Ave Explores

Ave Maria Press
  • 4.9 (208)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

A project of Ave Maria Press, Ave Explores helps you discover and learn about aspects of the Catholic faith from a variety of different angles, looking at topics relevant to the spiritual life in a fresh, engaging, and practical way.

  1. Week Four: Finding Community through Great Books with Marcie Stokman and Colleen Hutt, Founders of Well-Read Mom

    8h ago

    Week Four: Finding Community through Great Books with Marcie Stokman and Colleen Hutt, Founders of Well-Read Mom

    In this episode, Katie talks with Marcie Stokman and Colleen Hutt, co-founders of Well-Read Mom, a nationwide book club for women seeking deeper friendships and meaningful conversations through great literature. Marcie and Colleen share how reading good books transformed their own lives, making them a better person, wife, and mother. In a culture increasingly shaped by constant screens and distractions, they argue that literature helps us recover the lost arts of thinking, reading, and speaking well. For many women, finding time to read can feel impossible. Marcie offers a simple answer: read together. Through book clubs and shared conversations, women discover a space to wrestle with the questions that matter most—the joys and sorrows, hopes and fears, and challenges of everyday life. These friendships provide the connection, encouragement, and sense of belonging that every person longs for. Marcie and Colleen also explain the Well-Read Mom four-step process: Read: Let go of the guilt and simply begin. Compare: Connect the themes of the book to your own life. Share: Engage in authentic conversations with others, ideally face-to-face. Accompany: Support one another through life's struggles with compassion and confidentiality. Three Takeaways: Reading fosters friendship, and friendship inspires us to keep reading. Every person has a deep desire to be seen, known, loved, and connected in authentic community. The Well-Read Mom four-step process offers a practical path to deeper relationships and a richer intellectual and spiritual life. We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends! Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)

    52 min
  2. Week Three: C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien: Faith, Imagination, and the Power of Story feat. Kaitlyn Facista and Andrew Swafford

    Jun 10

    Week Three: C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien: Faith, Imagination, and the Power of Story feat. Kaitlyn Facista and Andrew Swafford

    In this episode of Ave Explores: Catholicism in Literature, Katie sits down with Kaitlyn Facista and Andrew Swafford to discuss the enduring legacy of two of Christianity’s greatest storytellers, C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. Facista, author of _Into the Heart of Middle-earth and founder of Tea with Tolkien, shares how Tolkien’s works played a significant role in her conversion to Catholicism. Drawn into Middle-earth by its unforgettable heroes and villains, she discovered profound lessons about virtue, vice, courage, and sacrifice. In a culture hungry for authentic examples of goodness and bravery, Tolkien’s stories continue to awaken the heart and point readers toward truth. Swafford reflects on encountering Tolkien later in life while reading The Lord of the Rings with his children. Those family readings sparked rich conversations, nurtured their spiritual imaginations, and created opportunities for catechesis. He also discusses introducing students at Benedictine College to Lewis’s Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Great Divorce, marveling at Lewis’s ability to reach students of every background and faith. Through imagination and story, Lewis demonstrates how art and literature can communicate truths that might otherwise remain hidden. Journey through the wardrobe and wander into the Shire for an inspiring conversation about faith, imagination, and the transformative power of great stories. We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends! Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)

    44 min
  3. Week Two: Murder Mysteries and Vampire Novels with Fr. Michael Brisson, LC, and Sr. Allison Gliot, FSP

    Jun 3

    Week Two: Murder Mysteries and Vampire Novels with Fr. Michael Brisson, LC, and Sr. Allison Gliot, FSP

    Sr. Allison Gliot, FSP, and Fr. Michael Brisson, LC, both set out to write fiction, only to find their stories taking unexpected turns. One created a tale involving a priest entangled with the mafia; the other imagined a world where young adults navigate the mysteries of vampires. Unlikely stories from a priest and a religious sister—but perhaps all the more compelling because of their vocations. In this episode, we bring Sr. Allison and Fr. Michael together for the first time to discuss creativity, storytelling, and the surprising paths their novels have taken. We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends! Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)

    53 min
  4. Week One: Reading in the Home

    May 26

    Week One: Reading in the Home

    Authors Haley Stewart and Claire Swinarski reflect on how a lifelong love of reading sparked their writing careers, helped cultivate a rich reading culture in their homes, and continues to open the door to deeper, more meaningful connections with others. We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends! Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)

    50 min
  5. Teaser: Read like a Friar with Fr. Jonah Teller, OP

    May 20

    Teaser: Read like a Friar with Fr. Jonah Teller, OP

    To kick off the new series of Ave Explores on Catholicism in Literature, Fr. Jonah Teller, OP, shares how a lifelong love of reading shaped his faith, imagination, and vocation. In an age dominated by scrolling and screens, he reflects on why great books still matter and how the classics form us in wisdom, virtue, and attentiveness to God and the world around us. Fr. Jonah also offers practical ways to build reading into everyday life and cultivate habits that make space for deeper reflection, even amid busy schedules. We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends! Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)

    56 min
  6. BONUS EPISODE: One Year with Pope Leo XIV

    May 8 ·  Bonus

    BONUS EPISODE: One Year with Pope Leo XIV

    On May 8, 2025, Pope Leo XIV was elected the 267th pope of the Catholic Church. In the months since, his leadership, messages of peace, and warm presence among the faithful have offered much to reflect on. In this special episode of Ave Explores, Katie McGrady and Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP, discuss the lessons and insights Pope Leo XIV has shared with the Church and the world. We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends! Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)

    41 min
  7. Easter: Feast after the Fast with Laura Kelly Fanucci

    Apr 3

    Easter: Feast after the Fast with Laura Kelly Fanucci

    We usually arrive at Easter ready to stop "counting the days" of Lent and happy to end our fasting. Laura Kelly Fanucci's new Easter devotional, Living Easter encourages us to enter the 50 days of Easter with the same focus and purpose as we did for the 40 days of Lent. Get your copy of Witness today, with a foreword by Jonathan Roumie from The Chosen. We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends! Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)

    39 min
  8. Holy Week: The Shock of Holy Week with Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP

    Mar 30

    Holy Week: The Shock of Holy Week with Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP

    Holy Week arrives with a sudden silence—marked by darkness, stillness, and striking liturgical traditions—that invites us to enter more deeply into the mystery and memory of Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP, helps us prepare for the intensity of the week by sharing the rich Holy Week traditions of the Dominican Order. Get your copy of Witness today, with a foreword by Jonathan Roumie from The Chosen. We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends! Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)

    41 min
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4.9
out of 5
208 Ratings

About

A project of Ave Maria Press, Ave Explores helps you discover and learn about aspects of the Catholic faith from a variety of different angles, looking at topics relevant to the spiritual life in a fresh, engaging, and practical way.

Information

  • Creator
    Ave Maria Press
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    270
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Ave Maria Press
  • Show Website
    Ave Explores

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