Ave Explores

St. Augustine coined the term peregrini to describe what it means to be a traveler through this life, making our pilgrimage toward our final home: heaven. This spirit of journeying, with a heart open to what God will do, is essential to pilgrimage. Joan Watson, pilgrimage formation manager for Verso Ministries, explores how a pilgrim’s heart is developed before, during, and after a journey to a specific place—and how we can carry that spirit with us every day.

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Katie joins Oscar Rivera on Ave Spotlight for a conversation about the legacy of Blessed Fulton Sheen and the power of media to proclaim the Gospel. Fresh off receiving the inaugural Sheen Award for Impact in Radio and Podcasting, she reflects on the importance of using our platforms for something greater than recognition. Together, they explore Sheen’s groundbreaking television ministry and his remarkable gift for communicating timeless truths with clarity, boldness, humor, and a profound understanding of the Church’s mission. From the missionary creativity of the 1950s to today’s world of podcasts, social media, and algorithms, this episode asks a challenging question: If we have more ways than ever to share Jesus with the world, what are we doing with that gift?

Three Takeaways:

The platform is a tool, not the prize. Fulton Sheen understood that the value of media wasn’t found in awards or recognition, but in its ability to communicate Christ and his Church to the world.

The Church is bigger than what we see. The veneration of relics and the communion of saints remind us that we belong to one Body of Christ, united across generations and throughout the world.

Every generation has a missionary opportunity. From television and radio to podcasts and social media, the challenge remains the same: use the tools of our time to bring people closer to Jesus.

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When John Hale became CEO of Corporate Travel, it opened up a world of opportunities to explore new places, both on his own and alongside pilgrims. He and his wife, Kristen, also made it a priority to bring their children along on adventures around the world. In their first joint interview, John sits down with his eldest daughter, Elizabeth, to reflect on the impact of traveling as a family and the difference between taking a vacation and going on pilgrimage. Together, they share how these shared experiences have shaped their family’s faith and brought them closer to God.

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Edmundo Reyes was bitten by the travel bug at a young age, always seeking adventure and hoping to discover something beautiful along the way. Years later, it was only fitting that he became the showrunner and executive producer of a Catholic travel series hosted by David Henrie, taking curious Catholics on a journey through Italy (Season 1) and Spain (Season 2), with many more destinations to come. But you don’t have to produce a travel show to have a pilgrim’s heart. Edmundo shares how we can all remain open to the movement of the Holy Spirit by embracing our desire to go and see what the Lord has in store for us.

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At the beginning of this season, Pope Leo told the Vatican Publishing House that books are bridges of encounter. By the season's end, he told writers that books help us more deeply explore what it means to be human.

In this concluding episode, Katie reflects on how reading has shaped her own life and faith, and why great literature has the power to transform us. She also shares a curated list of the books recommended by each of this season's guests, offering listeners a reading guide to continue the conversation long after the season ends.

Check out these documents:

https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2026/giugno/documents/20260624-scrittori-lev.html

https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2026/may/documents/20260507-lev.html

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