Join Chenele on this special "best of" Christmas episode with our good friend Fr. Joe Laramie, SJ, of the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network. Fr. Joe leads us through an Ignatian meditation and talks about why Elf is the best holiday movie.
Dec 26, 2022•24 min•Ep. 109
On this week's episode, Chenele talks with long-time friend, Lillian Fallon, about dating--preferred apps, dating in your 30s, and how to stay hopeful. You don't want to miss it!
Dec 12, 2022•21 min•Ep. 108
Allison Gingras, author of Encountering Signs of Faith, shares the story of how her daughter's adoption helped her trust and encounter the Lord. Allison and Chenele also talk about sacramentals and how they help us to learn about the faith in unexpected ways.
Nov 28, 2022•26 min•Ep. 107
Have you ever had questions about the Catholic faith? Perhaps you were confused about something you heard at Sunday Mass? You are not alone. This week Chenele and Busted Halo's Fr. Dave Dwyer, CSP, discuss ways to learn more about the faith and avoid simply going through the motions. They also talk about Fr. Dave's new book Mass Class and the questions he is most frequently asked about Catholicism.
Nov 14, 2022•26 min•Ep. 106
In this episode, Chenele and Lisa Hendey, founder of the award-winning CatholicMom.com and author of 5-Minute Prayers Around the Advent Wreath, talk about how to incorporate the Advent wreath into your seasonal traditions while building community and getting out of your normal routine.
Oct 31, 2022•22 min•Ep. 105
The 60th anniversary of the opening of Vatican II was October 11, 2022. There have been a lot of misunderstandings about what really happened during the council. Fr. Blake Britton, author of Reclaiming Vatican II, joins Chenele to address common misconceptions, why the liturgy is a priority, and hope for the faith of millennials.
Oct 17, 2022•27 min•Ep. 104
Listen to licensed counselor Regina Boyd discuss the challenges of self-change and how we can take action to improve our lives.
Oct 03, 2022•29 min•Ep. 103
Join Chenele as she talks with Santonio Hill of Vagabond Ministries about his conversion story and how a simple invitation brought the Lord into his life. We are excited for you to hear it.
Sep 19, 2022•31 min•Ep. 102
Danielle Bean joins Chenele to talk about sending your child to college, supporting their independence, and parental paranoia. Danielle shares her personal testimony of trusting God, and what she would tell her younger self.
Sep 06, 2022•25 min•Ep. 101
This week we're celebrating the 100th episode of Ave Spotlight! Join host Chenele Shaw and former host Katie Prejean McGrady as they chat about how it feels to host their own show, their favorite episodes, and what gives them hope.
Aug 22, 2022•22 min•Ep. 100
In the final episode of the Ave Spotlight summer conversion story series, host Chenele Shaw shares her own inspiring story of hope--from getting kicked out of high school to managing a Philly cheesesteak restaurant to becoming director of youth ministry for the Diocese of Orlando.
Aug 08, 2022•13 min•Ep. 99
This week Chenele Shaw chats with Leah Darrow of Power Made Perfect, her new Christocentric personal development program. Darrow talks about being your best self and shares about her powerful conversion from despair and shame to hope, mercy, and the love of Jesus.
Jul 25, 2022•35 min•Ep. 98
Chenele chats with Eve Tushnet about her conversion to Catholicism. After being deeply inspired by the reliquaries of the Church, Tushnet explored the faith more intentionally and was moved by the beauty and truth of Catholicism. She also shares some insight on how to discuss the topic of conversion with others.
Jul 11, 2022•23 min•Ep. 97
Chenele talks with Leah Libresco Sargeant about her conversion from atheism to Catholicism. After many debates during college, Sargeant was inspired to investigate Catholicism more fully by the faithful witness of her peers. She also offers suggestions about how to engage in healthy debates with those who have different beliefs.
Jun 27, 2022•21 min•Ep. 96
In this episode, Chenele Shaw chats with Gloria Purvis about her conversion to Catholicism when she was twelve years old after encountering the Lord in Eucharistic Adoration. Although her parents were not Catholic, they supported her passion to witness to the faith as an advocate for the sacredness and dignity of the unborn, and Black lives.
Jun 13, 2022•30 min•Ep. 95
You loved this episode from Tommy Tighe so much that we have brought it back! We hope you enjoy this new feature of Ave Spotlight in which we replay these "best of" episodes from time to time. Oscar Romero. Dorothy Day. Thérèse of Lisieux. Edith Stein. All these great saints struggled with their mental health. Join Chenele Shaw and mental health counselor Tommy Tighe on this special episode where they talk about saints who strove for holiness and brought their mental struggles to the Lord.
