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The Great BIG Christmas Show

Happy Advent and Merry Christmas! We are so excited to share this incredible show with you!

This half-hour special is brimming with traditions and on-location vignettes that offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how these influencers celebrate Advent and Christmas. We hope this video fills you with the warmth of family, faith, and joy for a more intentional celebration of the season. We feel blessed to be able to share these beautiful Advent/Christmas messages as we prepare for the coming of our savior, Jesus Christ.

The show will be a joyful performance of both original and classic music, poetic compositions, and recipes from Catholic artists, friends, and family. Decorate cookies with the kids in the rustic farm kitchen of former model Leah Darrow and her family. Reflect on the beauty of the Incarnation with James Matthew Wilson, an influential Catholic philosopher and poet who has been featured in countless publications. Make a joyful noise with Fr. Rob Galea and Fr. David Michael as they sing songs to get you into the Christmas spirit. Also, see some Houstonians share their traditions and help you ponder the true meaning of these seasons.

Experience all this and much more while learning the beauty of living the rhythm of the liturgical Year during this heartfelt special.

Meet the Host - Fr. David Michael Moses

Fr. David Michael Moses is a priest in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. A quick and avid learner, Fr. David Michael graduated with his Bachelor’s degree at 18, an age when most students graduate from high school. After being accepted into several law schools, Fr. David Michael ultimately felt called to the priesthood and was ordained in 2019 at the young age of 25. He currently serves as the parochial vicar at Christ the Good Shepherd in Spring, TX. He enjoys writing music, and his “Concerts for Life” have collectively raised over $640,000 to assist women in crisis pregnancies. He is also active on social media, with a collective following of over 140,000, where he shares stories from priestly life.

Other Guests

Leah Darrow is the founder of Power Made Perfect, an acclaimed personal development program, where she uses her decades of mindset coaching and experience in creating lasting change to help others find the time and courage to lead lives of true freedom, contribution, and mission with God. A former model on reality TV, Leah experienced a life-changing conversion back to the Catholic faith in 2005. An entrepreneur at heart, Leah has a driving passion to lead and inspire others to embrace Christ’s mercy and has created a beautiful sisterhood of women striving to be a light in the world. A sought-after speaker, Leah has been featured on numerous top podcasts, as well as appearances on Fox News, Yahoo Finance, Daily Wire, The Blaze, EWTN, and The Christian Post.

James Matthew Wilson is the Cullen Foundation Chair of English Literature and the Director of the MFA program in Creative Writing at the University of Saint Thomas Houston. The author of eleven books, including his most recent collection of poems, "The Strangeness of the Good" (Angelico, 2020), Wilson is the recipient of numerous awards for his writings on art and culture, including the Hiett Prize and the Parnassus Prize. Wilson serves also as the poet-in-residence of the Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music and Divine Worship, the editor of Colosseum Books, and the poetry editor of Modern Age magazine.

Deacon Phillip Jackson is the Director of the Permanent Diaconate for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. His office is responsible for all aspects associated with the formation of deacon candidates and the ongoing formation and coordination of the Archdiocese's permanent diaconate community, which is the largest in the United States. He is also a deacon at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church in Houston.

Steffani Aquila is the Director of Liturgical Life at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in downtown Houston. A former youth minister, she is the founder and creator of His Girl Sunday, a popular blog about liturgical living. Her desire is to share how we live the Catholic faith and tradition in our home and with our community. She is an alumna of University of St. Thomas-Houston and has her undergraduate degree in Education and Theology, and a Master's Degree in theology. Over the span of about 12 years I was given unique experiences to teach or minister to every age group between 1st and 12th grade.

Fr. Rob Galea is an ordained Catholic Priest and is currently serving in Sandhurst Diocese, Victoria after moving to Australia from Malta, his home country. He is a singer and songwriter with an international fan base, has written songs for World Youth Day 2016 and 2019, and has performed for Pope Francis. Apart from a series of recordings and CD releases, Fr. Rob has 73,000 subscribers on YouTube where he features many of his songs and homilies. He was a contestant in Australia's 2015 The X Factor and is the the founder and serving director of FRG Ministry.

Jonathan Blevins is a Catholic husband and father of three. He began live streaming his favorite video game, Fortnite, in 2018. He is the founder of the Bearded Blevins Stream Team to take his Twitch channel full time with the mission to build a positive community. He is also the founder and CEO of Little Flower Media Company. He is the first partnered streamer to be sponsored by a university (University of St. Thomas-Houston) and he is in the top 1 percent of streamers with 57,000+ followers on Twitch.

