Posts by Bridget Richardson
Around the Halo – Season 2: Episode 7
It's episode 7 of Around the Halo and it's our last one for 2022! Inspired by the popular show on ESPN, Around the Horn, Around the Halo features four guests who weigh in on topics about sports, pop culture and the news.
Hosted by Little Flower Media COO Matt McClure, guests include Jonathan "Bearded Blevins," CEO of Little Flower Media, Bridget Richardson, Executive Producer of MAX Studios at University of St. Thomas-Houston, Bobby Angel, Catholic writer, speaker and podcaster, and Nick Sciarrapa, better known as @PappaSciarappa, the Director Of Youth Ministry at Saints John & Paul Roman Catholic Parish in Franklin Park, Penn.
Topics for this episode include the North Carolina Blackout, the Supreme Court case about wedding websites, player safety in the NFL amid the notable quarterbacks sidelined by injuries, the sign of peace at Mass and Apple's new karaoke feature.
0:37 Introductions
3:53 Rules of ATH
5:49 Blackout
14:43 Freedom, Rights, and Wedding Websites
26:41 Sacked
38:40 Peace Be With You
49:24 I Sing, You Sing
56:38 A Winner Is Named
Video Games as a Vehicle for Community
Videos games affect all of us - whether we play or we interact with someone who plays regularly. They are a big part of our culture from playing Fortnite on a PC to Candy Crush on your phone. Taking time to think about how video games can be a vehicle for community and then, in a bigger way, a way to minister to others, can literally change the world.
MAX Studios Creative Director Darnell Miller sits down with Jonathan Blevins, @BeardedBlevins , a popular Catholic Twitch streamer and CEO of Little Flower Media, and Joseph Bionat, formerly Marketing Coordinator with Word on Fire Institute and now Director of Marketing with St. Ann Parish in Dallas, Texas, to talk about video games and how they affect the culture.
They discuss how gaming affects young people, the real stats about who is actually playing video games, the difference between people being non-playable characters and a real life person, anonymity versus authenticity online, and how Christians are called to be who God called them to be while interacting in digital spaces. They also shout out Catholic creative organizations like Flocknote, Hallow and Word on Fire's "God and Gaming" YouTube series.
Extras:
The Bearded Blevins Stream Team
TRAILER: The Great Big Christmas Show
It's the Advent season and with Christmas right around the corner, we thought it would be fun to get together with some of our favorite people to share their traditions and the holiday spirit! Fr. David Michael Moses hosts the show sharing holiday stories, songs and traditions. We are also joined by special guests including Leah Darrow, Fr. Rob Galea, Jonathan "Bearded" Blevins and others!
The show is set to go live on YouTube on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12 at 7pm CT. Join us for a fun celebration of Advent leading into the Christmas Season as we prepare our hearts for the coming of our savior, Jesus Christ!
Friendship | The Real Reel
In this episode of The Real Reel, we asked UST students about friendship. They share what qualities they look for in a friend, how they make friends and how they maintain good friendships.
You'll also hear from Licensed Professional Counselor Ivan Navarro, Director of UST Counseling and Wellness Services, who shares some reflections on the value of quality friendships in college.
The Real Reel is an Instagram Reel series where UST students weigh in on various topics. We create a video mashup (like this) for YouTube. Visit MAX Studios on Instagram for all the reels, @maxstudiosust.
Links:
Around the Halo – Season 2: Episode 6
THIS episode! It's Around the Halo episode six and, although we're missing Jonathan "Bearded Blevins," we've got some great guests for you tonight!
Inspired by the popular show on ESPN, Around the Horn, Around the Halo features four guests who weigh in on topics about sports, pop culture and the news.
Hosted by Little Flower Media COO Matt McClure, guests include Joel Stepanek, father, Vice President of Parish Services for Life Teen International, author and speaker; Darnell Miller, Creative Director of MAX Studios at University of St. Thomas-Houston; Bobby Angel, father, Catholic writer, speaker and podcaster; and Dr. Alex Gotay, father of three, national teen and young adult speaker, author and youth minister at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Houston, Texas.
Here are the chapters:
2:05 Introductions
6:33 Bonus Chat: Daylight Savings Time
10:18 Rules of ATH
11:02 The Most Wonderful Time of Year
20:23 Unfriended
27:51 Wrong Place, Wrong Time
38:20 Wolves
50:46 I Want to be a Billionaire
56:25 A Winner is Named
Fake Names, Filipino Ceviche and Owning Your Culture
Also listen wherever you get your podcasts.
In this episode of BOLD, we talk to Christel Vallagomesa, a UST psychology major who was originally born in the Philippines. Host Isabel Garcia asks about her experience moving from the Philippines to the U.S., embracing her culture in an American setting and saying her name correctly. They also talk about her experience at UST and how she continues to learn and grow as a person.
