Ave Spotlight

Episode 203: More Than Your Emotions feat. Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN

November 9th, 2026  |  33 mins 37 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic church, catholic faith, catholic mental health counselor, catholicism, csfn, free catholic podcast, healing, mental health, oscar rivera, sr. josephine garrett, wilderness of the heart

Oscar sits down with Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN, Catholic sister, licensed counselor, and speaker, and author of Wilderness of the Heart, for a conversation about the intersection of faith, emotions, and mental health. Drawing from Catholic theology and her experience in counseling, Sr. Josephine explores why emotions are not inherently sinful and how learning to understand them can lead us toward greater freedom and virtue. Together, they discuss the dangers of allowing emotions or diagnoses to define our identity, the cultural stigma surrounding mental health and practical ways to navigate situational anxiety. Through the beautiful image of stained glass, Sr. Josephine reminds us that God doesn't ask us to erase our humanity but to allow His light to shine through it.

Episode 202: Church Communication with Intentionality feat. Justin Dery

October 27th, 2026  |  41 mins 15 secs

AI, artificial intelligence, ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic church, catholic faith, catholic podcast, catholicism, church communications, cocreators, dery music and media, digital evangelization, justin dery, oscar rivera

Oscar welcomes Justin Dery, founder of Dery Music and Media to explore the growing tension between artificial intelligence and human creativity in church communications. Together they broach the question, are we sacrificing intentionality for efficiency when using Ai in church communications? This conversation challenges Catholics to embrace technology without surrendering the very gifts that make us human. After all, being made in the image of a Creator means we were created to create.

Three Takeaways:
Efficiency doesn't equal intentionality.
AI should assist, not replace.
We were created to create.

Episode 200: From MTV to Ministry with Joe Melendrez

September 28th, 2026  |  31 mins 21 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic podcast, evangelization, hip-hop artist, hip-hop evangelist, joe melendrez, oscar rivera

Oscar sits down with Catholic hip-hop artist and evangelist Joe Melendrez for a conversation about identity, creativity, and what happens when an encounter with God redirects your entire life. From appearing on MTV as a teenager to encountering the Holy Spirit at a teen A.C.T.S. retreat, Joe shares how he discovered that his gifts for music, dancing, and performance weren’t meant to build up the world but to glorify God. We explore why Catholic artist should pursue excellence, not because we are perfect but because our God is so perfect.

Episode 198: Going to College, Growing in Holiness with Meg Hunter-Kilmer

September 1st, 2026  |  42 mins 54 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic podcast, catholicism, college and faith, college readiness, meg hunter-kilmer, oscar rivera, stay rooted in christ, university of notre dame

On this episode of Ave Spotlight, Meg Hunter-Kilmer talks about staying rooted in Christ during one of life’s biggest transitions: college. Meg challenges the idea that holiness requires having everything figured out—sharing stories of imperfect saints whose lives reveal a God who meets us exactly where we are and calls us forward.

Episode 197: Step Up to the Plate feat. Fr. John Garabedian

August 18th, 2026  |  37 mins 15 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, diocese of fall river, faith and baseball, fr. john garabedian, free catholic podcast, massachusetts, oscar rivera, podcast for catholics, trusting god's call, vocations

Fr. John Garabedian, associate director of vocations for the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts, talks with Oscar about baseball, priesthood, creativity, and learning to trust God’s call. A former college baseball player and graphic designer, Fr. John reflects on how the highs and lows of athletics taught him to keep success and failure in perspective, and how these lessons transfer to the spiritual life. He also shares his journey from recognizing a possible call to priesthood, and eventually surrendering to the vocation God had been placing on his heart all along.

Three takeaways:
Use the tools without losing the human touch.
Your identity is bigger than your performance.
God’s call requires a response.