May 30, 2022•29 min•Ep. 94
Are you interested in spiritual direction but not sure how to get started? Join us this week as Chenele talks with Vinita Hampton Wright about the difference between spiritual direction and therapy, why it is valuable to one's faith journey, and how to find a spiritual director. Wright also introduces us to her new book, Set the World on Fire: A 4-Week Personal Retreat with the Female Doctors of the Church.
May 16, 2022•28 min•Ep. 93
Do you wish your work culture reflected the values of your Catholic faith? Join Chenele Shaw and John Cannon, founder of SENT Ventures—an organization that supports and mentors Catholic entrepreneurs— as they discuss how change in the workplace begins with one person who wants to grow in holiness. Cannon encourages those he mentors—and you—to be more intentional about scheduling time for prayer, Mass, community involvement, rest, and other practices that will allow God to work through you.
May 02, 2022•20 min•Ep. 92
What do a priest, baseball, and the beatitudes have in common? Join Chenele Shaw this week as she talks with popular YouTuber Fr. Casey Cole, OFM, about social media, the priesthood, and this summer's Bleacher Brothers tour. He will visit all thirty MLB parks in eleven weeks with his friend Fr. Roberto "Tito" Serrano, OFM, to share the good news.
Apr 25, 2022•27 min•Ep. 91
We only have a few firsts in life, but we have many new beginnings. Do you embrace a fresh start as an exciting opportunity or do you mourn what you left behind? In this week's episode, Chenele Shaw and Joel Stepanek discuss how to meet new beginnings with grace and as moments to encounter Jesus Christ. Stepanek—vice president of parish services at Life Teen—also offers practical strategies for beginning well that will help you joyfully grow as a Christian.
Apr 18, 2022•24 min•Ep. 90
The Very Reverend Mark Morozowich joins Katie Prejean McGrady and Chenele Shaw, in a special crossover episode of Ave Explores and Ave Spotlight, to discuss the war in Ukraine and provide historical and spiritual context to the conflict, tell the stories of resilient and holy Ukrainian Catholics, and offer insights into how to pray and fast for peace.
Apr 11, 2022•54 min•Ep. 89
In this episode, Fr. Michael White of Church of the Nativity in Timonium, Maryland, talks with Chenele about how fully engaging in Holy Week services, the Triduum, and the Easter season can be a powerful source of renewal.
Apr 04, 2022•22 min•Ep. 88
How can God allow horrible things to happen? In this episode, Chenele talks with Tom Corcoran, coauthor of _Seriously God?, about evil and navigating the challenges of life. Corcoran says that difficulties are actually opportunities to rely on the Lord, learn more about him, and deepen our relationship with him.
Mar 28, 2022•22 min•Ep. 87
Therapist Regina Boyd joins Chenele this week to talk about Lenten promises, scrupulosity, and not being too hard on yourself.
Mar 21, 2022•23 min•Ep. 86
This week Chenele talks with Santonio Hill about how Vagabond Missions evangelizes to communities on the peripheries. Also, find out how you can answer the call to serve with your unique gifts.
Mar 14, 2022•29 min•Ep. 85
Have you ever wondered what a scapular is and why Catholics wear one? Chenele talks with Steve Kerekes, founder of scapulars.com, about how he came to love the devotion of wearing scapulars and how it has changed his life.
Mar 07, 2022•22 min•Ep. 84
Join us on our last episode for Black History Month where we visit with author and speaker Deacon Harold-Sivers. We talk about his journey to becoming a deacon, serving his community, and his new book Our Life of Service.
Feb 28, 2022•23 min•Ep. 83
Chenele and Meg Hunter-Kilmer talk about the blessing and importance of befriending saints whose life experience is much different from our own. Meg also introduces lesser-known Black saints and shares her personal story of becoming friends with saints who are different from her. Do you ever think of the saints as your friends? What if you befriended a saint who is different from you?
Feb 21, 2022•28 min•Ep. 82
Chenele talks with Shannon Wimp Schmidt, founding member and media director of Catholics United for Black Lives about responding to racism, educating the Church, and faithfully supporting the Black Lives Matter movement while staying true to Church teaching.
Feb 14, 2022•17 min•Ep. 81
Happy Black History Month! Join Chenele and Marcia Lane-McGee in this special episode to talk about the uniqueness of Black Catholic culture, Marcia's new book Fat Luther, Slim Pickin’s, and her work as cohost of the Plaid Skirts and Basic Black podcast.
Feb 07, 2022•20 min•Ep. 80