fr. Jonah also offers practical ways to build reading into everyday life and cultivate habits that make space for deeper reflection, even amid busy schedules.

BONUS EPISODE: One Year with Pope Leo XIV

May 8th, 2026  |  41 mins 25 secs

ave explores, ave maria press, bonus episode, fr. patrick mary briscoe, katie mcgrady, one year anniversary, one year election of the first american pope, op, pope leo xiv

On May 8, 2025, Pope Leo XIV was elected the 267th pope of the Catholic Church. In the months since, his leadership, messages of peace, and warm presence among the faithful have offered much to reflect on. In this special episode of Ave Explores, Katie McGrady and Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP, discuss the lessons and insights Pope Leo XIV has shared with the Church and the world.

Easter: Feast after the Fast with Laura Kelly Fanucci

April 3rd, 2026  |  Season 32  |  38 mins 45 secs

ali hoffman, ave explores, ave maria press, fr. gregory pine, fr. jerónimo espinosa, fr. patrick mary briscoe, katie mcgrady, laura fanucci, lenten journal, lenten video and podcast series, mary lenaburg, meg hunter-kilmer, op, pete burak, witness

We usually arrive at Easter ready to stop "counting the days" of Lent and happy to end our fasting. Laura Kelly Fanucci's new Easter devotional, Living Easter encourages us to enter the 50 days of Easter with the same focus and purpose as we did for the 40 days of Lent.

Holy Week: The Shock of Holy Week with Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP

March 30th, 2026  |  Season 32  |  40 mins 54 secs

ali hoffman, ave explores, ave maria press, fr. gregory pine, fr. jerónimo espinosa, fr. patrick mary briscoe, katie mcgrady, laura fanucci, lenten journal, lenten video and podcast series, mary lenaburg, meg hunter-kilmer, op, pete burak, witness

Holy Week arrives with a sudden silence—marked by darkness, stillness, and striking liturgical traditions—that invites us to enter more deeply into the mystery and memory of Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP, helps us prepare for the intensity of the week by sharing the rich Holy Week traditions of the Dominican Order.

5th Week of Lent: Lent Makes Us Courageous with Pete Burak

March 21st, 2026  |  Season 32  |  37 mins 1 sec

ali hoffman, ave explores, ave maria press, fr. gregory pine, fr. jerónimo espinosa, fr. patrick mary briscoe, katie mcgrady, laura fanucci, lenten journal, lenten video and podcast series, mary lenacavaburg, meg hunter-kilmer, op, pete burak, witness

Author of A Man on Purpose, Pete Burak shares how courage doesn’t begin with heroic moments, but with daily faithfulness. In this episode, he explores how small, sometimes difficult Lenten practices—like fasting—form us to respond when God calls us to step forward in bigger ways.

4th Week of Lent: The Cross is Humbling with Meg Hunter-Kilmer

March 14th, 2026  |  Season 32  |  34 mins 54 secs

ali hoffman, ave explores, ave maria press, fr. gregory pine, fr. jerónimo espinosa, fr. patrick mary briscoe, katie mcgrady, laura fanucci, lenten journal, lenten video and podcast series, mary lenanburg, meg hunter-kilmer, op, pete burak, witness

Crucifixion was meant to be a humiliating death, a public sign of defeat. Yet Jesus transforms the Cross into the place of ultimate victory. In this episode of Ave Explores, Meg Hunter-Kilmer reflects on how gazing upon the Cross humbles us—revealing both the depth of Christ’s love and the saving power found in what once seemed like failure.