Advertise on podcast: Catholic Momcast

Maria Morera Johnson interviews Erica Eschler, who has portrayed Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton in the Shrine's Academy Alive living history program and serves as director of Back from the Dead, an immersive cemetery walk where saints and other figures from Catholic tradition share their stories and invite participants to reflect on faith, mortality and eternal life. Today's guest, Erica Eschler, has helped bring the lives of the saints to life in unique ways. She has portrayed Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton in the Shrine's Academy Alive living history program and serves as director of Back from the Dead, an immersive cemetery walk where saints and other figures from Catholic tradition share their stories and invite participants to reflect on faith, mortality and eternal life. These experiences have given Erica a unique perspective on the struggles, choices and moments of faith that shaped the saints' lives. She could discuss how looking beyond the saints' halos can help Catholic mothers and families find encouragement in their own faith journeys, particularly through the example of Mother Seton, the first native-born saint to be canonized, who navigated motherhood, loss and tremendous personal change. Links: The National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Back from the Dead

In this episode, Kristina and Maria have a conversation about our loving presence in our children's lives during those turbulent years of growing pains and discovery on the way to young adulthood. Links: Read all articles by Kristina Talbot and Maria Morera Johnson

Maria Morrea Johnson and Margaret Dwyer Hogan talk about the beauty of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the upcoming Global Rosary for Peace, a global Rosary prayed by faithful from many of the Holy Cross Family Ministry centers throughout the world. In 1942 Father Peyton C.S.C. Asked God for 10 Million Rosary Homes on the earth. He went on to introduce the world to Rosary Rallies and prayed in person with over 28 Million people for world peace. 84 years later his work continues… We urge you to take 10 seconds to register below and unite the world in prayer. Links: Visit Holy Cross Family Ministries Sign up to pray with us at Pray for Peace

Maria Johnson interviews Catherine fowler Sample, writing and producer of The Dating Project, a documentary on the state of dating in modern times. Catherine Fowler Sample is a filmmaker, author, and mom of three. She wrote and produced The Dating Project with the producer of Braveheart and The Passion of the Christ (now being re-released on EWTN). She is also the author of Gather Together (Ave Maria Press) and the creator of My Advent Angel, a handmade doll and gift set that helps families keep Advent about Jesus. She lives in Arizona with her husband and children.   Links: Watch The Dating Project here www.thedatingprojectmovie.com  Check out Dating Decoded: Beyond The Dating Project here https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLR-TZdNbrabg Family theater Productions

Maria Johnson and Allison Gingras have an intimate conversation about the calm that comes after Summer, and the soothing season of Ordinary Time. Allison Gingras (ReconciledToYou.com) considers herself a new media evangelist. Authoring The Handy Little Guide to Novenas (OSV), Encountering Signs of Faith (Ave Maria Press) and the Stay Connected Journals for Catholic Women (Our Sunday Visitor), which includes a new title in 2025, Jesus Heals. Allison is Director of Digital Evangelization for Holy Cross Family Ministries.  Maria Morera Johnson, author of My Badass Book of Saints, Super Girls and Halo, and Our Lady of Charity: How a Cuban Devotion to Mary Helped Me Grow in Faith and Love writes about all the things that she loves. A cradle Catholic, she struggles with living in the world but not being of it, and blogs about those successes and failures, too. Links: Read all articles by Allison Gingras Read all articles by Maria Morera Johnson

Maria Morera Johnson and co-host Kristina Talbot discuss the distractions that pull at us, calling them silent strings. In this episode, Maria and Kristina have a conversation about distractions that us away from the present and those things that are important to us, such as faith and family. Links: Read all articles by Kristina Talbot

Maria Morera Johnson and Liv Harrison, host of The LIVing Room, discuss all-the-things, from the re-release of The Passion of the Christ to the upcoming Genius Conference. Liv Harrison is a Catholic speaker, podcaster, and emcee known for her humor, storytelling, and ability to create honest, meaningful conversations. She is the host of The LIVing Room, a podcast where authentic Catholic faith meets real life, culture, and creativity. Liv brings warmth, vulnerability, and a fearless curiosity to conversations about faith, identity, fear, calling, and what it means to follow God when life gets messy. Based in Houston, she is passionate about helping people recognize that they are seen, known, and deeply loved by God. Links: Liv Harrison Website The LIVing Room podcast Genius Conference Passion of the Christ Re-release information

Maria Morera Johnson interviews John Cuddeback, author of The Intentional Household (Ignatius Press). Dr. John A. Cuddeback is a professor of philosophy at Christendom College, where he has taught for nearly 30 years. He holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from The Catholic University of America and writes and speaks on virtue, friendship, fatherhood, and the philosophy of the household. He is the founder of LifeCraft, a resource dedicated to applying timeless wisdom to family and home life, and is the author of True Friendship and The Intentional Household: Living as if People Matter. He and his wife have been married for more than 30 years and have six children. Links: Life Craft website The Intentional Household

