Well, friends, all good things must come to an end. After eight (8!) wonderful years of co-hosting this podcast for you, we’ve decided to call it a day and offer a fond farewell to a project that has brought us so much joy. In this episode we’re sharing about how we got started podcasting together, how things have changed (from podcasting while our…

Tis the season to decorate your home, prepare for guests, and feel that creeping sense of inadequacy when you look at perfectly curated Instagram houses. It’s so important to have the right perspective on home. Instead of keeping up with the latest trends, can we focus on cultivating homes that serve our families? Can we build a style with confiden…

How do we determine what’s true in a very disorienting time? How do we know what authorities, institutions, or media to believe when the world around us feels untrustworthy? How do we have deep conversations with friends and loved ones when the political landscape is so divisive? It’s a very difficult time to navigate and it’s easy to become cynica…

Women’s healthcare has been a hot topic for ages, but in a post-Dobbs world, it’s never been more discussed. So we decided to reach out to Leah Jacobson, a women’s health advocate and service provider to discuss the complexities of women’s healthcare, protection for the unborn, and fighting for the care, education, and medical resources that all wo…

Several years ago, we were enchanted by a new series: The Green Ember. This series featuring rabbits who are fighting for goodness in a dark world captivated our kids and we wished there were more books like it in the world. Thankfully, the author, S.D. Smith is still writing and his latest project Jack Zulu and the Waylander’s Key was co-written b…

The sexual revolution was supposed to usher in a whole new world of freedom for women. Now, decades later, did it offer us what it promised? Christine Emba is examining just that question. Are women happy with the current dating landscape? Are they having lots of fantastic casual sex? According to Christine’s new book, Rethinking Sex, it seems the …

Have you ever just felt stuck? Not only do you not know what decisions to make in your life, but you’ve lost touch of what your vision for life even is? We’ve all been in that sludge of disorientation at some point. But how do you get clarity about what you want your life to look like and the path to get there? That’s what we invited Joseph Thompso…

We’re back after our long summer break and we have a fantastic first guest of the season! Sarah Mackenzie is one of our favorite voices because of her joyful enthusiasm for good books (among other wonderful things). You may know her as the author of homeschooling classic Teaching from Rest or from her podcast Read Aloud Revival. Sarah is a mom of s…

There is so much confusion about feminism. Can Catholics be feminists? Is feminism all that’s wrong with everything in the world? What does feminism even mean? And there’s no need to mention that gender is a hot button issue these days. So do we listen to the nostalgic about the 1950s crowd? Do we listen to Simone de Beauvoir? Well, we think you sh…

What should we talk about during Mary’s month of May just after Mother’s Day? Well, Our Lady, of course! In this episode we’re chatting with Haley’s pastor, Fr. Ryan Higdon of St. Louis parish in Waco, TX. He is a beer and scotch enthusiast who loves camping, hiking, and running marathons. He’s a wonderful spiritual father and Haley’s so sad to lea…

Ah, Meltdown May–the season when schedules, stress, and big transitions result in upheaval in our hearts, homes, and even Instagram. In this episode we’re talking with our good friend Elizabeth Nava about how to avoid Meltdown May, navigate social media, take charge of our own screen time, and more! Elizabeth is a Notre Dame grad … Continue reading…

What can good literature teach us? Can it show us how to be holy? Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson thinks so. In this episode we’re talking about how literary “saints” can show us what holiness looks like and how scandalous holiness appears to a world that can’t comprehend it. We’ve been bigs fans of Jessica for … Continue reading FoC 177: The Scandal of …

Today we’re sharing this special bonus episode to celebrate the release of Haley’s brand new book, Jane Austen’s Genius Guide to Life: On Love, Friendship, and Becoming the Person God Created You To Be! We’re so excited to be able to finally talk in depth about what this new book is about; diving into Jane … Continue reading FoC: Bonus Episode – Le…

How can found our identity in being loved by God? How do we remember that we are an unrepeatable soul that is precious to our Heavenly Father? Shannon Ochoa is here to help! Shannon serves as Co-Founder and Director of Community Care for Eden Invitation – a movement for young adult Catholics and Christians with experiences … Continue reading FoC 17…

We’re excited to have one of our favorite guests return to the show today: Fr. Harrison Ayre! Fr. Harrison was born and raised near Vancouver, BC. During his time at university studying philosophy, he had a profound conversion experience that brought him to live for and with Christ. Ordained a priest in 2015, he has … Continue reading FoC 175: Answ…

We’re thrilled to have our friend Shannon Wimp Schmidt on the podcast today! Shannon is a pastoral minister, co-host of Plaid Skirts and Basic Black Podcast, and co-author of the book Fat Luther, Slim Pickin’s from Ave Maria Press. She is also a founding board member of Catholics United for Black Lives, a not-for-profit organization which advocates…

Before we dive into today’s episode, we wanted to remind you that it’s time to sign up for our summer bookish pilgrimage to England! And if your registration and deposit are received by February 18th, you’ll get $350 off the trip! Check out the details here and give us a holler if you have any … Continue reading FoC 173: The Newly Catholic Life and…

