Week Five: Sharing Faith Online That Leads to Real-Life Encounter Kaylee Stoll of FOCUS

Pope St. John Paul II created World Youth Day because of his own profound experiences as a youth at large gatherings while on pilgrimage with his peers. Hoping to bring that joy to the masses, World Youth Day was born. Now with the 17th World Youth Day set to be held in Seoul, South Korea in August of 2027, Katie sits down with Paul Jarzembowski to learn how the unique pilgrim’s experience at a World Youth Day is unlike anything else in the Church or world today.

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.

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?

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.

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.