Ave Spotlight

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 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 169: The Universal Church and Urban Roots with Brandon Morel

July 7th, 2025  |  34 mins 19 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, brandon morel, catholic faith, catholicism, cultural evangelization, evangelization, gospel rooted in justice and joy, ministry in new york city, oscar rivera, pierre toussaint, the catholic church and hip hop, the symbol, youth ministry

Ministry in New York City isn’t for the faint of heart but it's full of grace. Oscar and Brandon Morel talk about the power of cultural evangelization, the immigrant roots of Catholic New York, and how figures like Pierre Toussaint still inspire a gospel rooted in justice and joy. Plus, they explore the surprising harmony between the Church and hip hop, and what it means to become saints in the middle of the city.

Episode 138: Sparking Faith in the Hearts of Teens: The Transformative Power of Spiritual Events with Julianna Nett of Life Teen

February 12th, 2024  |  25 mins 3 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catechesis, catholic teens, chenele shaw, empowering teens to deepen their relationship with jesus, evangelization, julianna nett, life teen, sparking faith in the heart of teens, youth ministry

Join us for the first episode of our series Ignite: Sparking Faith in the Heart of Teens with our special guest, Julianna Nett of Life Teen. She shares her insights and experiences in navigating the intersection of faith and community. Through thoughtful discussion and personal anecdotes, we uncover the transformative power of events in shaping the spiritual growth of young Catholics and empowering teens to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ.

Episode 120: Best of Episode: Evangelization, Beatitudes, and Baseball with Fr. Casey Cole, OFM

May 30th, 2023  |  28 mins 5 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, baseball, beatitudes, chenele shaw, evangelization, fr. casey cole, ofm, the way of beatitude

You loved this episode from Fr. Casey Cole, OFM, so much that we brought it back! We hope you enjoy this Ave Spotlight “best of” episode.

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

Chenele Shaw talks with popular YouTuber Fr. Casey Cole, OFM, about social media, the priesthood, and his summer of 2022 Bleacher Brothers tour. He visited all thirty MLB parks in eleven weeks with his friend Fr. Roberto “Tito” Serrano, OFM, to share the good news.

Episode 85: Radical Evangelization with Santonio Hill of Vagabond Missions

March 14th, 2022  |  28 mins 47 secs

Discipleship, ave maria press, ave spotlight, chenele shaw, evangelization, santonio hill, vagabond missions

This week Chenele talks with Santonio Hill about how Vagabond Missions evangelizes to communities on the peripheries. Also, find out how you can answer the call to serve with your unique gifts.