Ave Explores

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3rd Sunday of Lent: Lent is Meant for Mercy with Fr. Josh Johnson Mar 21, 2025

Show notes

At this middle point of the Lenten journey, Fr. Josh Johnson sits down with Katie to discuss the value of making a good confession in Lent, spending time praying about conversion and brokenness, and what it's like to hear confessions as a priest, in the confessional.

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Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)

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BONUS: Lenten Reflections for the Whole Family with Katie and Tommy McGrady | Clearing Out During Lent Mar 21, 2025

Show notes

What is bearing fruit in our lives, what is draining us, and what do we need to change or fix when it comes to our relationship with Jesus? Katie and Tommy offer a practical activity to help evaluate things halfway through Lent.

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BONUS: Lenten Reflections for the Whole Family with Katie and Tommy McGrady | Vulnerability in Lent Mar 17, 2025

Show notes

Katie and Tommy discuss how much we look at our phones, screens, and all sorts of distractions throughout our day, which means we are often unable to be seen by the Lord. Lent is a chance to be vulnerable, and allow ourselves to be seen by Jesus.

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Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)

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2nd Sunday of Lent: Lent Demands Vulnerability with Oscar Rivera Mar 14, 2025

Show notes

During Lent, when life feels busy, noisy, and overwhelming, making room for the Lord is more important than ever. In this episode of Ave Explores: Lent with Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN, Oscar Rivera, host of Ave Spotlight, explores how Lent challenges us to embrace vulnerability and authenticity—not just with God, but with others. When we resist the temptation to close ourselves off and instead open our hearts, we create space for real spiritual growth. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on how Lent serves as a training ground for deeper faith and genuine connection.

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Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)

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BONUS: Lenten Reflections for the Whole Family with Katie and Tommy McGrady | Enter Into Lent with Purpose Mar 10, 2025

Show notes

Tommy and Katie McGrady talk about how we can fully enter into Lent with a willingness to let Jesus work on our hearts throughout these 40 days, and encourage listeners to find something they can commit to that will help them grow in a distinct way.

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Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)

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1st Sunday of Lent: Jesus's Heart is Safe with Mari Pablo Mar 07, 2025

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Being rooted in love is key to thriving in life and experiencing a fruitful Lent. In this episode of Ave Explores: Lent with Sr. Josephine Garett, CSFN, Mari Pablo shares how trusting in Jesus’s love and mercy—and seeking refuge in his Sacred Heart—has guided her through life’s challenges and the depths of her own heart. During Lent, as we intentionally pray, fast, and give, Christ offers us comfort, rest, and transformation.

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Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)

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Ash Wednesday: Don't Fear the Wilderness with Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN Mar 05, 2025

Show notes

In this powerful episode, Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN, author of Wilderness Within, invites us to see Lent as more than a checklist of holy practices. Instead, it’s a season to step into the wilderness of our hearts, where God is ready to work, heal, and lead us to deeper hope in him. Discover how reevaluating relationships, paying attention to God’s movement in our lives, and embracing the unknown can transform your Lenten journey. Don’t fear the wilderness—enter it with faith.

A Word from Sr. Josephine:

I am pleased also to share that we have been granted by the Holy Father the special grace of a Jubilee indulgence for the entire year (from the First Sunday of Advent, December 1, 2024 until November 30, 2025). This plenary indulgence is both for all our Sisters who will pray in the private chapels of our communities, as well as for all those who, during this period, will join us in devotional and liturgical celebrations, particularly in the chapels of our convents, as well as through the recitation of the Prayer to the Holy Family:

O Holy Family, bless and protect all the families of the world.
Safeguard their unity, fidelity, integrity and dignity.
Enable them to live according to God’s law that they may fulfill their sublime vocation.
May their lives be a reflection of yours and may they enjoy your presence forever in heaven. Amen.

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Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)

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Lent Teaser: Finding Fulfillment: Comedian Shayne Smith’s Journey to Catholicism Through Lent Feb 26, 2025

Show notes

Comedian Shayne Smith had everything he thought would make him happy—success, wealth, and recognition—but still felt deeply unfulfilled. His search for meaning led him to a church, where he encountered Christ and Our Lady for the first time and embraced Catholicism. In this episode of Ave Explores, Shayne shares how his first Lent, spent journeying through RCIA with a group of women in Brooklyn, became a crash course in what it truly means to live the faith. Through the sacrifices and lessons of the Lenten season, he discovered that Catholicism isn’t always easy—but it’s always worth it.

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Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)

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Hope does not Disappoint with Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN Jan 29, 2025

Show notes

Join Sr. Josephine Garrett, author of Wilderness Within, as she unpacks the virtue of hope and its transformative power. In this episode, Sr. Josephine reflects on how cultivating hope requires intentionality, patience, and radical trust in God’s promises. With the Jubilee Year of 2025 as a backdrop, discover how this sacred time invites us to assess and deepen our hope in the Lord, making it a guiding force in our daily lives.

A Word from Sr. Josephine:

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Editing provided by Forte Catholic (https://www.fortecatholic.com/)

BONUS: Joan Watson Reflects on the Panel of the Repentant Women from Luke 7. Jan 29, 2025

Show notes

In this reflection from Opening the Holy Door, Joan Watson explains the meaning behind the panel that depicts the repentant woman who washes Jesus's feet with her hair.

For more insight into the meaning of this panel, get your copy of Opening the Holy Door at https://www.avemariapress.com/products/opening-the-holy-door.

To meditate on this, see Panel 8: The Necessity of Love at https://www.avemariapress.com/opening-the-holy-door.

For more insight into the meaning of this panel, get your copy of Opening the Holy Door at https://www.avemariapress.com/products/opening-the-holy-door.

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Get Your Copy of Opening the Holy Door by Joan Watson

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