Earlier this month, Nicole Perone and John Grosso were anxiously awaiting the birth of their first child. Nicole and John are both what you could call professional Catholics – Nicole is the national coordinator for a young adult initiative called ESTEEM that works to prepare college students for faith life after graduation. And after several years working in digital media for the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut, John is on the communications team at a network of Catholic philanthropic organizations called FADICA. In between Nicole and John’s conversation with host Mike Jordan Laskey and the release of this episode, Rose Marie Grosso was born on December 12, and both she and Nicole are doing well.

The question at the heart of this episode: What was Advent like for two super-thoughtful, Jesuit-formed parents-to-be? Does the story of the Holy Family resonate differently when you’re nine months pregnant? And as people who have devoted their professional and personal lives to serving the church, Nicole and John offered their reflections on the state of the church today – their thoughts and feelings on this community of faith they’re bringing Rose Marie into.

AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States.