Curious Spirits

Nov 18 2024 13 ep. 33 mins 2

Curious Spirits Podcast artwork

In light of the theme for Holy Year 2025, “Pilgrims of Hope,” this series asks: How can we be pilgrims of hope in a world suffering from the impacts of war, racism, xenophobia and the climate crisis? Join host Zoe Kourajian as she speaks with guests about their reasons for keeping hope alive despite obstacles. Each of our guests are at the forefront of efforts to address injustices and infuse difficult situations with hope.

Religion & Spirituality

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Women and the future of the church (with Casey Stanton)

Nov 18 2024 43 mins

We wrap up this season with one of our most exciting guests, Casey Stanton, the co-director of Discerning Deacons. Discerning Deacons is a project serving the Church by engaging Catholics in active discernment about women and the diaconate. She is inspired by Pope Francis’ vision for a synodal church, and believes this synod is an invitation for each of us to recognize ourselves

Our reasons for hope (with Denis Demirer and Sister Phyllis Esposito)

Nov 11 2024 47 mins

This week is a unique episode of the show: Host Zoe is joined by Producer Cristian Murphy and two guests selected by Zoe and Cristian. These guests are personal examples of hope for Zoe and Cristian’s own journeys. Zoe’s guest is Sister Phyllis Grace Esposito. Esposito entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in Brentwood, N.Y. almost 61 years ago. With a masters degree in religious

Overcoming addiction (with Father Francis Pizarelli)

Nov 04 2024 25 mins

This week Zoe is joined by Father Francis Pizzarelli of the Montfort Missionary Order, the founder and executive director of Hope House Ministries, a multifaceted human services agency that services the poor, young people, and families in crisis. Pizzarelli has specialized in working with young men overcoming addiction in Long Island, an area of the country that is weighed down by

Racism and the Catholic church (with Craig Ford)

Oct 21 2024 33 mins

Craig A. Ford, Jr. is an assistant professor of Theology and Religious Studies at St. Norbert College, where he also serves as director of the Peace and Justice Interdisciplinary Minor. He is also on the faculty at the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana. In this episode, Ford gives Zoe a quick historical rundown of the church’s role in racism a

Housing insecurity (with Roxanne De La Torre)

Oct 14 2024 39 mins

Housing insecurity is a growing issue in the United States that can seem pretty hopeless at times. For Roxanne De La Torre this area needs helpful and hopeful hands ready to serve. De La Torre has a wide background in various service ministry roles and currently serves as the Director of Outreach at Xavier Mission, a for-impact organization in New York City supporting those struggl

Immigration through a Catholic lens (with Sister Norma Pimentel)

Oct 07 2024 35 mins

Sister Norma Pimentel is a Sister with the Missionaries of Jesus and serves as the executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley. It is hard to explain how excited we are to present this episode and to have had the honor of experiencing this conversation. Zoe and Sister Norma dive into the deep end on this extremely difficult topic. Listen in as Sister Norma giv

Global hunger (with Michelle Keller of Mary's Meals)

Sep 30 2024 34 mins

This week Zoe is joined by guest Michelle Keller, U.S. Regional Coordinator for the international school-feeding charity Mary’s Meals. Mary’s Meals feeds more than 2.4 million children in 17 countries every school day. Its model of serving food in schools supports education that can help break the cycle of poverty. Listen in as Zoe and Michelle unpack the facts and figures of f

The power of reconnection and community (with Father Jim Shea)

Sep 23 2024 35 mins

Father Jim Shea is a Passionist priest who is passionate about developing community-based organizations addressing urgent community needs such as affordable housing and education. In 2010, Father Jim founded Reconnect Brooklyn with the mission of engaging young people through entrepreneurship, education, and service. Zoe chats with Father Jim about his journey with Reconnect and mu

Hope for LGBTQ+ Catholics (with Matt Devine)

Sep 16 2024 39 mins

Matt Devine joins Zoe this week for an incredibly important conversation on LGBTQ+ Catholics and the church. This conversation is fueled by Matt's strength and poise as he offers insights on his lived experience as a gay Catholic man and how his mantra of “staying” has served him in all areas of his life. In 2022 Matt published a testimonial talk on YouTube through the Stanfor

The Laudato Si' Movement and You (with Erin Lothes)

Sep 09 2024 37 mins

This week Zoe is joined by Erin Lothes for an exciting conversation on the hope within the Laudato Si’ Movement and what that means for Catholics in the pews. Erin a Catholic theologian and author of Inspired Sustainability: Planting Seeds for Action and The Paradox of Christian Sacrifice: The Loss of Self, The Gift of Self as well as many articles on faith-based environmentalism