A Resounding Yes!

Paloma & Fig
  • 5.0 (5)
  • CHRISTIANITY

A Resounding Yes! is a podcast produced by Catholic creative agency Paloma & Fig centered around Mary's Fiat and how we can say YES to the Lord. Visit www.palomaandfig.com to learn more.

  1. The Spiritual Wisdom of J.R.R. Tolkien w/ Kaitlyn Facista (Tea with Tolkien)

    5D AGO

    The Spiritual Wisdom of J.R.R. Tolkien w/ Kaitlyn Facista (Tea with Tolkien)

    Kaitlyn Facista is the founder of Tea with Tolkien, an online community celebrating the life, writings, and Catholic faith of J.R.R. Tolkien and the author of Into the Heart of Middle-earth, published by Ave Maria Press. In this episode, she shares her journey from Protestant roots to Catholicism, how Tolkien's fiction was woven into her conversion story, and why the spiritual depth of Middle-earth is anything but accidental. What We Talk About: How Kaitlyn's winding path through medical school moves, a search for truth, and life in England led her and her husband into the Catholic ChurchThe discovery that Tolkien's Catholic faith is not allegory but something woven into the very fibers of Middle-earth, and what "applicability" means versus allegoryWhat characters like Samwise, Aragorn, and the hobbits reveal about humility, discernment, and the power of the smallHow Tolkien's villains warn us against isolation while his heroes model fellowship, counsel, and communal discernmentThe one spiritual insight Kaitlyn hopes readers carry away from her book: that small, daily choices are how we bring ourselves—and the world—closer to goodnessChapters: 00:00: Introduction and Guest Background02:48: Kaitlyn's Yes—Converting to Catholicism07:02: What Drew Her to Tolkien and When the Spiritual Depth Clicked09:30: How Tea with Tolkien Began14:38: Why Now Was the Right Time to Write Into the Heart of Middle-earth16:13: Allegory vs. Applicability: How to Read Tolkien's Faith Without Forcing It17:49: The "Ever-Present Person"—Providence Hidden in Plain Sight19:57: Samwise Gamgee, True Hero? Loyalty and Holiness21:08: Aragorn, Humility, and the Long Road to Kingship24:15: Connecting Tolkien's Characters to the Saints25:21: Fellowship as a Model for Faith, Family, and Parish Life27:02: The One Takeaway from Into the Heart of Middle-earthResources Mentioned: Tea with TolkienInto the Heart of Middle-earth — Ave Maria PressPaloma&FigProduced by Saint Kolbe Studios Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow Paloma & Fig on Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn. Learn more at www.palomaandfig.com. Join in the conversation by joining our  Facebook group, A Resounding Yes!

    32 min
  2. Reluctant Converts and Quiet Heroism: Joseph Pearce on Tolkien, Lewis, and Mary's Fiat

    MAY 15

    Reluctant Converts and Quiet Heroism: Joseph Pearce on Tolkien, Lewis, and Mary's Fiat

    In this episode of A Resounding Yes!, Christina Sabo and co-host Franci Revel Eckensberger welcome back the internationally acclaimed Catholic author and literary biographer Joseph Pearce for a rich conversation on imagination, conversion, and the Marian threads woven through the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.  What We Talk About: How Joseph Pearce's journey from neo-Nazi politics to Catholicism was shaped by the writings of Chesterton, Belloc, Tolkien, and Lewis—and what his conversion reveals about the slow, grace-filled nature of saying yesWhy Christ Himself sanctified story through the parables, and how the Christian imagination reaches hearts in ways that argument alone cannotThe Marian echoes in Tolkien's Galadriel and the surprising complexity of Lewis's relationship with Our LadyHow Tolkien and Lewis reimagine heroism as humility and inner victory rather than domination, and why that matters for souls striving toward holiness todayThe dangerous "golemization" of the self in a distraction-saturated culture, and how the timeless worlds of Middle-earth and Narnia can reorient us toward wonder, contemplation, and the final victory found only in heavenChapters: 00:00: Welcome & Opening Prayer05:27: Joseph Pearce's Conversion Story07:37: Mary's Fiat and the Slow Yes08:51: Why Story Reaches Hearts More Deeply Than Argument11:00: Inner Heroism in Tolkien and Lewis12:30: Marian Themes in Tolkien and Lewis18:13: Lewis's Longing and the Marian Path to Heaven20:02: Imagination, Reason, and Lewis's Conversion24:27: The Providential Friendship of Tolkien and Lewis30:00: Wonder, Enchantment, and the Danger of Distraction39:56: Raising Children with Tolkien and Lewis47:06: Humility, Gratitude, and the Power of a Simple YesResources Mentioned: Race With the Devil by Joseph Pearce (Tan Books)Joseph Pearce's Inner SanctumPaloma&FigProduced by Saint Kolbe Studios Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow Paloma & Fig on Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn. Learn more at www.palomaandfig.com. Join in the conversation by joining our  Facebook group, A Resounding Yes!

