Ave Explores

Week Three: Truthful and Trustworthy Content with Montse Alvarado of EWTN

July 30th, 2025  |  Season 29  |  50 mins 1 sec

abiding together podcast, alex jones of hallow, ave explores, ave maria press, daughters of st. paul, digital evangelization, ewtn, focus, grady connelly, heather khym, katie mcgrady, kaylee stoll, michelle benzinger, montse alvarado, solt, sr. miriam james heidland, sr. nancy usselman, the digital continent, the social thomist

In a world flooded with misinformation and digital noise, how can Catholics use media to evangelize with clarity and credibility? Montse Alvarado, President of EWTN News, joins Katie to talk about why traditional media—especially television and radio—still matter and what it takes to earn and keep the public’s trust. Together, they dive into the urgent need for honesty and transparency in Catholic media and explore how that same trustworthiness must carry over into digital and social platforms. This conversation is a timely and inspiring look at how truth, trust, and technology intersect in the mission of evangelization today.

WEEK TWO: Influencer Culture in the Church with Grady Connolly of The Social Thomist

July 23rd, 2025  |  Season 29  |  59 mins 59 secs

abiding together podcast, alex jones of hallow, ave explores, ave maria press, daughters of st. paul, digital evangelization, ewtn, focus, grady connelly, heather khym, katie mcgrady, kaylee stoll, michelle benzinger, montse alvarado, solt, sr. miriam james heidland, sr. nancy usselman, the digital continent, the social thomist

Grady Connolly, a Gen Z Catholic influencer and digital strategist, shares key principles for discerning how to use social media well—especially when representing the Church. Drawing from his experience managing multiple social platforms for content creators and apostolates, Grady makes a bold claim: if influencers and digital missionaries aren't Christ-focused, they shouldn't be doing the work at all. In this episode, he unpacks the heart behind authentic digital ministry, tells the story of how he got started, and explains why everyone online has the power to influence others in ways they may never realize.

Week One: Phones Pushing us to Prayer with Alex Jones of Hallow

July 16th, 2025  |  Season 29  |  1 hr 1 min

abiding together podcast, alex jones of hallow, ave explores, ave maria press, daughters of st. paul, digital evangelization, ewtn, focus, grady connelly, heather khym, katie mcgrady, kaylee stoll, michelle benzinger, montse alvarado, solt, sr. miriam james heidland, sr. nancy usselman, the digital continent, the social thomist

Katie sits down with Alex Jones, CEO and co-founder of the Hallow app, to explore how one of the world’s most popular Catholic apps is transforming lives through digital prayer. Once an agnostic, Alex shares his powerful reversion story and how it inspired him to create a tool that helps people encounter Christ right where they are—on their phones. Hear how Hallow is using technology to make prayer more accessible, engaging, and meaningful in today’s fast-paced world.

NEW SERIES Teaser: Exploring the Digital Continent: Why the Catholic Church Cares About the Internet

July 8th, 2025  |  Season 29  |  31 mins 6 secs

abiding together podcast, alex jones of hallow, ave explores, ave maria press, daughters of st. paul, digital evangelization, ewtn, focus, grady connelly, heather khym, katie mcgrady, kaylee stoll, michelle benzinger, montse alvarado, solt, sr. miriam james heidland, sr. nancy usselman, the digital continent, the social thomist

The Vatican has begun using a powerful new phrase to describe evangelization in the digital age: digital mission on the digital continent. As people spend increasing amounts of time online—scrolling, streaming, and searching for meaning—the Church recognizes that the internet isn’t just a tool but a place, a mission field where the Gospel can be shared.

In this teaser episode of Ave Explores: Digital Evangelization, host Katie McGrady introduces the theme of this series and unpacks why the Catholic Church is taking digital evangelization seriously. Why does it matter? Who is being reached? And what does it mean to be a digital missionary today?

Tune in as we begin this essential conversation about faith, presence, and purpose in the digital world.