Ave Spotlight

Episode 97: Eve Tushnet on How the Truth and Beauty of Catholicism Led to Her Conversion

July 11th, 2022  |  22 mins 55 secs

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Chenele chats with Eve Tushnet about her conversion to Catholicism. After being deeply inspired by the reliquaries of the Church, Tushnet explored the faith more intentionally and was moved by the beauty and truth of Catholicism. She also shares some insight on how to discuss the topic of conversion with others.

Episode 96: Leah Libresco Sargeant on Her Conversion from Atheism to Catholicism

June 27th, 2022  |  20 mins 32 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic podcast, chenele shaw, conversion stories, from atheism to catholicism, leah libresco sargeant

Chenele talks with Leah Libresco Sargeant about her conversion from atheism to Catholicism. After many debates during college, Sargeant was inspired to investigate Catholicism more fully by the faithful witness of her peers. She also offers suggestions about how to engage in healthy debates with those who have different beliefs.

Episode 95: Gloria Purvis on Her Conversion to the Catholic Faith

June 13th, 2022  |  30 mins 6 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic faith, catholic podcast, chenele shaw, conversion story, gloria purvis, pro-life, sacredness and dignity of black lives

In this episode, Chenele Shaw chats with Gloria Purvis about her conversion to Catholicism when she was twelve years old after encountering the Lord in Eucharistic Adoration. Although her parents were not Catholic, they supported her passion to witness to the faith as an advocate for the sacredness and dignity of the unborn, and Black lives.

Episode 94: Best of Ave Spotlight: Saints who Struggled with Mental Issues with Tommy Tighe

May 30th, 2022  |  28 mins 36 secs

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You loved this episode from Tommy Tighe so much that we have brought it back! We hope you enjoy this new feature of Ave Spotlight in which we replay these "best of" episodes from time to time.

Oscar Romero. Dorothy Day. Thérèse of Lisieux. Edith Stein. All these great saints struggled with their mental health.

Join Chenele Shaw and mental health counselor Tommy Tighe on this special episode where they talk about saints who strove for holiness and brought their mental struggles to the Lord.

Episode 93: Female Doctors of the Church and Spiritual Direction with Vinita Hampton Wright

May 16th, 2022  |  27 mins 55 secs

and hildegard of bingen, ave maria press, ave spotlight, catherine of siena, chenele shaw, female doctors of the church, ignatian spirituality, set the world on fire, spiritual direction, teresa of avila, thérèse of lisieux, vinita hampton wright

Are you interested in spiritual direction but not sure how to get started? 

Join us this week as Chenele talks with Vinita Hampton Wright about the difference between spiritual direction and therapy, why it is valuable to one's faith journey, and how to find a spiritual director. Wright also introduces us to her new book, Set the World on Fire: A 4-Week Personal Retreat with the Female Doctors of the Church. 

Episode 92: Integrating Work and Faith with John Cannon of SENT Ventures

May 2nd, 2022  |  20 mins 24 secs

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Do you wish your work culture reflected the values of your Catholic faith?

Join Chenele Shaw and John Cannon, founder of SENT Ventures—an organization that supports and mentors Catholic entrepreneurs— as they discuss how change in the workplace begins with one person who wants to grow in holiness. Cannon encourages those he mentors—and you—to be more intentional about scheduling time for prayer, Mass, community involvement, rest, and other practices that will allow God to work through you.

Episode 91: Evangelization, Beatitudes, and Baseball with Fr. Casey Cole, OFM

April 25th, 2022  |  27 mins 8 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, baseball, bleacher brothers tour, chenele shaw, fr. casey cole, ofm, summer 2022, the way of beatitude

What do a priest, baseball, and the beatitudes have in common?

Join Chenele Shaw this week as she talks with popular YouTuber Fr. Casey Cole, OFM, about social media, the priesthood, and this summer's Bleacher Brothers tour. He will visit all thirty MLB parks in eleven weeks with his friend Fr. Roberto "Tito" Serrano, OFM, to share the good news.

Episode 90: Beginning Well with Joel Stepanek

April 18th, 2022  |  23 mins 42 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, beginning well, chasing humility, chenele shaw, joel stepanek, life teen, new beginnings

We only have a few firsts in life, but we have many new beginnings. Do you embrace a fresh start as an exciting opportunity or do you mourn what you left behind?

In this week's episode, Chenele Shaw and Joel Stepanek discuss how to meet new beginnings with grace and as moments to encounter Jesus Christ. Stepanek—vice president of parish services at Life Teen—also offers practical strategies for beginning well that will help you joyfully grow as a Christian.

Episode 89: Faith, Hope, and Love for the Ukrainian Catholic Church with The Very Reverend Mark Morozowich

April 11th, 2022  |  54 mins 6 secs

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The Very Reverend Mark Morozowich joins Katie Prejean McGrady and Chenele Shaw, in a special crossover episode of Ave Explores and Ave Spotlight, to discuss the war in Ukraine and provide historical and spiritual context to the conflict, tell the stories of resilient and holy Ukrainian Catholics, and offer insights into how to pray and fast for peace.

Episode 88: A Source of Renewal—Preparing for Holy Week and Easter with Fr. Michael White

April 4th, 2022  |  21 mins 38 secs

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In this episode, Fr. Michael White of Church of the Nativity in Timonium, Maryland, talks with Chenele about how fully engaging in Holy Week services, the Triduum, and the Easter season can be a powerful source of renewal.