    51 min
  3. Finding God in the Sacred Chaos of Motherhood with Jennifer Stavinoha

    MAY 8

    Finding God in the Sacred Chaos of Motherhood with Jennifer Stavinoha

    In this special Month of Mary episode, Christina Sabo is joined by Jennifer Stavinoha — ministry leader, theologian, and author of Sacred Chaos: Finding Joy and Jesus in the Messiness of Motherhood — to explore what it looks like to say yes to God in the beautiful, exhausting reality of motherhood. Recorded in honor of Our Lady of Fatima and timed for Mother's Day, this conversation is a gift for every mother who has ever wondered where God went when the quiet prayer life disappeared. What We Talk About: Jennifer's conversion moment at Eucharistic Adoration as a teenager and how it set the direction of her entire lifeHow motherhood dismantled everything she thought she knew about prayer — and what she discovered on the other side of thatThe structure of Sacred Chaos as a three-week mini-retreat built around desire, encounter, and joy — and why these three themes arise from her own experience as a momPractical tools for praying with small children, including the "basket technique" and the gift of toddler adorationHow turning to Our Lady of Fatima in the middle of the night became a doorway to deeper intimacy with Mary as both mother and sisterChapters: 00:00: Introduction & Opening Prayer03:50: Jennifer's Yes08:48: Introducing Sacred Chaos10:35: Inside the Book — A Three-Week Mini-Retreat14:44: Finding God in the Chaos of Ordinary Moments20:23: Practical Prayer Tools for Moms25:16: The Structure Behind Desire, Encounter, and Joy34:38: Playlists, Videos, and How They Support Prayer35:00: The Most Surprising Thing Motherhood Has Revealed About God38:24: When a Mom Feels Far from God: Start with MaryResources Mentioned: Sacred Chaos: Finding Joy and Jesus in the Messiness of Motherhood by Jennifer StavinohaJennifer Stavinoha's WebsiteAbandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de CaussadeDrink the Still Water: Jennifer Stavinoha's Sacred Chaos — Paloma&Fig blogProduced by Saint Kolbe Studios Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow Paloma & Fig on Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn. Learn more at www.palomaandfig.com. Join in the conversation by joining our  Facebook group, A Resounding Yes!

    47 min
  4. Tell Them About Me: How Maria Eva Jacobs Overcame Bipolar Disorder Through Faith, Music, and Surrender

    MAY 1

    Tell Them About Me: How Maria Eva Jacobs Overcame Bipolar Disorder Through Faith, Music, and Surrender

