Ave Spotlight

Episode 156: Kickstart the New Year with Humility, Resilience, and Discipline with Alex Gotay

January 6th, 2025  |  33 mins 56 secs

alex gotay, ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic podcast, discipline, faith, new year's resolutions, oscar rivera, podcast for the everyday catholic, spiritual growth, the six triple eight

Step into 2025 with renewed purpose! In this episode, Alex Gotay—Catholic speaker, Marine, and 4th Degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor—explores how resilience, humility, and discipline can transform your life. Drawing inspiration from the WWII film The Six Triple Eight, Alex unpacks why resolutions often fail and how perseverance shapes character. Discover how Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu goes beyond self-defense, offering lessons in faith, discipline, and spiritual growth. This powerful conversation blends faith, fitness, and fortitude to inspire growth in mind, body, and spirit for the year ahead.

As you listen, reflect on your own resolutions: How can you incorporate humility, resilience, and faith into your journey this year?

Episode 150: Lion’s, Springboks, and Womanhood: Balance of Strength and Grace with Katie Hartfiel

October 11th, 2024  |  24 mins 14 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic podcast, dignity of women, example of mary, katie hartfiel, oscar rivera, podcast for everyday catholics, womanhood

In today’s episode, we dive into the powerful and mesmerizing springbok—an emblem of both strength and grace. Joined by Katie Hartfiel, we explore how the dignity of womanhood is rooted in the ability to embrace this balance. Through the example of Mary, the mother of God, we discuss how embodying both strength and grace enriches not only a woman's identity but society as a whole. Together, we’ll unpack the importance of recognizing and valuing these two, Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation on the essential role women play when they embrace their full potential.

Episode 139: Sparking Faith in the Hearts of Teens: Sacred Encounter with Fr. Tim Anastos

February 26th, 2024  |  23 mins 20 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic podcast, chenele shaw, fr. tim anastos, helping teens grow in their faith, jesus, make me fully alive, sparking faith in the hearts of teens

In this second episode of our Ignite series, we delve into the transformative impact of spending time with our Eucharistic Lord on the faith journey of Catholic teens. Fr. Tim Anastos shares his vocation story and practical ways for young people to engage in adoration. Join us as we explore the profound influence of Jesus' Eucharistic presence on the hearts of youth!

Episode 116: True Grit: Being a Man of Virtue with Paul George

April 3rd, 2023  |  19 mins 2 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, be a catholic man of virtue, catholic podcast, chenele shaw, holy grit, paul george, podcast for the everyday catholic, rethink happiness

What does it mean to be a man of virtue? This week Chenele and author and Catholic life coach Paul George talk about virtue, the saints, and how men are made for holy grit. George’s new book, Holy Grit, looks at some of the tough issues facing men today—struggles in marriage, parenting, suffering, and finding purpose—to determine areas for growth and take steps toward living the life for which God created men.

Episode 107: Faith in the Unexpected with Allison Gingras

November 28th, 2022  |  26 mins 17 secs

allison gingras, ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic podcast, chenele shaw, encountering signs of faith, sacramentals

Allison Gingras, author of Encountering Signs of Faith, shares the story of how her daughter's adoption helped her trust and encounter the Lord. Allison and Chenele also talk about sacramentals and how they help us to learn about the faith in unexpected ways.

Episode 101: Giving Thanks and Letting Go with Danielle Bean

September 6th, 2022  |  25 mins 23 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic podcast, chenele shaw, danielle bean, giving thanks and letting go

Danielle Bean joins Chenele to talk about sending your child to college, supporting their independence, and parental paranoia. Danielle shares her personal testimony of trusting God, and what she would tell her younger self.

Episode 100: Celebrating the 100th Episode of Ave Spotlight

August 22nd, 2022  |  22 mins 25 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic podcast, chenele shaw, katie prejean mcgrady

This week we're celebrating the 100th episode of Ave Spotlight! Join host Chenele Shaw and former host Katie Prejean McGrady as they chat about how it feels to host their own show, their favorite episodes, and what gives them hope.

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 75: Learning to Love Your Body with Shelby Hirschman

January 3rd, 2022  |  25 mins 16 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic podcast, chenele shaw, good body nutrition, love your body, nutrition, self-care, shelby hirschman

Shelby from Good Body Nutrition joins us this week where we talk nutrition, faith, and learning to love your body.