Ave Explores

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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When Hallow CEO Alex Jones told Ashley Lenz he wanted to feature The Brothers Karamazov in the app’s annual Pray40 Lenten challenge, she had one condition: a weeklong retreat at Notre Dame. The retreat became the foundation for what would become Hallow’s most successful Pray40 campaign ever. More importantly, it confirmed a conviction at the heart of her work—that a truly good and beautiful book can open hearts to Jesus Christ.

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In this episode, Katie talks with Marcie Stokman and Colleen Hutt, co-founders of Well-Read Mom, a nationwide book club for women seeking deeper friendships and meaningful conversations through great literature. Marcie and Colleen share how reading good books transformed their own lives, making them a better person, wife, and mother. In a culture increasingly shaped by constant screens and distractions, they argue that literature helps us recover the lost arts of thinking, reading, and speaking well.

For many women, finding time to read can feel impossible. Marcie offers a simple answer: read together. Through book clubs and shared conversations, women discover a space to wrestle with the questions that matter most—the joys and sorrows, hopes and fears, and challenges of everyday life. These friendships provide the connection, encouragement, and sense of belonging that every person longs for.

Marcie and Colleen also explain the Well-Read Mom four-step process:

Read: Let go of the guilt and simply begin.

Compare: Connect the themes of the book to your own life.

Share: Engage in authentic conversations with others, ideally face-to-face.

Accompany: Support one another through life's struggles with compassion and confidentiality.

Three Takeaways:

Reading fosters friendship, and friendship inspires us to keep reading.

Every person has a deep desire to be seen, known, loved, and connected in authentic community.

The Well-Read Mom four-step process offers a practical path to deeper relationships and a richer intellectual and spiritual life.

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