Maybe, like Haley and Christy, your family is recovering from Covid. Maybe January hasn’t turned out how you hoped in one way or another. Maybe all the things that are going very wrong make it hard to find joy. Is it possible to cultivate happiness in times such as these? Our guest today, Dr. Joy … Continue reading FoC 172: Aggressively Happy with …

Welcome to a new year here on the podcast! We’re so glad you’re still listening to us as we enter our geriatric podcaster seventh year! We’ve been doing this a long time, but only because we’ve had such fantastic listeners, and today it’s just us as we share some updates and thoughts on creating attitudes … Continue reading FoC 171: Attitudes For W…

Today we’re talking about the English medieval contemplative writers: Julian of Norwich, Margery Kempe, Walter Hilton, and Richard Rolle! It might sound like an unusual topic, but we think you’re going to find these figures incredibly relatable. They lived during a time of plague and the sought to communicate the love and mercy of God. … Continue r…

Many Catholic parents wonder, will our kids stay Catholic? How likely is it that faith can be handed down to the next generation? Are certain parenting methods more or less effective in raising children who will practice faith when they are grown? What practices matter and how much influence do parents have? Dr. Amy Adamczyk … Continue reading FoC …

What can we do as Catholic laypeople to end racism and support our Catholic brothers and sisters of color? Chenele Shaw asked just that questioned and started her own non profit, The Before Gethsemane Initiative, which seeks to educate on difficult topics with an authentically Catholic understanding of the inherent dignity of the human person. … Co…

Catholic social teaching is an important part of our Catholic faith–but do most of us have a sense of how its all connected rather than simply know about certain key issues? We need to understand the scriptural and magesterial foundation for how we care for vulnerable people, the essential demands of charity and justice, care … Continue reading FoC…

St. John Henry Newman is one of the Catholic Church’s newest canonized saints but he’s been a huge theological figure for ages due to his brilliant writing and high profile conversion from the Church of England to Rome. What makes this saint extraordinary and what can we learn about his writings that can help us … Continue reading FoC 166: The Beau…

When a huge crisis hits like a devastating medical diagnosis for your child–how do you go on? Is it possible not only to live through this kind of suffering but to truly embrace your life with joy? In her brand new book, Kelly Mantoan shares her story as a mother with two sons who have … Continue reading FoC 165: Living a Life of Joy as a Special N…

Don’t tell us you haven’t wondered what it’s like to be Kathleen Kelly from You’ve Got Mail because we know you have! We’ve wondered the same thing which is why we decided to get answers from the co-owner of our very favorite book store: Fabled Bookshop and Cafe in Waco, Texas. If you attended our … Continue reading FoC 164: What It’s Like To Live …

The saints are one of the best things about being Catholic. But often, we think of the saints as cardboard cutouts and not real people who were very human, often messy, and struggling just like us. What if we all had friends in heaven that we found completely relatable because of their situation in life, … Continue reading FoC 163: Meeting New Sain…

Do the storms of life ever catch you by surprise? We often navigate our days expecting smooth sailing and are unprepared for the storms that inevitably arise. None of us could have anticipated how stormy the past two years have been, of course! But have they been even harder because we anticipate ease in our … Continue reading FoC 162: What To Do W…

Before we dive in to this episode’s details, don’t forget that WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND next summer and we want you to come with us! Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here. We’ve all found ourselves at the beginning of a new academic year–and we’re all still waiting for the … Continue reading FoC 161: Finding Bouquets of Fres…

We’ve got big news! We’re going to England next year on a bookish pilgrimage! We’ve created the perfect tour of all the English sites of our dreams! We’re going to be going with Select International as they’ve allowed us to craft this tour of dreams for you to just hop aboard with us! (Have I … Continue reading FoC: Breaking News! We’re Going to En…

Becoming a mom is an experience that changes you. Everyone knows this. But what exactly happens to women as they become mothers? New York Times bestselling author Abigail Tucker dives into what actually happens to our brains, how they change, and what it means for us in her new book Mom Genes: Inside the New … Continue reading FoC 160: The Surprisi…

Leah Libresco Sargeant is one of our favorite Catholic voices. She is wise, insightful, and unfailingly kind. Leah is wife to Alex, mum to the lovely young Beatrice, author of Arriving at Amen and Building the Benedict Option, and contributing editor of Plough Quarterly–one of the finest Christian publications available these days. In this episode …

Today on the show we’re thrilled to have Amanda Vernon as our guest. Amanda Vernon is a full-time recording artist and author who shares the joy of knowing Christ through testimony and song. She has shared her music and message across the U.S. and in six foreign countries. Amanda co-authored the memoir When God Wrecks Your … Continue reading FoC 15…

Are women’s lives and aspirations over when they have children? Of course not. Our culture seems to claim two options: kids or career. But there are plenty of women who challenge this narrative (and plenty of people on both sides who are threatened when it’s challenged)! In this episode Dr. Jennifer Frey shares about an … Continue reading FoC 157: …