    Maria Eva Jacobs is a national recording artist, published author, and vocal jazz professor at Kent State University whose yes to God has unfolded over decades of struggle, surrender, and extraordinary fruit. In this episode, Christina and Maria trace the arc of her faith journey—from her Byzantine Melkite roots and a life reshaped by bipolar disorder, to a supernatural encounter with God that set her on a path of ministry through music and writing.  What We Talk About: Maria's background as a cradle Catholic in the Byzantine Melkite Greek Catholic Church and how music became the center of her faith life from childhoodHer journey through bipolar disorder, the lies the disease told her about God, and the supernatural encounter that planted the seed of her yesWhy surrender isn't a one-time event—and how learning to love the Giver more than the gift transformed her career and her lifeThe interplay between faith and proper medical treatment in her healing journey, and why she's a passionate advocate for bothHer debut Christian album Perfect Is Your Will and what sets it apart from her nine previous jazz recordingsChapters: 00:00: Welcome and Introduction03:06: Embracing Lent and Easter Through Prayer04:39: Maria's Story: Byzantine Roots and a Musical Beginning07:20: The Slow Yes: Surrender as a Daily Practice11:39: A Musical Upbringing: Her Father's Influence18:55: Perfect Is Your Will: Her First Christian Album26:34: Faith and Mental Health: Why Both Matter32:40: Sustained in the Darkness38:34: What She Hopes Listeners Take Away42:08: Maria's Perfect DayResources: Maria Eva JacobsPerfect Is Your Will — stream the albumTell Them About Me — Amazon | Barnes & NoblePaloma&FigFollow Maria's Work on Social Media: www.Facebook.com/mariaevajacobswww.Facebook.com/mariajacobsmusicwww.Facebook.com/tellthemaboutmeauthorwww.instagram.com/mariaevajacobshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mariaevajacobs/ Produced by Saint Kolbe Studios Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow Paloma & Fig on Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn. Learn more at www.palomaandfig.com. Join in the conversation by joining our  Facebook group, A Resounding Yes!

    49 min
  5. The Voice the Church Forgot: Translating Ida Görres w/ Dr. Jennifer Bryson

    APR 24

    The Voice the Church Forgot: Translating Ida Görres w/ Dr. Jennifer Bryson

    Dr. Jennifer Bryson joins Christina to discuss her translation of Bread Grows in Winter, a collection of essays and lectures by the largely forgotten mid-20th-century Catholic writer Ida Görres. Together they explore why Görres's voice—marked by unflinching honesty, poetic depth, and a long view of the Church—speaks with remarkable urgency to Catholics navigating confusion and upheaval today. What We Talk About: Jennifer's journey from a secular upbringing in the San Francisco Bay Area to entering the Catholic Church, sparked by an encounter with God in communist East GermanyWho Ida Görres was—her life, her literary gifts, her marriage, and why her works were swept from prominence after 1971How Görres interpreted the post-Vatican II crisis: neither reactionary nor progressivist, but deeply rooted in love for the Church and a clear-eyed view of its problemsThe meaning behind the title Bread Grows in Winter and Görres's image of invisible martyrdom as seeds overwintering in the soilGörres's message for women, her fierce critique of feminism, and her effort to present a rich Catholic vision of womanhood through hagiography and literatureChapters: 00:00: Welcome & Introduction01:24: Opening Prayer02:41: Jennifer's Yes: Faith Found in East Germany05:17: Who Was Ida Görres?13:53: Görres and the Post-Vatican II Upheaval15:48: The Meaning of Bread Grows in Winter20:08: Comparing Görres, Hildebrand, and Guardini24:09: Ratzinger's Eulogy and Her Theological Influence30:33: Insights for Catholics Facing Church Challenges34:21: Görres on Women, Our Lady, and the ChurchResources Mentioned: Bread Grows in Winter by Ida Görres — Ignatius PressThe Hidden Face by Ida Görres — Ignatius PressJennifer Bryson's WebsitePaloma&Fig Blog ReviewProduced by Saint Kolbe Studios Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow Paloma & Fig on Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn. Learn more at www.palomaandfig.com. Join in the conversation by joining our  Facebook group, A Resounding Yes!

    45 min
  6. A Once-in-a-Generation Moment: Jonathan Strate on the New Liturgy of the Hours

