Keynote Speakers & Sessions
Dr. Joseph Hollcraft
Thursday, April 10 at 3:00 PM Central
Saturday, April 12 at 9 AM Central
Dr. Joseph Hollcraft has taught at the middle school, high school, and university levels. He was also a Catholic radio host and apologist for fifteen years. Currently, Joseph Hollcraft is a Professor and Director of the High Calling Program at the Avila Institute.
Dr. Hollcraft is the author of A Heart for Evangelizing (Emmaus Road, 2016) and Unleashing the Power of Intercessory Prayer (Sophia Institute, 2020). Joseph has been seen on EWTN Live with Fr Mitch Pacwa, SJ, and Women of Grace with Johnette Williams. Dr. Hollcraft regularly contributes to multiple Catholic online journals and is frequently heard on Catholic radio airwaves discussing spiritual theology.
Joseph earned his B.A. and M.A. from the Franciscan University of Steubenville and received his Ph.D. from Graduate Theological Foundation with studies completed at Oxford University.
Most importantly, Joseph is a devoted husband and father. He lives in Canal Fulton, OH, with his beautiful wife Jackie and their four children: Kolbe, Avila, Isaac, and Siena.
Fr. Derek Sakowski
Thursday, April 10 at 5:00 PM Central
Friday, April 11 at 5:00 PM Central
Saturday, April 12 at 5:00 PM Central
Fr. Derek Sakowski spent four years in Rome getting his doctorate in Ecclesiology, and then eleven years as Pastor of St. Mary’s and St. Raymond’s parishes. Since 2017, he's been on quite a journey of spiritual and emotional healing. He discovered that he has a story, and began exploring it with curiosity and no small amount of grieving. He realized how much he has been engaging in “spiritual bypass” and shame-fueled perfectionism – putting lots of pressure on himself and even praying a lot, but avoiding some of the places of deepest heartache in his story.
Since 2020, he's undergone and continue to undergo trainings in the area of addictions and trauma – all of which emphasize the principle that you cannot lead anyone else where you yourself have not been willing to go. The more fully, courageously, and truthfully that he has engaged his own story, the more he has been astounded at how much Jesus opens up a safe space for others to seek and find meaning amidst their own pain and struggles.
Fr. Derek is now Director of the “Rebuild My Church” Initiative for the Diocese of La Crosse. The first couple of years have prioritized the renewal of their priests, beginning with their own human growth. It is incredibly exciting that several priests in our Diocese as well as in other places are eager and interested in engaging their story and becoming brave shepherds who, like Jesus, have gone there first. In due time, he hopes to expand the renewal to all the faithful and institutions in their diocese.
He enjoy hiking, nature, nerdy board games, and deep conversations. Middle Earth and Narnia feel like second homes to him. He is a sucker for 80’s nostalgia, and absolutely love the TV series Psych
Dr. Ralph Martin
Thursday, April 10 at 7:00 PM Central
Fr. Chris Clay
Friday, April 11 at 9:00 AM Central
He grew up in the Lexington suburb of Paris, the fifth of eight children. His father was part of the family business of breeding thoroughbreds for the horse racing industry. The family practiced their Catholic faith, and an aunt and an uncle were part of religious communities.
Father Clay was managing editor of a horse race industry publication before entering the seminary. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Lexington in 2007 and is now in his fourth parish assignment. The Lexington Diocese serves 50,000 Catholics with 50 priests.
Fr. Jacob Powell
Friday, April 11 at 11:00 AM Central
Father Powell is a native Texan who grew up in a Roman Catholic family. He is one of four children who attended a non-denominational school with very few Catholics. He began learning and loving his Faith through numerous faith-based discussions with friends and teachers. Through prayer and study, he discerned a call to the priesthood. After a year of college at Texas Tech University, he joined the Conventual Franciscans in the St. Bonaventure Province. After nearly two years of further discernment, he left the order and returned to Texas Tech University for another year of education. By the end of that year, he decided to join the Diocese of Lubbock, Texas. He was sent to St. Charles Borromeo Seminary for two years to finish his degree in Philosophy. His bishop sent him to St. Mary's Seminary in Houston, Texas to complete his formation and Theological studies. In 2017 he was ordained a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Lubbock. He served as a parochial vicar for two years before being made a pastor. He has served 10 parishes in his diocese as priest. He continues to serve as pastor within his diocese.
Dr. Anthony Lilles
Friday, April 11 at 1:00 PM Central
Saturday, April 12 at 1:00 PM Central
Over the years, these efforts to begin to pray have unfolded into a journey, a search for God who discloses Himself to us in the hiddenness of faith. In this quest, I have found that the Lord not only encourages and consoles, but He also questions and even admonishes - all of this because He yearns for a real friendship with each of us. This friendship requires faithfulness and dedication, an ongoing struggle through all kinds of trials and difficulties.
