Ave Spotlight

Elissa Tiprigan, founder of Catholic Family Crate, discusses how she creates activities to make feast days and liturgical seasons fun, family-centered, and life-giving. She also shares ways to celebrate Advent and the twelve days of Christmas.

Links:

• Catholic Family Crate

Geovanne Garcia, an art teacher and youth minister in Dallas, Texas, discusses the significance of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the Mexican people and how participating in celebrations for the feast day deepened her faith as a teen.

Links:

• Follow Our Lady of Lourdes Youth Instagram

Suzanne WiWi, copresident of the Christ Child Society of South Bend, Indiana, discusses how caring for families in need is important during this time of year, and even more so in the midst of the pandemic.

Links:

• Follow Ave Maria Press on Instagram

Fr. Edward Looney, a pastor of two parishes in the diocese of Green Bay and author of A Heart Like Mary’s, discusses his daily life as a priest and shares how he makes time for prayer, connecting with family, and writing.

Links:

• Listen to "How They Love Mary" podcast

Haley Stewart, author of The Grace of Enough, discusses liturgical living and how orienting family life to the Church calendar is joyful, simple, and will keep you focused on faith.

Links:

• Meet Haley Stewart

Catherine Fowler Sample, author of_ Gather Together_ and creator of _The Dating Project _documentary, shares how forming community is essential to our faith and valuable for our well-being and happiness. Fowler Sample offers tips on ways we can foster friendships and relationships even during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Links:

• Meet & Follow Catherine

Meg Hunter-Kilmer, a Catholic blogger and speaker who is known as the "Hobo for Christ," discusses how learning the stories of the saints, especially those who are lesser-known, is an opportunity to grow in personal holiness.

Links:

• Saints Around the World

Tommy McGrady, a high school teacher and coauthor of Advent and Christmas: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens, shares ways to intentionally prepare for Advent and enter into the new liturgical year with purpose and a desire to pray daily.

Links:

• Advent and Christmas: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens

Jessica McMillan explores the role of women in ministry and authority in the Church. She also discusses women’s understanding of themselves, what they have to offer, and their unique wisdom and insight.

Links:

• Follow Jessica on Instagram

Jaymie Stuart Wolfe, an acquisitions editor at Ave Maria Press, reflects on the extraordinary Urbi et Orbi blessing from Pope Francis on March 27th, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. She explains that the new book Christ in the Storm is a school of prayer for those who find themselves navigating challenging times.

Links:

• Christ in the Storm