Ave Explores

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

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

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• Get your copy of Lent: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens

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.

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

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• Get Your Copy of Wilderness Within by Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN

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.

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

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• Get your copy of Lent: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens

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.

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

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• Get Your Copy of Wilderness Within by Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN

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.

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

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• Get your copy of Lent: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens

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.

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

Links:

• Get Your Copy of Wilderness Within by Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN

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.

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

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• Get your copy of Lent: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens

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.

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

Links:

• Get Your Copy of Wilderness Within by Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN

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.

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

Links:

• Get Your Copy of Wilderness Within by Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN

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