Ave Spotlight

Episode 145: Introducing the NEW Host of Ave Spotlight, Oscar Rivera!

August 2nd, 2024  |  8 mins 43 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, free catholic podcast, oscar rivera, podcast for everyday catholics

Oscar shares his hopes and prayers for this podcast—that it will bring encouragement, enthusiasm, and empowerment to everyday Catholics to live out their faith as described in Acts 2:42, “They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers.”

Follow along at avemariapress.com or subscribe wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Episode 144: Chenele Shaw's Final Episode: Gratitude and Excitement for What's Next!

May 6th, 2024  |  12 mins 57 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, chenele shaw, eucharistic pilgrimages, eucharistic revival, free catholic podcast, national eucharistic congress

Hello, Spotlight friends and welcome to my final episode of Ave Spotlight. I'm Chenele Shaw, and it's with a mix of emotions that I bring you this farewell episode. For three incredible years, we've delved into meaningful conversations, explored faith and community, and shared stories that have touched our hearts.
As I prepare to move on to coordinate two routes for a national Eucharistic pilgrimage this summer, I can't help but reflect on the journey we've had together. In this episode, I'll share my excitement about the upcoming pilgrimage, giving you a glimpse into what awaits those who embark on this adventure!
I also want to take this moment to express my deepest gratitude to all of you - our amazing guests, dedicated listeners, and everyone who has supported Ave Spotlight along the way. Your enthusiasm, insights, and stories have made this podcast a treasure trove of inspiration and connection.
So I bid farewell to my time as host of Ave Spotlight with warmth, gratitude, and anticipation for the new paths ahead. Thank you for being part of this incredible journey!

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

September 18th, 2023  |  20 mins 33 secs

adore, ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic art and media series, catholic artists, catholic creative, chenele shaw, free catholic podcast, pax beloved, prepare your heart, return, valerie delgado

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 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 118: It's Time for a Revival with Joel Stepanek

May 1st, 2023  |  24 mins 46 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 115: Best Lent Ever with Gary Zimak

March 20th, 2023  |  26 mins 20 secs

almsgiving, ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic lent, chenele shaw, fasting, free catholic podcast, gary zimak, give up worry for lent, prayer

It’s not too late to make this Lenten season meaningful and transformative. Join Chenele this week as she talks with Gary Zimak, author of Give Up Worry for Lent!, about how to make the most of the weeks leading up to Easter. They talk about sticking to your fasts, being easy on yourself, and growing in your relationship with Christ.

Episode 114: Wakanda Forever and Grief with Jasmyn Joubert

March 6th, 2023  |  28 mins 47 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, black onather, chenele shaw, free catholic podcast, grief, jasmyn joubert, loss, sorrow, wakanda forever

Join Chenele and Jasmyn Joubert this week as they discuss what the Marvel superhero movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever can teach us about grief and the healthy and unhealthy ways we can process it. You don’t want to miss it!

Episode 70: Servant of God Thea Bowman with Karianna Frey

December 6th, 2021  |  20 mins 15 secs

ave maria press, ave spotlight, catholic podcast, chenele shaw, free catholic podcast, karianna frey, servant of god thea bowman, usccb

Servant of God Thea Bowman--a renowned Black Catholic evangelizer, teacher, writer, and singer--continues to inspire many people more than two decades after her death. Join Chenele as she talks with Karianna Frey, editor of We Are Beloved: 30 days with Thea Bowman, about what can learn from this holy woman.