Takeaways
- 1. The importance of one's culture.
- Taking advantage of different opportunities.
- How our culture impacts who we are.
Reflections
- What are some ways that you can learn more about your own culture?
- Think of three opportunities that have been presented to you that you can take advantage of?
- Brainstorm some practical ways you can learn about another culture.
New Media, Technology & Young Adults – Interviews w/ Texas Bishops
How often do you get to ask your bishop questions about their diocese and young adults in the Church? In September 2022, University of St. Thomas-Houston hosted the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops for their annual General Assembly. We took the opportunity to ask a few Texas bishops and a couple of others a few questions:
- “Describe your diocese in a few sentences.”
- "What is an innovative initiative in your diocese?"
- “What do you hear or what questions do you have for young adults?”
Here are the bishops who willingly stepped up the mic:
- Bishop David Toups, Diocese of Beaumont
- Bishop Daniel Flores, Diocese of Brownsville
- Bishop James Tamayo, Diocese of Laredo
- Bishop Michael Sis, Diocese of San Angelo
- Bishop Brendan Cahill, Diocese of Victoria
We also interviewed a couple of others:
- Fr. Jacob Koether, Diocese of Victoria
- Amy Auzenne, Director of Evangelization and Catechesis, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
We at MAX Studios were also pumped to give a presentation at the event on "Evangelization in the Digital World" focusing on how dioceses can utilize digital (primarily social) media to share the Gospel far and wide. Jonathan "Bearded Blevins" joined us for that presentation.
Broken People, Holy People
Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
This is an episode about Saints. Men and Women who lived ordinary and extraordinary lives filled with heroic virtue.
First we hear from Darnell, who tells the story of an altogether uneventful car accident and the one moment that he can't seem to shake.
Then we talk to Meg Hunter-Kilmer, an itinerant missionary who travels the world, living out of her car, talking about her love for Christ. She has also written the book on saints, two of them actually, and loves to connect people to those in heaven who are already praying for them.
She tells us about her life as a missionary and how she came to know and love the saints she does.
Then in Who’s That Saint, we are doing something a bit different, we let Meg tell the story of a saint whose story has been pulling on her heart, Venerable Alfonse Gallegos.
Links:
Meg Hunter Kilmer Website
Meg Hunter Kilmer Instagram
@mhunterkilmer
Protagonists of Change is a podcast that tells real stories from everyday people working to become Saints. Using music and sound effects to create vibrant soundscapes, this podcast is an immersive experience that draws the listener deeply into stories of joy, mercy and hope.
Around the Halo – Season 2: Episode 5
Now onto episode 5 of Around the Halo! Our special guest might be the new fan favorite.
Inspired by the popular show on ESPN, Around the Horn, Around the Halo features four guests who weigh in on topics about sports, pop culture and the news.
In this episode, Little Flower Media COO Matt McClure is the host. Guests are Jonathan "Bearded Blevins," CEO of Little Flower Media, Bridget Richardson, Executive Producer of MAX Studios at University of St. Thomas-Houston, Joel Stepanek, Vice President of Parish Services for Life Teen International, author and speaker. Our is special guest Katie Ruvalcaba, better known as @MrsRuvi on Twitch. She's a Catholic, midwestern housewife and Twitch streamer.
Here are the chapters:
1:15 Intros
6:32 Canceled Contracts
13:08 You're (All) in the Army Now
21:55 Unlikely Appointment
36:00 Money Not Spent
46:33 European Expression or Oppression
57:06 A Winner Is Named
Bound for Success
Also listen wherever you get your podcasts.
In this episode of BOLD, we talk to Gloria Bounds, a two-time UST alumna and Manager in Corporate Community Relations for Centerpoint Energy. At UST, she studied communications, international studies and received her MBA in Finance.
She shares her UST experience, learning about service and diversity, and tells us how it prepared her for the work she does today. She also talks about her involvement with Latin Women's Initiative, the importance of community and how it influences her whole life.
Gloria and her husband, Jesse, were honorary chairs for the 2022 Two Saints and A Taco Tasting, which is an alumni-sponsored event that raises money for student scholarships.
Takeaways
- Diversity and service, what she learned at UST, allows her to succeed in her job.
- Gratitude for your past experiences will serve you well in the future.
- UST prepared Gloria not only to be successful in her job but also in her personal life.
Reflections
- How can you instill service in your everyday life?
- If you are a student, think about reaching out to alumni for career questions.
- If you are a UST alumni, what are ways that you can give back to your alma mater?
Links:
UST Cameron School of Business
UST Center for International Studies
