Catholicism 101: Forever Learning and Living the Faith

What can we learn from the life of a man who lived the Gospel so radically so long ago? Can we realistically imitatie him today?

As we celebrate the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s death, we’re taking a closer look at the man behind the familiar images and stories. St. Francis loved everything because he first learned to love Christ. His radical joy, simplicity, love of creation, care for the poor, and desire for peace all flowed from that first love.

Join us as we celebrate the Jubilee Year of St. Francis and discover how, by honoring this remarkable saint, we can ultimately give greater glory to the God who made him holy.

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What happens when you realize the faith you thought you understood might not be what is actually taught? What if the questions you’ve carried for years are leading you somewhere unexpected? And what happens when you finally discover the beauty of the Catholic faith for yourself?

In this special episode, Megan Aud shares her journey from being raised Baptist and spending years in non-denominational Christianity to becoming Catholic through OCIA. After marrying Dylan, Megan began attending Mass with him, eventually finding herself drawn to learn more about the Catholic Church and what she had once been taught to believe about it.

As she began digging deeper, reading, listening, asking questions, and learning what the Church actually teaches, Megan found that Catholicism gave her the clarity and foundation she had been searching for. She shares honestly about the challenges along the way, including questions about the Eucharist, Mary, the saints, the papacy, and navigating the reactions of family and friends.

Now, two years after coming into the Church, Megan continues to learn and grow in her Catholic faith and has found a beautiful sense of home in both her local parish community and the universal Catholic Church. 

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been away from the Church or if you have a lot of questions about coming home—we need you here.

To learn more about the Awakening Program at St. Mary of the Woods, visit our website HERE!

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Have a question about the Faith you’d like to have answered on the Podcast? Submit it here: https://forms.gle/zorQwuUGtSdukzjc6 

What happens when you’ve been away from the Catholic Church for 50 years? What if you’re not sure you’re worthy enough to come back? And what if taking that first step could lead you to something your soul has been missing all along?

In this special episode, Charlotte Speer shares her beautiful story of coming back home to the Catholic Church after more than 50 years away. Raised Catholic, Charlotte continued to have faith and attend another Christian church, but she knew something was missing. It was through an invitation to Awakening, and eventually walking through the process of Reconciliation and returning to Holy Communion, that Charlotte rediscovered the beauty of the Catholic faith and the community she had been missing.

Charlotte speaks honestly about the fears and uncertainties that came with coming back, especially the thought of going to Confession after so many years. She shares how that experience became one of healing, release, and ultimately a deeper understanding of God’s mercy.

Now a member of the Awakening core team herself, Charlotte has a simple invitation for anyone who may be listening: take the first step. Come to a meeting. Talk to someone. Open your mind, feed your soul, forgive your heart, and come back.

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been away from the Church or if you have a lot of questions about coming home—we need you here.

To learn more about the Awakening Program at St. Mary of the Woods, visit our website HERE!

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Have a question about the Faith you’d like to have answered on the Podcast? Submit it here: https://forms.gle/zorQwuUGtSdukzjc6 

In this special episode, Daren Kinsey shares the story of his journey into the Catholic Church. Though raised Methodist and familiar with St. Mary’s through his family, Daren spent years on the sidelines. It wasn't until witnessing the profound faith, humility, and inner peace of a close friend facing terminal cancer that Daren realized he needed that same grace in his own life. 

Daren opens up about the process of stepping through OCIA as an adult, overcoming the initial steep learning curve, and learning to replace daily anxiety and anger with a deep, practical trust in God. Through daily prayer and scripture, he discovered how living the faith brings a lasting peace that transforms everyday life. 

For anyone sitting on the fence or holding onto past grievances, Daren offers a straightforward word of encouragement: don't let issues with other people keep you away. You don't go to church for others; you go for yourself, and you will always feel better supported within the community than trying to do it on your own.

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been away from the Church or if you have a lot of questions about coming home—we need you here.

To learn more about the Awakening Program at St. Mary of the Woods, visit our website HERE!

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Have a question about the Faith you’d like to have answered on the Podcast? Submit it here: https://forms.gle/zorQwuUGtSdukzjc6 

In this special episode, Whitney Meserve shares the story of her journey to the Catholic Church. Raised Baptist and married to a lifelong Catholic, Whitney spent years navigating the challenges of an interfaith marriage, raising a family, and trying to understand what made the Catholic faith different. It was through loss, questions, research, and the persistent presence of God in the midst of her mess that Whitney eventually realized she was being called home.

Her conversion changed not only her own relationship with Christ, but also her marriage and her family as they began worshiping together as one. Along the way, Whitney began to recognize the many “God winks” that had been woven throughout her story, reminding her that God had been working in her life long before she realized it.

