Gospel-focused podcast
for young people, families
debuts in time for Lent

Carly Crawford, left, and Aaron Frazita, associate director of the Archdiocese of Louisville Office of Youth and Young Adults, discussed their approach to an episode of their new podcast, Burning Within Us, which will be released Ash Wednesday, March 2. (Record Photo by Kayla Bennett)

The new Archlou Podcast Network is introducing its first podcast, “Burning Within Us,” a weekly series for youth, young adults and families seeking to deepen their relationship with Christ.

The podcast hosts — Aaron Frazita and Carly Crawford — will offer two things: lectio divina in the form of five-minute Gospels readings and special episodes focused on issues that teenagers want and need to hear about, said Frazita.

Frazita is the associate director of the Archdiocese of Louisville Office of Youth and Young Adults, which sponsors the podcast, and Crawford is a former youth group member of St. Michael Church who now studies nursing at the University of Kentucky.

“The idea is for each of us to read the Gospel and then discuss it in a reflective way,” Frazita said of the five-minute Gospel format. “Then we want to have a conversation about what word stuck out to us.”

Frazita hosted a similar podcast in the past when he was youth minister at St. Michael. He said families would listen to episodes on the way to church every weekend as a precursor to the Gospel reading.

The goal is to reach young people on platforms they already use, he said, noting that the “audience is young people, but also families or anyone who wants to deepen their faith.”

Crawford, who was part of the podcast Frazita hosted at St. Michael, said they’re excited to expand their audience to the archdiocesan level.

“And what better time than Lent to restart it?” she asked.

Carly Crawford, left, and Aaron Frazita, associate director of the Archdiocese of Louisville Office of Youth and Young Adults, discussed their approach to an episode of their new podcast, Burning Within Us, which will be released Ash Wednesday, March 2. (Record Photo by Kayla Bennett)

The title “Burning Within Us” comes from the story of the road to Emmaus in Scripture. Luke’s Gospel describes Jesus coming upon two disciples discussing the events of his crucifixion and the report of his empty tomb.

Though he walked with the disciples and taught them what the Old Testament predicted about him, Christ went unrecognized until he stopped in Emmaus with the disciples. After they had broken bread together “their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’ ”

Frazita said, “Just like that moment, we’re hoping God’s word can speak to us wherever we are.”

The “Burning Within Us” podcast is hosted on Spotify’s Anchor platform and will be available wherever you listen to podcasts.

The first episode became available on Ash Wednesday, March 2. Regular weekly episodes will come out on Mondays. Special episodes that include guests or hot topics will go live on Wednesdays or Thursdays. Click here or search Burning Within Us on Spotify, Apple Music or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Kayla Bennett
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Kayla Bennett
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for young people, families
debuts in time for Lent”