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What do two Catholic men who believe in God and love the Church sound like when they have a conversation? Listen to ‘”A New York Catholic Conversation” to hear for yourself. For several years every Thursday morning, Frank Alagia and Deacon John Catalano would have breakfast after the 7am Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and they would talk about things they cared about; the daily Gospel message, the Sacraments, Holy Days, forgiveness, and any number of topics of interest to Catholic people. ...
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Ave Explores

Ave Maria Press

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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.
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show series
 
PRACTICAL GUIDELINES FOR ORDER IN YOUR LIFE. There are numerous self-help guides online and in books that offer ways to improve any and all aspects of one's life. We check in with St. Francis de Sales, who provides some practical ways to help us strengthen our own personal commitment to our faith and to discipleship. Join the conversation: anycatho…
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A LETTER FROM BEYOND. We pray for the souls in Purgatory because we believe that one day they will be joined with God in Heaven. But what of those souls who have turned away from God and who now exist in eternal damnation? Listen to the voice of one who calls out from a place in which there is no love, no faith, and no hope. Join the conversation: …
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Catholicism is incarnational and tactile. We exist in reality, and so does our faith. Remembering that is essential to growing in our Catholicism, and Timothy P. O’Malley explains how “matter matters” in the places and spaces we worship. This summer, Catholics in the United States will have the chance to experience that incarnational reality on the…
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The Church in the U.S. has made a lasting impact on education and social services. From universities and lay apostolates that educate and form young adults to networks of Catholic Charities offices that provide essential help to those in need, Catholicism in the U.S. is not naval-gazing or self-centered. The Church in the U.S. seeks to serve. Fr. T…
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St. Junipero Serra evangelized California and St. Frances Xavier Cabrini evangelized Colorado. Their influence extends up and down the West Coast and throughout the Rocky Mountains, leaving a lasting legacy that continues to inspire today. In this episode, Stephen J. Binz, a pilgrimage leader to the California Missions, and JoAnn Seaman, director o…
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MEDITATIVE PRAYER. Our greatest prayer as Catholics is the Mass itself, in which we express our thoughts and beliefs externally, through words proclaimed aloud. The other kind of prayer is Meditative, which is a quest to listen and talk to God. Through silence and stillness, we go deeper into our heart and soul, which is the dwelling place of Our L…
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From the inspiring faith of little Charlene Richard, a twelve-year-old girl who died of Leukemia and is now on the path to canonization, to the enduring resilience of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia during the Civil War and the culture wars of today, Catholicism in the South is far from just a cultural norm—it embodies a story of suffering and…
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The stories of saints in the United States are diverse and dynamic. The first American born female saint, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and the founder and first chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, Bl. Michael McGivney, show us how holiness is found in a unique way. Brian Caulfield and Amy J. Cattapan share the stories of these two holy American heroes …
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Whether it’s the Lady who appeared in a forest to young Adele Brise or the Lady atop a golden dome visible for miles from a college campus in northern Indiana, the Blessed Virgin Mary is revered, cherished, and celebrated in the American Midwest. Fr. Edward Looney, author and priest in the Diocese of Green Bay, and Fr. Nate Wills, CSC, chaplain to …
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What places hold significance, and who are the key figures in the narrative of Catholicism in the United States of America? From both a historical and modern perspective, the story of the Church in the US is expansive, diverse, and compelling. Authors Kevin Schmiesing and Meg Hunter-Kilmer share their insights and expertise on the noteworthy locati…
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Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, the 10th Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York, shares his favorite Catholic churches and places in the United States of America. He offers insight into the current challenges facing Catholics, from a perspective of the historical Catholic Church, and reasons for his abundant hope in the Church in America today. We wo…
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DEVOTION TO THE HOLY FACE. When we gaze into the Holy Face of Jesus in prayer, we enter into His passion and humbly align ourselves with the suffering Christ. And Jesus Himself told Sister Mary of St. Peter, "Those on earth who contemplate the wounds of My Face, shall in Heaven behold it radiant with glory, and they themselves shall shine with part…
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MEEKNESS AND HUMILITY. Jesus uses the word "meek" in the Beatitudes - it represents a quality of the heart with which a person is willing to accept and submit to the will and desire of someone else - so necessary in marriage. And by embracing the virtue of humility, we can more readily love God above all things, and love our neighbor as ourselves. …
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GROWTH, TRANSFORMATION, & THE JOY OF GOD. We are called to be saints, and we must keep striving for growth and transformation in our spiritual lives. A Benedictine nun, Sister Mary David, offers reflections on spirituality that are steeped in simple wisdom and practical advice. Her collected writings are in a book called The Joy of God. Join the co…
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Fr. Tim Anastos, author and assistant chaplain at the St. John Paul II Newman Center at the University of Illinois, highlights how Lent offers us an opportunity to become fully alive in Christ Jesus. Through our weeks of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we have experienced the love of the Lord in distinct and profound ways. Now, as Holy Week unfold…
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In this sacred season, our ultimate aim is to draw nearer to Christ. And what better way to achieve this closeness than by physically spending time with him in the presence of the Eucharist? Join Tanner Kalina, a passionate Eucharistic missionary for the National Eucharistic Revival, as he demonstrates how Lent is the perfect time to seek the Lord'…
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The further we get into Lent, the more likely it is that we have run into some—or many—missteps and pitfalls. While this can feel discouraging, Sr. Orianne Pietra René, FSP, a passionate social media evangelist, helps us understand how when Lent is “hard” and we feel weak, that is precisely when the Lord shows up to do great things within us. Our p…
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Join Emmanuel “Manny” Gonzalez, a graduate student at Franciscan University of Steubenville, as he shows how, despite our best intentions, we can inadvertently introduce a false sense of control into our lives through Lenten spiritual practices or even in our general spiritual journey. Without realizing it, we can squeeze the Lord out of our lives …
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Do you ever have BIG plans for Lent, only to feel overwhelmed as the weeks go on? Claire and Mike Couche, founders of Finding Philothea, share how embracing simplicity—through carving out time for prayer, focusing on small acts of fasting, and learning generosity through acts of service—can wield greater impact than grand gestures of repentance and…
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What’s the purpose of Lent? It’s a simple question, and one Mark Hart answers in a very honest and straightforward way: Lent prepares us for heaven. If we view Lent merely as a spiritual bootcamp to get ready for Easter, we will miss out on all the season has to offer. However, by approaching Lent with a broader perspective, we'll realize that thes…
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When Ash Wednesday rolls around, many of us are ready—even excited—to start our Lenten resolution. However, as the weeks go by, our resolve can wane. What do we do when our Lenten practices become challenging to maintain? Fr. Agustino Torres, CFR, the author of Made for Heaven, offers us a way to enter this season as he explains why he felt called …
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As we approach Ash Wednesday, the question on every faithful Christian's mind is, "What should I do to make this Lent an intentional time to grow closer to God?" In this episode, Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN, offers a new focus to this sacred season by encouraging us to examine the very fabric of our relationships—with ourselves, with others, and mo…
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REFUSALS. It is God's will to enter into our lives, and abide in us. He does not force us, He calls us. But we ourselves often block this from happening. We sometimes intentionally stand in the way of a fuller life with God. Let's talk about these impediments, these "refusals" to make room for God in our hearts. Join the conversation: anycatholicco…
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RELICS. We preserve and venerate these bones and fragments because they give a connectedness to the sacred, to the holy people of God – the Saints! Relics are not magic, but they prayerfully draw us closer to God, and they can be a channel through which God answers our prayers. Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com…
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