Dr. Richard L. Ludwick is the 9th president of the University of St. Thomas Houston. He received his BA in history from the University of Evansville, an MA in higher education administration from Teachers College of Columbia University (New York), a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Indiana University’s Robert H. McKinney Law School, and a Doctor of Education in policy management and organization of higher education administration from the University of Oregon (Eugene). He and his wife reside in Houston and are the proud parents of two adult children and four grandchildren.

Darnell Miller is the Creative Director of MAX Studios and is an alumnus (undergraduate and graduate) of University of St. Thomas-Houston.

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

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!

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

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

Around the Halo – S2: Episode 4

It's episode 4 of Around the Halo and it's a special one! The MAX Studios team is filming in Missouri, so the Stream Team invited two special guests - the voices of The Crunch Catholic Podcast.

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, and Ethan Stueve and Patrick Neve, hosts of The Crunch Catholic Podcast, the #1 comedy podcast for Catholic young adults in the United States.

Here are the chapters:
1:42 Intros
8:45 Rules of ATH
10:28 Hot Water, Not Pastors
18:26 Pass the Pardon
25:48 A Little Too Organic
33:21 The Spirit of Vatican II
42:05 So Crazy...It Might Work
51:43 A Winner Is Named

Around the Halo – S2: Episode 3

We're on to episode 3 of Around the Halo. We're back in our homes with a new look for you, so check it out!

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, Darnell Miller, Creative Director of MAX Studios at University of St. Thomas-Houston, Joel Stepanek, Vice President of Parish Services for Life Teen International, author and speaker, and Katie Prejean McGrady, wife, mom, award-winning author, international speaker, podcaster and daily radio show host.

Here are the chapters:
2:07 Intros
5:13 About ATH
6:01 In Your Face Nutrition Labels
12:25 Athletic Temper Tantrums
20:42 Teacher Shortage
32:23 Asteroid Smashing
40:51 A Church Divided
51:17 Comic Relief
1:01:06 A Winner Is Named

Around the Halo – S2: Ep. 2

Around the Halo is live in MAX Studios in Houston, TX again for episode 2!

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, we've got three guests for you, but a lot of hilarity ensues! Producing and hosting is Little Flower Media COO Matt McClure. Guests are Jonathan "Bearded Blevins," CEO of Little Flower Media and Bridget Richardson, Executive Producer of MAX Studios at University of St. Thomas-Houston.

Here are the chapters:
4:08 About Around the Halo
5:25 Queen Elizabeth & Monarchy
12:11 Brett Favre Scandal
17:55 Wrestling, UFC, Boxing or None?
23:17 Football is Back 2! Thoughts?
28:21 Buy or Sell: Halloween in September
36:27 Buy or Sell: Butter on Sandwiches
40:03 Buy or Sell: Lions Win on Sunday
42:31 Buy or Sell: Lakes are greater than Oceans
47:39 A Winner is Named

Around the Halo – Ep. 1 (Live) – Season 2 Begins!

It's Season 2 Baby! And we're doing it live ... again! Episode 1 of Around the Halo is live in MAX Studios in Houston, TX to kick off our second season. With a new look and the same treasured guests, you're in for some fun.

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, producing the show (off camera) is Little Flower Media COO Matt McClure. Hosting the show is Jonathan "Bearded Blevins," CEO of Little Flower Media. Guests include Darnell Miller, Creative Director of MAX Studios at University of St. Thomas-Houston, Matthew Marcolini, CFO of Little Flower Media, and Bobby Angel, Catholic writer, speaker and podcaster.

Here are the chapters:
9:51 Start the Show
11:26 Rules of Around the Halo
13:11 Introductions
15:30 Summer Glory Stories
23:50 Pumpkin Spiced Everything
29:48 Celebrity Conversions
40:26 Should Popes Retire
50:55 A.I. Content Creator
1:01:45 Rapid Fire Begins
1:02:14 Rings of Power
1:04:40 Football is Back
1:07:16 Delta Tweets
1:10:03 Pet a Lion
1:13:47 A Winner is Named

Around the Halo: Ep 11 – SEASON FINALE

We're on to the season one finale of Around the Halo! Topics for this episode are below.

Hosted by Little Flower Media COO Matt McClure, this episode features Jonathan "Bearded Blevins," CEO of Little Flower Media; Matt Marcolini, CFO of Little Flower Media; Joel Stepanek, Vice President of Parish Services for Life Teen International, author and speaker; and Bridget Richardson, Producer at MAX Studios at University of St. Thomas-Houston.

Topics
0:00 Countdown
10:55 Introductions
14:48 Qatar Bans During World Cup
23:00 Year Long Marriage Prep
35:20 Full Story vs. Headline
41:21 Catholic News Cycle: Good or Bad
51:44 Public Funds for Religious Ed
1:00:45 Sriracha Shortage
1:08:06 A Winner is Named

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.

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