    APR 17

    A Once-in-a-Generation Moment: Jonathan Strate on the New Liturgy of the Hours

    Jonathan Strate, President and CEO of Ascension, shares the personal yes that led him from aerospace engineering to leading one of Catholic media's most impactful organizations. He opens up about the projects now reshaping how Catholics encounter the faith, including the historic second edition of the Liturgy of the Hours and the new K–8 religious education curriculum, Pillars of Faith. What We Talk About: How Jonathan went from aerospace engineer to CEO of Ascension—and what made him say yesWhat the Liturgy of the Hours is and how laypeople can weave it into daily lifeWhat's new in the long-awaited second edition, and when it arrivesHow Bible in a Year and the Liturgy of the Hours work together to form understanding and prayerPillars of Faith: Ascension's new K–8 curriculum combining evangelization, catechesis, and ScriptureChapters: 00:00: Introduction01:34: Jonathan's Path to Ascension06:08: What Is the Liturgy of the Hours?08:28: How Laypeople Can Pray the Hours10:01: What's New in the Second Edition12:11: Bible in a Year and the Culture of Daily Prayer13:37: Pre-Orders and Launch Timeline15:16: Introducing Pillars of Faith21:51: Evangelization and Catechesis in Practice28:20: What Brings Jonathan JoyResources Mentioned: Liturgy of the Hours – Second EditionPillars of Faith CurriculumThe Bible in a Year with Fr. Mike SchmitzThe Catechism in a Year with Fr. Mike SchmitzAscension PressProduced by Saint Kolbe Studios Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow Paloma & Fig on Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn. Learn more at www.palomaandfig.com. Join in the conversation by joining our  Facebook group, A Resounding Yes!

    35 min
  7. He Calls You by Name: An Easter Reflection

    APR 10

    He Calls You by Name: An Easter Reflection

    In this Easter reflection, Christina Sabo meditates on the resurrection account in the Gospel of John—exploring what it means to hear Christ call us by name and step into new life. With guest Fr. Tom Dillon unable to join due to illness, Christina leads listeners through a prayerful reflection on Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb and what Easter truly invites us to live. Chapters: 00:00: Welcome and Introduction02:20: Scripture Reading—John 20:11–1805:45: Reflection on Mary at the Tomb07:42: Easter's Invitation to Listen08:24: St. John Paul II—We Are an Easter People10:26: Living the Easter Season11:31: Closing Prayer. Resources Mentioned: The Great Adventure Catholic BiblePaloma&Fig. Produced by Saint Kolbe Studios Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow Paloma & Fig on Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn. Learn more at www.palomaandfig.com. Join in the conversation by joining our  Facebook group, A Resounding Yes!

    14 min
  8. Placing Ourselves Under Our Lady's Mantle w/ Fr. Joseph-Anthony Kress, O.P. of Godsplaining

    APR 3

    Placing Ourselves Under Our Lady's Mantle w/ Fr. Joseph-Anthony Kress, O.P. of Godsplaining

    Fr. Joseph-Anthony Kress, O.P., promoter of the Holy Rosary for the Dominican Province of St. Joseph, joins the show during the closing days of Lent to share his journey to the priesthood, the spirituality of St. Dominic, and what it means to stand with Mary at the foot of the cross. He also shares about the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage, the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary, and the Godsplaining podcast. Chapters: 00:00: Introduction and Opening Prayer03:16: Fr. Joseph-Anthony's Yes08:02: The Gift of Preaching and the Dominican Vocation12:08: St. Dominic and the Beauty of Embracing Our Humanity15:56: How a Dominican Priest Enters into Lent19:38: Mary at the Foot of the Cross: Standing with Firm Feet23:46: What Is a Pilgrimage?26:49: The Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage29:53: The Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary33:35: Godsplaining: A Podcast by Dominican FriarsResources Mentioned: The Life of Saint Dominic by Bede Jarrett, O.P.Confraternity of the Most Holy RosaryDominican Rosary Pilgrimage — September 26, 2026, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C.Godsplaining — available on all major platforms | @Godsplaining on social mediaProduced by Saint Kolbe Studios Send us Fan Mail Support the show Follow Paloma & Fig on Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn. Learn more at www.palomaandfig.com. Join in the conversation by joining our  Facebook group, A Resounding Yes!

    45 min
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About

A Resounding Yes! is a podcast produced by Catholic creative agency Paloma & Fig centered around Mary's Fiat and how we can say YES to the Lord. Visit www.palomaandfig.com to learn more.

Information

  • Creator
    Paloma & Fig
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    51
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 A Resounding Yes!
  • Show Website
    A Resounding Yes!