Episode 196: What Are We Holding On To with Tom Corcoran

August 5th, 2026  |  30 mins 15 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic podcast, jesus, oscar rivera, rebuilt, rebuilt parish, the rich young man and the menaing of life, tom corcoran

I sit down with Tom Corcoran, co-founder and president of Rebuilt Parish, to explore one of the most challenging encounters in the Gospels: Jesus and the Rich Young Man. Drawing from his new book, Tom unpacks why this story continues to speak to every Christian wrestling with the tension of happiness. Together, we discuss how Jesus always begins with love before inviting us to the cross.

Three Takeaways:

Jesus loves us before He challenges us. Every invitation to sacrifice begins with an encounter rooted in His love and desire for our happiness.

Idols take many forms. Wealth, status, comfort, family, entertainment, and even good things can become obstacles when they take God's rightful place.

Mission begins with surrender. Personal conversion and parish renewal both start by letting go of what keeps us from fully following Christ.

Episode 195: Beyond the Church Walls with Andy Churray

July 20th, 2026  |  45 mins 2 secs

andy churray, authentic relationships, ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic podcast, evangelization, mission, missionaries, oscar rivera, share the gospel, vagabond missios

Oscar welcomes Andy Churray, president of Vagabond Missions, to Ave Spotlight for a conversation about what it means to live on mission. Andy shares how Vagabond Missions brings the Gospel to inner-city neighborhoods by reaching young people who are often overlooked by traditional ministry. Rooted in Jesus' words that "the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head," their mission isn't built on flashy programs but on a simple philosophy: make a friend, be a friend, and bring a friend to Christ. Through stories of authentic relationships, Andy reminds listeners that evangelization begins not with projects or programs, but with presence, grace, and the courage to go where others will not.

Episode 194: Beyond the Scoreboard feat. Santonio Hill

June 22nd, 2026  |  34 mins 23 secs

Discipleship, Sports, ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic podcast, discipline, eucharistic adoration, faith, oscar rivera, sacrifice, santonio hill, spiritual growth

Oscar welcomes Santonio Hill for a conversation that bridges the worlds of sports, faith, and discipleship. Together, we explore why people passionately identify with teams, wear their colors, defend their loyalty, and find community through sports. But what might happen if that same energy were directed toward a relationship with Jesus Christ and his Church?

Drawing from the examples of elite athletes, Santonio challenges listeners to embrace the discipline, sacrifice, and consistency required for spiritual growth. Through his personal conversion story in Eucharistic Adoration, he reveals how falling in love with God transformed his life and gave him a mission greater than himself.

Episode 193: Humanity in the Age of AI with Paul Blanchard

June 9th, 2026  |  54 mins 1 sec

AI, a catholic approach to ai, ave maria press, ave spotlight, digital evangelization, human dignity, magnifica humanitas, oscar rivera, paul blanchard, pope leo xiv

Oscar sat down with Paul Blanchard, director of social media outreach and IT specialist for the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi, to explore one of the most important questions facing the Church today: How do we embrace technology without losing our humanity? Drawing from Pope Leo XIV recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, Paul shares insights from the front lines of digital evangelization, where technology serves the mission of making disciples rather than replacing relationships. Together we discuss AI companions, social media, human dignity, and the Church’s responsibility to provide moral guidance in a rapidly changing world. Through it all, Paul reminds listeners that the goal of technology should not be efficiency alone, but deeper communion with God and one another.

Three Takeaways:

1. Technology should serve relationships, not replace them.
2. Human dignity must remain at the center of AI development.
3. Evangelization is ultimately personal.

Episode 192: Faithful Discernment with Helena Heffernan

May 26th, 2026  |  38 mins 15 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, discernment, helena heffernan, life teen international, listening to god, oscar rivera, prayers, vocation

On this episode, Oscar sits down with Helena Heffernan of Life Teen International to explore the often challenging journey of discernment. Helena shares how prayer, silence, and honest self-awareness helped her recognize where her gifts could truly flourish. Their conversation is a powerful reminder that vocation is not about forcing a path forward, but faithfully responding to where God is genuinely calling you.