Ave Spotlight

Episode 136: Best of Ave Spotlight: It's Time for a Revival with Joel Stepanek

January 5th, 2024  |  25 mins 14 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, chenele shaw, eucharistic revival, free catholic podcast, joel stepanek, national eucharistic congress, podcast for everyday catholics

This week Chenele Shaw talks with Joel Stepanek, chief mission officer for the National Eucharist Congress, about the Eucharistic Revival. What is it? How can you be a part of it? What does it mean for the Church? Join us in this conversation about encountering Jesus in the Eucharist!

Episode 135: Rebuilding Faith with Tom Corcoran

December 22nd, 2023  |  24 mins 43 secs

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In this episode, we dive into the transformative insights from Rebuilt Faith by Tom Corcoran. Join us as we explore the art of asking questions, finding comfort in doubt, and the profound strength that comes from faith and community. Tune in for an uplifting conversation on rebuilding faith and embracing the power of curiosity. Let's navigate this journey together!

Episode 134: Compassion in Action: Embracing the Poor with Fr. Malachy Joseph Napier

December 11th, 2023  |  28 mins 30 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic social teaching, chenele shaw, compassion in action, fr. malachy joseph napier, option for the poor

In this episode of our Compassion in Action Series, Chenele sits down with the insightful Father Malachy to dive into the heart of service and self-awareness. Get ready for a candid conversation as they explore the importance of serving the poor and recognizing our poverty before God. Father Malachy shares personal stories, practical insights, and a dash of humor, making this episode a must-listen for anyone looking to deepen their faith and make a positive impact in the world.

Episode 133: Catholic Art and Media: Holy Laughter! Conversation with Catholic Comedians Scott Vinci and Carl Kozlowski

November 27th, 2023  |  22 mins 41 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, carl kozlowski, catholic comedy, chenele shaw, finding humor in the journey of faith, podcast for everyday catholics, scott vinci, the lighter side of faith

Get ready for a holy dose of laughter on this episode of Ave Spotlight! Join host Chenele as she sits down with Catholic comedians Scott Vinci and Carl Kozlowski. Together, they delve into the transformative power of laughter and the art of not taking life too seriously. Get ready for a joy-filled conversation that explores the lighter side of faith and the beauty of finding humor in the journey.

Episode 132: Best of Ave Spotlight: The Theology of Style with Lillian Fallon

November 13th, 2023  |  18 mins 37 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, chenele shaw, free catholic podcast, lillian fallon, theology of style, theology of the body

Lillian Fallon discusses her passion for what she calls a “theology of style”: how to view your personal style through the lens of the Theology of the Body. Through social media, Fallon expresses how personal style is an opportunity “to make visible, what is invisible,” which St. John Paull II identified as the soul of the person.

Episode 131: Multiplayer Miracles: The Community Power of Gaming with Bobby Angel

October 30th, 2023  |  40 mins 38 secs

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"Can I love video games and love the Lord?"

Maybe you’ve encountered people who only see gaming as a waste of time or even a gateway into bad habits. Bobby Angel, however, sees beautiful potential in the games we love and wants to show how gamers can bridge their love of these game with a higher calling towards virtue and heroism.

In this episode of Ave Spotlight, Chenele and Bobby chat about how video games can be a space for finding purpose, beauty, and community in the gaming world, all while embracing the love of the Lord. Whether you're a casual gamer or a passionate one, this discussion will show you that video games have more to do with God than you might have ever imagined.

Episode 130: Compassion in Action: A Greener Future with Maria Benes

October 16th, 2023  |  16 mins 54 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, care for the environment, catholic social teaching, chenele shaw, climate change, climate refugees, compassion in action, environmental stewardship, human impact of the climate crisis, human rights, maria benes

Join us for an exciting episode of Ave Spotlight's Compassion in Action Series! In this special installment, we're diving deep into the world of Environmental Stewardship with our returning guest, Maria Benes.

Discover how everyday people like you and me can make a big impact on our planet. We'll unpack the powerful message of Laudato Si' and unveil practical tips to be eco-conscious without breaking a sweat.

Get ready to be inspired and empowered to take steps toward a greener future that connects Catholic social teaching with real-world environmental action.

Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)

Episode 129: Catholic Art and Media: Simple Ways to Live Liturgically with Erica Tighe Campbell

October 2nd, 2023  |  30 mins 39 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, be a heart, catholic creatives, chenele shaw, erica tighe campbell, free catholic podcast for everyone, how to live liturgically, living the seasons

Join us in this special episode of our Catholic Art and Media series as we sit down with Erica Tighe Campbell, a talented Catholic artist, and founder of the inspiring ministry, Be a Heart. Erica discusses her latest book, "Living the Seasons," exploring the profound connection between faith, creativity, and the simple ways to live liturgically. Discover the transformative power of creating art within the context of spirituality, and gain insight into Erica's mission to infuse the world with beauty and faith through her remarkable work. Tune in for a captivating conversation that will leave you inspired and uplifted!