And for parents whose children may someday walk away from the faith, Whitney offers a tender reminder: love them, pray for them, and continue to plant the seeds. Their walk with God ultimately has to be their own. 

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been away from the Church or if you have a lot of questions about coming home—we need you here.

To learn more about the Awakening Program at St. Mary of the Woods, visit our website HERE!

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Have a question about the Faith you’d like to have answered on the Podcast? Submit it here: https://forms.gle/zorQwuUGtSdukzjc6 

In this special episode, Kacie Hamilton shares the story of her journey away from the Catholic Church and, ultimately, of coming back home. After gradually falling out of the habit of attending Mass, Kacie spent years believing that her faith in God and the values she had learned growing up were enough. It wasn’t until later in life, as she began building a family of her own, that she realized she needed her Catholic faith in its entirety.

Through her husband’s journey through OCIA, Kacie rediscovered the depth of the faith she had been taught as a child and came to see just how much of it had remained with her all along. And even through seasons of tremendous difficulty, she found herself leaning more deeply on Jesus rather than turning away.

To those who have family and friends who have fallen away, Kacie also offers a reminder that sometimes coming home begins with a simple invitation: “Come to Mass with me... Come to the picnic... Come and see how we live the faith."

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been away from the Church or if you have a lot of questions about coming home—we need you here.

To learn more about the Awakening Program at St. Mary of the Woods, visit our website HERE!

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Have a question about the Faith you’d like to have answered on the Podcast? Submit it here: https://forms.gle/zorQwuUGtSdukzjc6 

In this special episode, Emily Porter shares the story of her journey away from the Catholic Church and, ultimately, of coming back home. After years away, Emily found herself drawn back through her daughter’s journey through OCIA, rediscovering the truth of the Catholic faith, the Sacraments, and the community she had always missed.

Her story is not only about returning to the local community in Whitesville, but of coming home to the universal community of the Catholic Church, "which is the ultimate sense of community, is it not?"

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been away from the Church or if you have a lot of questions about coming home—we need you here.

To learn more about the Awakening Program at St. Mary of the Woods, visit our website HERE!

Support the show

Have a question about the Faith you’d like to have answered on the Podcast? Submit it here: https://forms.gle/zorQwuUGtSdukzjc6 

You've received this invitation because someone deeply cares for you and wants the best for you. The gift of the Catholic Faith has brought them joy and peace, and they want you to share in the beauty of the same joy and peace that this world cannot give.

It doesn't matter how long you've been away from the Church, we invite you to join us for a 6-week period of sessions that will awaken you to the beauty, peace, joy and community found in the Catholic Faith. Please know that these sessions will be a place free of judgement, rather, an invitation to be a part of this community

Though our sessions begin on October 22nd, 2026 we are always happy to walk the journey of faith with you at any time!

Learn more at our website:

Awakening: An Invitation to Come Home to the Catholic Church

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Have a question about the Faith you’d like to have answered on the Podcast? Submit it here: https://forms.gle/zorQwuUGtSdukzjc6 

With Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s upcoming beatification on September 24th, we have the perfect opportunity to take a closer look at the Church’s process of recognizing holiness.

What does it actually mean when the Catholic Church declares someone “Blessed”? And how does someone become a Saint in the first place? 

In this episode, we’ll walk through the journey from Servant of God to Venerable to Blessed to Saint, explore what the Church looks for at each stage, and follow Fulton Sheen’s own fascinating (and sometimes complicated) path toward beatification and canonization.

Resources:
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation

Life is Worth Living TV Series| Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

The Miracle of Fulton Sheen 

The History of Canonization | EWTN

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Have a question about the Faith you’d like to have answered on the Podcast? Submit it here: https://forms.gle/zorQwuUGtSdukzjc6 

What does Pope Leo XIV actually say about artificial intelligence and why has his first encyclical generated so much discussion?

How can understanding what it means to be human help us navigate an increasingly technological world?

Join us for this month's episode of Catholicism 101 as we unpack Magnifica Humanitas alongside Quo Vadis, Humanitas – a recent document from the International Theological Commission. 

Whether you're looking for a clear summary of these landmark documents or wondering what the Church teaches about AI, this episode offers an accessible introduction to one of the most important conversations of our time.

Resources:

Magnifica Humanitas (Pope Leo XIV)

Quo Vadis, Humanitas? (International Theological Comission)

Pre-Order The Truth & The Lie: What it Means to be Human in the Age of AI | Dr. Christopher West, ThD (Sept. 2026)

Pope Leo XIV’s AI Encyclical Explained (w/ Fr. Gregory Pine)

Presentation on Magnifica Humanitas by Fr. Clinton Sensat

An Examination of Conscience for Using Artificial Intelligence

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Have a question about the Faith you’d like to have answered on the Podcast? Submit it here: https://forms.gle/zorQwuUGtSdukzjc6