Ave Spotlight

Geovanne Garcia, an art teacher and youth minister in Dallas, Texas, discusses the significance of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the Mexican people and how participating in celebrations for the feast day deepened her faith as a teen.

Suzanne WiWi, copresident of the Christ Child Society of South Bend, Indiana, discusses how caring for families in need is important during this time of year, and even more so in the midst of the pandemic.

Fr. Edward Looney, a pastor of two parishes in the diocese of Green Bay and author of A Heart Like Mary’s, discusses his daily life as a priest and shares how he makes time for prayer, connecting with family, and writing.

Haley Stewart, author of The Grace of Enough, discusses liturgical living and how orienting family life to the Church calendar is joyful, simple, and will keep you focused on faith.

Catherine Fowler Sample, author of_ Gather Together_ and creator of _The Dating Project _documentary, shares how forming community is essential to our faith and valuable for our well-being and happiness. Fowler Sample offers tips on ways we can foster friendships and relationships even during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Meg Hunter-Kilmer, a Catholic blogger and speaker who is known as the "Hobo for Christ," discusses how learning the stories of the saints, especially those who are lesser-known, is an opportunity to grow in personal holiness.

Tommy McGrady, a high school teacher and coauthor of Advent and Christmas: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens, shares ways to intentionally prepare for Advent and enter into the new liturgical year with purpose and a desire to pray daily.

Jessica McMillan explores the role of women in ministry and authority in the Church. She also discusses women’s understanding of themselves, what they have to offer, and their unique wisdom and insight.

Jaymie Stuart Wolfe, an acquisitions editor at Ave Maria Press, reflects on the extraordinary Urbi et Orbi blessing from Pope Francis on March 27th, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. She explains that the new book Christ in the Storm is a school of prayer for those who find themselves navigating challenging times.

Fr. David Guffey, C.S.C., shares the story of Venerable Patrick Peyton, the founder of Family Rosary who is famous for the phrase “The family that prays together stays together.” The forthcoming documentary Pray tells the story of Peyton’s life and shows how his wisdom can help families navigate media today.

Ann M. Garrido, professor of homiletics at the Aquinas Institute of Theology and author of Let’s Talk About Truth, explains the definition of “truth,” how we determine what truth is, and how we can use truth to engage in civil discourse and grow in relationship with others.

Chenele Shaw talks about her experiences of racism and how it’s affected her relationship with God and explains how recognizing and resting in the sacredness of Black lives is more important than merely acknowledging that Black lives matter.

Catholic author and speaker Jared Dees talks about how sharing faith with kids is not only an essential part of the mission of a family, but a great way for parents to engage more with the faith themselves.

Ave Spotlight features a special rebroadcast of the episode from Ave Explores: Catholic Family Life with actress, writer, and producer Jeannie Gaffigan, who shares the challenges and joys of being quarantined with her husband comedian Jim Gaffigan and their five children during the pandemic.

Catholic speaker and author Chika Anyanwu shares about her recent decision to take a break from social media, not only to use her time better, but also to focus on the voice of Jesus in her life and to return to deeper prayer.

Roy Petitfils, a licensed professional counselor, speaker, and the author of Helping Teens with Stress, Anxiety, and Depression, talks about how to help teens and young adults get back into the routine of the new school year. Petitfils suggests how everyone can achieve a sense of normalcy and balance by keeping their eyes focused on the Cross.

Gary Zimak, author of Give Up Worry for Lent! And the forthcoming Let Go of Anger and Stress!, joins the show to discuss how to deal with anxiety and fear of the unknown, especially during the pandemic. He also chats about rules for schools opening and share their hopes for the week.

Introducing Ave Spotlight with a brief discussion of Taylor Swift’s new album, Folklore and an overview the vision for this new show: hope as an anchor for all Christians, especially as we face an uncertain and potentially stressful fall.