Ave Explores

Week Two: Unveiling the Mystery of Relics with Sean Pilcher and Sharing Holy Stories with Jonathan Roumie

October 2nd, 2024  |  Season 25  |  1 hr 11 mins

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Sean Pilcher, from Sacra, an apostolate focused on the restoration and recovery of relics, shares the meaning and importance of relics for all Catholics. Sean discusses how relics are verified, what it looks like to restore relics that have been damaged, and offers insight into how relics impact our spiritual lives.

Then, in a special bonus Ave Explores exclusive, Katie sits down with Jonathan Roumie, award winning actor from The Chosen and executive producer of the new film Heart of a Servant: The Father Flanagan Story to discuss how the joy of his Catholic faith guides him in his career and helps him discern good projects to work on, and he tells the story of meeting Pope Francis, who called him “Jesus.”

Week One: How Saints are Studied and Made with Meg Hunter-Kilmer and Deacon David Keene

September 25th, 2024  |  Season 25  |  1 hr 17 mins

ave explores, ave maria press, david keene, fr. patrick mary briscoe, katie mcgrady, matt maher, meg hunter-kilmer, mike aquilina, peculiar stuff catholics do, saints, sean pilcher, sonja corbitt, steffani aquila

Join Meg Hunter-Kilmer, author and storyteller of saints, and Deacon David Keene, an archeologist and canon lawyer, as they delve into the fascinating process of uncovering the lives of saints. From researching their stories to studying their relics, they explore the challenges and discoveries that bring these holy figures to life.

Reading Scripture Daily with Meg Hunter-Kilmer

September 8th, 2021  |  Season 12  |  31 mins 9 secs

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Author and itinerant missionary Meg Hunter-Kilmer says daily reading of Scripture inspires a greater appreciation of Church tradition and a more robust understanding of Christ. Hunter-Kilmer has shared her reflections on daily Scripture on Instagram for two years. She explains how her life of faith has been changed by using the Bible as an anchor of her daily prayer.

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.

Encouraging Kids to Think About Holiness with Lisa M. Hendey

November 13th, 2020  |  Season 7  |  32 mins 13 secs

catholicism, faith, holiness, kids, saints

Author Lisa M. Hendey discusses writing children’s books about the lives of the saints and shares advice on how to talk with kids about becoming holy in their everyday lives.

Diversity of the Saints with Gloria Purvis

November 4th, 2020  |  Season 7  |  43 mins 34 secs

catholicism, communion of saints, diversity, saints

Gloria Purvis explains that learning the stories of black, indigenous, and other diverse saints helps to expand the understanding of holiness in the world. She also shares about the lives of several diverse men and women with open causes for canonization.

Broken Saints for Broken People with Meg Hunter-Kilmer

October 28th, 2020  |  Season 7  |  46 mins 13 secs

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Meg Hunter-Kilmer, author of the forthcoming Saints Around the World, 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 Saints in our Lives with Maria Morera Johnson

October 23rd, 2020  |  Season 7  |  34 mins 7 secs

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Maria Morera Johnson discusses her family’s immigration to the United States from Cuba. Johnson, the author of Our Lady of Charity, shares the journey that led her to a relationship with the saints, especially St. Teresa of Avila, and a deeper prayer life.

Saints 101 with Doug Tooke

October 21st, 2020  |  Season 7  |  44 mins 5 secs

catholicism, holiness, saints

Doug Tooke, vice president of mission at ODB Films and host of the Renovo podcast, explains canonization, the process the Church uses to declare a person a saint. He also discusses how each of us can strive for holiness.

Eyes Fixed to Heaven with Sr. Bethany Davis, F.S.P.

October 14th, 2020  |  Season 7  |  49 mins 45 secs

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Sister Bethany Davis of the Daughters of St. Paul sits down with Katie Prejean McGrady to explore what it means to be holy and keep our eyes fixed to heaven, not just because that makes us “a good Catholic,” but because it’s what Jesus wants for our lives. Sister Bethany tells her vocation story, explores the charism and mission of her congregation, and also shares about the new book of saints from the Daughters of St. Paul, In Caelo et in Terra: 365 Saints, and how this project ten years in the making is finally coming to fruition.