It’s been the worst of both worlds lately. We are all carrying extra grief due to the loss of loved ones, friends, and our pre-pandemic way of life. Whether people or dreams that we’ve lost, we’re mourning. And yet, all our normal mourning rituals have been disrupted due the the nature of this crisis. We … Continue reading FoC 156: Mourning Togethe…

Why is New Age spirituality so appealing to millennials (and other generations!)? What is it about human beings that makes us wired for spirituality and a desire to know that we are significant in the universe–even when we reject religious faith? We’re chatting about everything from looking to the stars for meaning to looking to … Continue reading …

What makes Gilbert Blythe the ultimate literary husband and father? How can we treat our vocations with more intentionality and commitment? Why are there so many resources for Catholic moms and not Catholic dads? All this AND the world’s cutest love story coming your way in today’s episode of the podcast! We are so pleased … Continue reading FoC 15…

As we prepare for Holy Week, we thought it was just the right time to be inspired by a conversion story. And since we’ve been itching to have our friend Meg Tietz on the show for ages, we asked if she could share her family’s beautiful story of conversion for you this week! Meg is … Continue reading FoC 153: Through the Wilderness to Conversion wit…

We are thrilled to be joined by the lovely Rachel Bulman to talk about the weird trend of the 90s that we were all influenced by: purity culture. Rachel wrote a wonderful piece for the Word on Fire blog recently about purity culture’s failings and the importance of understanding a richer view of the human … Continue reading Foc 152: Purity Culture,…

In our six years of podcasting we have never had a religious sister as a guest! So this episode with Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble is long overdue. She has an incredible conversion story from atheism and then she was surprised to discern a call to religious life and was led to the Daughters of St. … Continue reading FoC 151: Finding New Life Through M…

Is it possible to think about personal style through a theological lens? Lillian Fallon thinks so. We love following Lillian’s Instagram account and writing on style and theology (and her outfits are fabulous, too). So we asked her to join us for a conversation about clothes, self-expression, and honoring the bodies God gave us. Lillian … Continue …

For a couple of years, we’ve been fascinated by the story of Servant of God Nicholas Black Elk, a Lakota holy man and Catholic convert and catechist. We’ve wanted to learn more about this intriguing figure and we’re thrilled to have the chance to talk to Dr. Damian Costello about his incredible life and legacy. … Continue reading FoC 149: The Life …

We are kicking off the 2021 season of the podcast with our friend and yours, Hallie Lord! Hallie is a speaker, co-founder of The Edel Gathering, a devoted Sephora fan, author of upcoming book Falling Home: Creating a Life That Catches You When You Fall, beloved radio show host, and mom of 8. She’s also … Continue reading FoC 148: Navigating Life’s …

We’re chatting with Gina Dalfonzo today about the friendship between two of our favorite literary figures, Dorothy L. Sayers and C.S. Lewis. Because Sayers wasn’t officially part of the Inklings–the literary group of friends that included Lewis, Tolkien, and Charles Williams–her friendship with Lewis isn’t as celebrated as it should be. But their m…

A blessed Advent to you and yours! We are talking about a very Advent-y subject: Our Lady’s Magnificat in this episode. We’re joined by the wonderful Sonja Corbitt to discuss her new book, Exalted. Sonja is the Bible Study Evangelista and creator of “the best modernization of lectio,” the LOVE the Word® Bible study method … Continue reading FoC 146…

How do we order our lives? How do we find order when living in tumultuous times? Is that even possible? Today we’re chatting with the lovely Tsh Oxenreider about what it means to live intentionally in 2020. Tsh lives with her husband Kyle and three kids in central Texas. Her blog and her first podcast … Continue reading FoC 145: Intentional Living …

A few months ago we saw a powerful video about the legacy of faith of Black Catholics in New Orleans featuring Dr. Ansel Augustine. Ever since we’ve wanted a chance to interview Dr. Augustine and dive a little deeper in the rich history of Black Catholic faith and culture. This year has highlighted the injustice … Continue reading FoC 144: Why Blac…

Well, friends, we’ve been delighted by conversations with the lovely Sarah Clarkson and the lovely Sally Clarkson and today, at long last, we’re chatting with the youngest Clarkson gal, Joy Clarkson! Joy is a PhD candidate in theology at St. Andrews University and we’re so glad that she finished writing her dissertation and is back … Continue readi…

If you’ve been listening to the podcast for awhile, you know how much we love to talk about literature and the Catholic imagination. However, we find that we’re often coming back to the same handful of Catholic novelists and we wanted to talk to our friend Sergio Bermudez about expanding the Catholic literary canon and … Continue reading FoC 142: E…

The Church has a wonderful gift to offer in her Catholic Social Teaching. We’re talking a little bit about how much we miss when we ignore CST and why we should care about it with the fabulous Karianna Frey in this episode. Karianna is a mom, a classical educator, a speaker, and the author of Serviam … Continue reading FoC 140: Diving Into Catholic…