Ave Explores

Lent Reveals Our Weakness with Sr. Orianne Pietra René, FSP

March 8th, 2024  |  Season 23  |  25 mins 31 secs

ave explores, ave maria press, cfr, claire and mike couche, csfn, fr. agustino torres, fr. tim anastos, fsp, katie prejean mcgrady, lent 2024, made for heaven journal, manny gonzalez, mark hart, sr. josephine garrett, sr. orianne pietra rené, tanner kalina

The further we get into Lent, the more likely it is that we have run into some—or many—missteps and pitfalls.

While this can feel discouraging, Sr. Orianne Pietra René, FSP, a passionate social media evangelist, helps us understand how when Lent is “hard” and we feel weak, that is precisely when the Lord shows up to do great things within us. Our poverty in Lent becomes God’s strength and glory.

Let the Lord Purify You in Lent with Manny Gonzalez

March 1st, 2024  |  Season 23  |  31 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

Join Emmanuel “Manny” Gonzalez, a graduate student at Franciscan University of Steubenville, as he shows how, despite our best intentions, we can inadvertently introduce a false sense of control into our lives through Lenten spiritual practices or even in our general spiritual journey. Without realizing it, we can squeeze the Lord out of our lives even as we do good and holy deeds. Manny shows us how to avoid this pitfall so that we can walk into Lent willing to let go of everything for the Lord and find ourselves with much more than we surrendered.

Keeping Lent Simple with Claire and Mike Couche of Finding Philothea

February 23rd, 2024  |  Season 23  |  33 mins 24 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

Do you ever have BIG plans for Lent, only to feel overwhelmed as the weeks go on?

Claire and Mike Couche, founders of Finding Philothea, share how embracing simplicity—through carving out time for prayer, focusing on small acts of fasting, and learning generosity through acts of service—can wield greater impact than grand gestures of repentance and self-denial. When we complicate Lent, our practices can muddy the waters and make this time of prayerful rest overly stressful. When we keep Lent simple, however, we can see that it’s a time to prepare us for Heaven.

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.