Maria Morera Johnson and co-host Kristina Talbot have a check-in for parents of first-time college students. In this episode, Maria and Kristina have a conversation about kids going off to college and how that changes the family dynamic. Links: Read all articles by Kristina Talbot

Maria Morerea Johnson and CatholicMom.com contributor Michelle Hamel discuss her new book, Journeying Through Infant Loss with Our Lady of Sorrows (Pauline Books & Media). If you've experienced the grief of miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss, you are not alone. In this book, author Michelle Hamel helps parents find comfort and healing in the maternal love of Our Lady of Sorrows. By reflecting on Mary's Seven Sorrows and sharing her own story of the life and loss of her daughter Therese, Michelle offers a hope-filled, Catholic perspective, reminding us that Mary is here to console us and lead us to her Son. Michelle is a wife, mom of eight, and grammy of 5 (with more on the way!). She spends her time reading, writing, and searching for good recipes to cook for her growing family. Her favorite things to do include spending quiet time in Adoration, shopping for baby clothes, and planning vacations. She loves to write about topics that feel God-inspired in order to encourage and comfort women. Michelle blogs at Normal Chaos. Read all articles by Michelle Hamel. Links: Read all articles by Michelle Hamel. Journeying Through Infant Loss with Our Lady of Sorrows Normal Chaos.

Maria Morerea Johnson and Father Vincent Kuna, C.S.C, discuss the new vocations series produced by Family Theater Production, God Calls: Catholic Vocation Stories. People are fascinated with priests, the clergy and religious life, and this series will help viewers peek around the curtain, encouraging vocations, and dispelling some of the myths surrounding a life serving the Church. In this series we visit with Catholic priests, sisters, brothers and deacons to learn about their vocations. We'll reveal that those in religious life are ordinary people with flaws and virtues just like everyone else.  We'll share the inspirational stories about how God's workers in the Church decided to commit their time, talent, and treasure, and say "Yes" to Jesus Christ. We'll try to answer the questions: What makes a person devote their life to Jesus? How do people come to the decision to become a priest, a brother or a sister? And why do busy married men and fathers choose to become a Deacon? Additional commentary from vocation experts will add depth and clarity, from experienced professionals who have worked as Vocational Directors, Spiritual Directors, mentors, and/or counselors. Come and see stories about religious men and women and find out what lit the spark in their life to take vows, devote themselves to Christ, and answer the call to religious life.   Link: Family Theater Productions

Maria Morerea Johnson and Stephanie Quesnelle discuss Artificial Intelligence through the lens of Imago Dei. Stephanie Quesnelle is a Catholic mother of five and a data analyst with over a decade of experience. She is the author of the forthcoming children's book Created, Not Coded: A Catholic Family's Guide to Artificial Intelligence, written to bring Catholic families frameworks to raise children in an age of digital transformation. She translates complex technology into accessible, theologically grounded resources for educators, parishes, and parents and is an advocate for equitable access to open-source data and AI as a Catholic justice issue. Her husband is the founder of Nous Research, a frontier AI lab, giving her a firsthand perspective on how these tools are built. Links: CreatedNotCoded.org Instagram @creatednotcoded Facebook Created Not Coded

Maria Johnson interviews Lisa Gulino, D. Min, Director of the Peyton Institute For Domestic Church Life. Dr. Lisa Gulino received her Doctorate in Ministry from the Catholic University of America in Spiritual Formation with emphasis in evangelization and catechesis. She wrote her dissertation on the spiritual and faith formation of the domestic church. Since 2007 Lisa has served as an adjunct professor at St. Joseph College for both theology and pastoral ministry courses. Her work with the Congregation of Holy Cross began in 2018 as a facilitator and advisor with the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame's STEP Program. And she also serves as a faculty member for the Permanent Diaconate program for the Diocese of Fall River. Links: Holy Cross Family Ministries Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life

Maria Morera Johnson has a heartfelt conversation with her daughter about grandparenting, motherhood, and the impact of the extended family. In this episode, Maria and her daughter, Vicky, have a heartfelt conversation about the joys of motherhood and grandparenting. They share memories and "mom hacks" that support each other in these beautiful roles. Links: Read all articles by Maria Morera Johnson

Maria Johnson welcomes María Ruiz Scaperlanda to Momcast to discuss the upcoming documentary about Blessed Stanley Rother, American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story. María Ruiz Scaperlanda is the promoter of the canonization cause for Bl. Stanley Rother. She is also an award-winning Catholic author and journalist whose books have explored the lives of saints, missionaries and other inspiring figures of faith. She is the author of "The Shepherd Who Didn't Run: Blessed Stanley Rother, Martyr from Oklahoma," a widely praised biography of the first American-born priest recognized as a martyr by the Catholic Church. A frequent speaker and commentator, Scaperlanda is known for bringing compelling stories of faith, courage and holiness to a broad audience. Links: American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story The Shepherd Who Didn't Run: Father Stanley Rother, Martyr from Ohlahoma