Episode 128: Catholic Art and Media: From Inspiration to Creation with Valerie Delgado of Pax.Beloved

September 18th, 2023  |  20 mins 33 secs

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God loves to speak to us through our gifts. This is what Valerie Delgado learned when she had a dry spell in her prayer life and leaned into her love of art. Through drawing she not only grew closer in her own relationship with the Lord, but also found that she could help others through her work.

In this episode of the Ave Spotlight Catholic Art and Media series, Valerie shares this story with Chenele, as well as how it led to her current calling and the creation of Pax.Beloved. They also discuss how Christians can express and nurture their faith through art and how Catholic artists contribute to the Universal Church by offering so many different depictions of beauty to reach the hearts of people with different tastes, backgrounds, or stories.

Episode 127: Compassion in Action: Solidarity and the Gospel of Food with Fr. Leo Patalinghug

September 4th, 2023  |  18 mins 5 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic social teaching, chenele shaw, combat marginalization, compassion in action, fr. leo patalinghug, plating grace, solidarity

In the second episode of Ave Spotlight’s Compassion in Action series, guest Fr. Leo Patalinghug of Plating Grace chats with Chenele about why Jesus used meals to create solidarity and how we as Christians can continue to do that today. He also shares how a meal with others not only satisfies our physical hunger, but also our deepest craving to be known, loved, heard, and seen. Discover through Fr. Leo’s stories how this healing presence of community mixed with the joy of feasting can bridge gaps, combat marginalization, and build authentic connections.

Episode 126: Catholic Art and Media: Catholic Music with Will Hickl of Novum Records

August 21st, 2023  |  23 mins 21 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic art and media series, catholic creatives, catholic musicians, chenele shaw, free catholic podcast, music lover, novum records, will hickl

Can the music you listen to be a bop AND spiritually nourishing?

Join us this week on episode 2 of our Catholic Art and Media Series as Chenele sits down with Will Hickl of NOVUM Records to explain that, no, you don’t have to sacrifice good sound for good messages. Will shares how thanks to the easy access of streaming, on platforms such as Spotify, there has been a new Renaissance for Catholic musicians to share their talents and create music that is wholesome and fun.

Whether you are an artist who wants to learn the ins and outs of the Catholic music scene or a music lover who is curious about how the tunes you dance to get produced, this episode offers you an insider view of how we can reclaim the beauty of music.

Episode 125: Compassion in Action: The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers with Sam Povlock of FemCatholic

August 7th, 2023  |  13 mins 58 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic social teaching, chenele shaw, femcatholic, sam povlock, the rights of workers, work life balance

Join us this week as we talk with Sam Povlock of FemCatholic all about a truly dignified workplace. We talk paid leave, corporate balance, and the definition of work. You don’t want to miss it!

Episode 124: Catholic Art and Media Series: The Future of Faithful Media with Tanner Kalina

July 24th, 2023  |  26 mins 9 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, chenele shaw, evangelization and social media, free catholic podcast for the everyday catholic, how to evangelize through social media, tanner kalina

In the first episode of our series on Catholic Art and Media, Chenele Shaw is joined by Catholic evangelist Tanner Kalina. They talk about the power of using social media as a tool of evangelization, Hollywood, Tik-Tok, and the Eucharistic Revival. You don’t want to miss it!

Episode 123: Compassion in Action Series: An introduction to Catholic Social Teaching with Maria Benes

July 10th, 2023  |  24 mins 18 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic social teaching, chenele shaw, compassion in action series, human dignity, maria benes, podcast for the everyday catholic, principles of catholic social teaching

In this first episode of our Compassion in Action series, Chenele Shaw and Maria Benes provide an overview of Catholic Social Teaching and its significance in the modern world. Maria sheds light on the key principles and values that guide these teachings.

Episode 122: The Importance of Good Books: Kids Summer Reading Edition

June 26th, 2023  |  16 mins 36 secs

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Are you looking for good summer reads for your kids that are not only entertaining but will also help them grow in virtue?

Join Chenele Shaw this week as she speaks with Jessica Thornton from the Lion & Lamb, a subscription book club for kids ages newborn to twelve. Thornton discusses how she reads and reviews books to help busy parents find appropriate and inspiring reads for their kids. You don’t want to miss it!

Episode 121: Mary, Mother of All with Mari Wagner of West Coast Catholic

June 12th, 2023  |  26 mins 39 secs

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Join Chenele Shaw this week as she talks with special guest Mari Wagner of West Coast Catholic about devotions, creativity, and growing in our relationship with Mary.