The Young Church

In this season finale, Brandon Esquivias and Andrew Reza jump into another discussion about this year's Year 1 Confirmation retreat. While Brandon delves into how his perspective of and relationship with God transformed throughout the retreat as a candidate, his leader, Andrew, shares about an immensely powerful encounter he had when he came home from the retreat.

Sydney Torres and Liz Reza sit down to debrief this year’s Year 1 confirmation retreat. The pair unpack opposing yet complementary perspectives — Liz having served on the CORE team for 4 years and Sydney in her first year of confirmation. While Liz offers a window into the spiritual and practical preparation that goes into these weekends, Sydney shares her experience encountering the Lord in new ways on the retreat and how she’s taken home that spiritual rejuvenation.

Lauren Udabe and Julia Butterbaugh discuss how they've each cultivated a deep love for encountering Jesus through daily mass and their friend group that attends together often. Jumping into how their group exemplifies holy and healthy co-ed friendship, Lauren and Julia explore the nuances and boundaries of fostering healthy platonic relationships with men that lead both parties closer to God.

Connor McCoy discusses what brought him to SEEK 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and how his experience there deepened his relationship with God, dedication to the faith, and thirst for knowledge. He tackles what it's like to be Catholic at a protestant college and the importance of being involved in Christ-centered community.

Kristen Martinez and Michael Villate recap their experience at SEEK 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah with 18,000 other young Catholics. Touching on their favorite talks and experiences from the conference, they discuss why they traveled to SEEK and how their lives have changed coming back home. Kristen and Michael witness to the life-giving fullness that God poured into the event and embolden others to go in future years to encounter the transformative power of Christ.

Those familiar with Alexis Hull know it's no surprise that this is our longest episode yet! The conversation explores how her encounters with Christ at youth retreats cemented her faith in the Lord and led her to serve extensively in youth ministry leadership. Currently working her dream career in Disneyland's costuming department, Alexis discusses experiencing anti-Catholic rhetoric in college and how her work and faith are intertwined.

Sofia Campbell and Bella Gutierrez share how they discovered the joy of faith-filled friendship and the fruits of grounding their sisterhood in Christ. They discuss how their individual journeys with the Lord drew them to each other and the difficulties of striving to be a woman of God in today's society.

Deacon Jorge Moncada Hernandez discusses his vocational journey as he prepares to be ordained to the priesthood in the spring. He delves into how he wound up at St. Cornelius parish, the community's impact on his spiritual formation, and his thesis topic: how the Eucharist is the perfection of friendship. Jorge bears witness to Christ's transformative goodness in his life.

Two more of our St. Cornelius Youth Ministry leaders, Ally Valdes and Frida Santiesteban, join the pod! Both seniors in high school, the pair discuss incorporating their faith into their college application essays and trusting that God will guide them along this next phase of their lives.

Joseph Reza and Ian Aleshire join the podcast to explore the fullness they've found in Catholic brotherhood and how those friendships differ from their relationships with those who hold different beliefs. Diving into the challenges and opportunities these friendships present, Joseph and Ian discuss their personal journeys with Christ and how they pursue truth with the people in their lives.

We welcome Jordan Rahe for a conversation grounded in how he returned to his love for the faith and his experience finding Catholic community as a young adult in a new city. A member of several ministries here at St. Cornelius, Jordan dives into the importance of the Lazarus Project: a ministry focused on serving the homeless not just by providing them with food or toiletries, but engaging in loving conversation and prayer.

Sisters Kaitlyn and Amanda Hull sit down to discuss their faith lives, diving into their unique experiences of going through the confirmation process while their mom served as the youth minister — part of that journey involving a vision Kaitlyn was gifted years ago that brought immeasurable comfort to their family. The pair delve into what it’s like to be a young devoted Catholic with friends who aren’t, and how their experiences and relationships with Christ give them the confidence to stand strong in their faith in the face of doubt.

Joe Sees and Edward Solideo join the podcast to discuss the importance of sacred music. Both serving as members of the choir Lumen Vitae, the pair sits down to unpack how sacred music’s beauty centers on igniting the intellect rather than emotion, along with how and why it orients us toward God.

Erik Lopez and Aidan Smith hop in the studio to discuss their personal journeys in the Catholic faith, exploring their initial engagements with the church, significant spiritual experiences at confirmation retreats, and the importance of sacraments. They share how they support each other in prayer and emphasize the challenges and rewards of living out their faith — including the societal pressure they face and their aspirations to inspire others.

Crystal Torres hops in the studio for a conversation stemming from the ways in which her role in Eucharistic ministry has impacted her faith. Currently studying psychology at CSULB, Crystal journeys through what her faith life looks like as a college student, how her beliefs and studies work hand in hand, and how we can be more open with talking about God and living an example of Christ in our daily interactions.

Brooke Nagy joins the pod to chat about what the relationship between school and faith looks like in her life, first rediscovering her fire for the Lord while at college. Now working as the second grade teacher at St. Cornelius, the Catholic school she grew up attending, Brooke shares about implementing her faith into the classroom and watching her students grow to deeper understand God’s love.

Highly anticipated guest Matthew Reynolds is here in the studio for a captivating and wide-ranging discussion! In talking about his first few months at St. John’s Seminary and his road to priestly formation, the conversation pans to humanity’s relationship with technology, how we God in times of crisis, and the importance of gratitude.

In this episode, Andrew Carniglia and Miguel Macias Casas delve into their transformative experiences at Camp Wojtyla, a Catholic outdoor summer camp in Colorado. In discussing the impact of living amidst nature, Andrew and Miguel explore the importance of faith-filled community, love in suffering, and fulfillment in the service of others. Hear their stories of spiritual growth as they recount both the joyful and challenging moments they encountered during their time at camp and back home.

Elissa and Katie Rodriguez sit down to share their powerful testimonies for an inspiring conversation on love, faith, and the beauty of letting God lead. Diving into their journeys through seasons of loss and hardship, singleness, and fruitful vs. unfruitful relationships, the sisters break down what it means to be loved by the Lord in a romantic, intimate way.

For the premiere of The Young Church Podcast, we welcome David Torres and Ty Casarez for a conversation centered on brotherhood in Christ. Initially connecting at a youth group through their shared passion for the gym, they discuss how their friendship evolved into one grounded in the Catholic faith, the importance of accountability, and supporting each other in living out the Gospel.