Katie and Tommy discuss the gift of going to confession during the Lenten season through the lens of the prodigal son.

We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends!

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

Links:

• Get your copy of Lent: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens
• Follow Katie McGrady on Instagram

The wounds we carry can leave us feeling fractured, but God’s love has the power to restore and heal. In this episode, Brya Hanan—author and licensed marriage and family therapist—shares how Lent invites us to pause, reflect, and tend to the weeds in the garden of our hearts. Discover how embracing vulnerability before the Lord can open the door to his abundant and limitless love.

We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends!

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

Links:

• Get Your Copy of Wilderness Within by Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN
• Learn More about the Episode Sponsor | University of Dallas
• Hear From June Jameson: The Artist Behind Wilderness Within

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.

We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends!

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

Links:

• Get Your Copy of Wilderness Within by Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN
• Learn More about the Episode Sponsor | University of Dallas
• Hear From June Jameson: The Artist Behind Wilderness Within

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.

We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends!

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

Links:

• Get your copy of Lent: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens
• Follow Katie McGrady on Instagram

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.

We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends!

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

Links:

• Get your copy of Lent: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens
• Follow Katie McGrady on Instagram

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.

We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends!

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

Links:

• Get Your Copy of Wilderness Within by Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN
• Learn More about the Episode Sponsor | University of Dallas
• Hear From June Jameson: The Artist Behind Wilderness Within
• Check out the Ave Spotlight podcast with host, Oscar Rivera

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.

We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends!

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

Links:

• Get your copy of Lent: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens
• Follow Katie McGrady on Instagram

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.

We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends!

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

Links:

• Get Your Copy of Wilderness Within by Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN
• Learn More about the Episode Sponsor | University of Dallas
• Follow Mari Pablo on Instagram
• Hear From June Jameson: The Artist Behind Wilderness Within

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.

We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends!

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

Links:

• Get Your Copy of Wilderness Within by Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN
• Learn More about the Episode Sponsor | University of Dallas
• Hear From June Jameson: The Artist Behind Wilderness Within

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.

We would love it if you could leave a written review on Apple and share with your friends!

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

Links:

• Get Your Copy of Wilderness Within by Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN
• Follow Ave Maria Press on Instagram
• Follow Comedian Shayne Smith on Instagram