God is bringing to perfection his work in us, but not really in a way that is easy to talk about. Instead, failure and a sense of inadequacy are our frequent companions. But this does not surprise me.
What constantly surprises me is the remarkable ways God's love turns even our weakness into avenues of deeper communion with Him. Beginning to pray is a spiritual pilgrimage which has made all the difference in my own life. It is a response to the Lord's loving presence. Even a spark of desire for God begins a great spiritual pilgrimage - and these reflections are meant to be a little simple encouragement from one pilgrim to another.
After walking El Camino de Compostela in 2014, we moved to California where I serve as Academic Dean at Saint John's in Camarillo and Academic Adviser for the men at Juan Diego House. I also teach spiritual theology in the graduate program of at the Avila Institute of Spiritual Formation.
Sr. Deirdre Byrne
Friday, April 11 at 3:00 PM Central
Sister Deirdre Byrne is an active missionary sister and superior of her community in Washington, DC. She is double board-certified in family medicine and general surgery. A native of the Washington, D.C. area, Sister Deirdre (known to many as Sister DeDe) is one of eight siblings, attended Langley High School, and graduated from Virginia Tech. After college, Sister DeDe followed in her thoracic surgeon father’s footsteps and entered medical school at Georgetown University, where she eventually completed a surgical residency. During that time she also joined the Army. After a life of medical and military service in far ranging areas, she was led to the Little Workers of the Sacred Hearts community, whose charism involves sisters placing each and every person they care for between the Heart of Jesus and Mary. Her apostolate has been performing overseas medical missionary surgery and providing free medical care for the poor and uninsured. The over 125-year-old community includes 400-500 members. By 2000, the board-certified Dr. Byrne made her commitment to the Little Workers and began her novitiate training in earnest.
Sister DeDe retired with the rank of Colonel from the United States Army in 2009 after 29 years of service in the military. Over the years, Sister Deirdre has found it easy to integrate her medical and military service into her religious vocation. Though comfortable in scrubs, she wears a full black or a white working habit when she can and is grateful for the impact it has on those to whom she ministers. Currently, she is the superior of the D.C. Little Workers of the Sacred Hearts house near Catholic University, where the sisters run a pro-bono physical therapy clinic and diabetic eye clinic, retirement home for her elderly sisters as well as a music school pre-school children.
Bishop Liam Stephen Cary
Friday, April 11 at 7:00 PM Central
Early Life and Family
Liam Cary was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1947, the first of John and Patricia Cary's four children. In 1950 the family moved to Prineville, where John Cary took up the practice of dentistry and Liam attended Ochoco Grade School and Prineville Junior High School.
Academics
He entered Mount Angel Seminary in 1961, graduating from high school there in 1965 and from college in 1969. After a year of theology at St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park, California, in 1970 he took a leave of absence that lasted eighteen years. In that time he spent three years in a Chicago legal aid office as a VISTA volunteer, studied Spanish for a summer in Mexico, worked at a farm-worker medical clinic in California, and painted houses in Portland and Eugene. Involvement in parish ministry at St. Mary's in Eugene led him back to the seminary in 1988.
Priestly Life
He was sent to the North American College in Rome, where he received a Licentiate in Moral Theology from the Gregorian University in 1992, the year he was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon on September 5. He served at St. Joseph's in Salem from 1992 to 1994, when he was named Vocations Director for the Archdiocese of Portland and chaplain to the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon in Beaverton. He was sent to Medford in 1998 and served as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish until July 2011, when he was appointed pastor of St. Mary's in Eugene. Throughout his priesthood Bishop Cary has been involved in Hispanic ministry.
Episcopacy
Pope Benedict XVI named Father Cary, pastor of St. Mary Church in Eugene, Oregon, as Bishop of the Diocese of Baker on May 18, 2012. The Baker Diocese includes over 68,000 square miles in Oregon and has a population of 526,760 people, of whom 34,375, or seven percent, are Catholic. There are 36 parishes and 23 missions in the Diocese of Baker.
Dr. Mark Miravalle
Saturday, April 12 at 11:00 AM Central
Dr. Mark Miravalle earned his Sacred Theological Doctorate at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He holds the Saint John Paul II Chair of Mariology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has been teaching since 1986.
Dr. Miravalle is the founder and senior editor of Ecce Mater Tua, an international journal of Mariology research. He is also president of the International Marian Association, comprising more than 130 theologians, bishops, clergy, and laity worldwide who seek to promote Marian devotion and doctrine.
Well-known worldwide for his lectures on Mariology, Dr. Miravalle has addressed several episcopal conferences, including those of South India, Nigeria, Venezuela, and Costa Rica. He has also assisted bishops with preliminary investigations into reported apparitions.
Dr. Miravalle has spoken at numerous international conferences and has appeared on EWTN, National Public Radio, BBC, and Fox News.
Dr. Miravalle is the author and editor of over 20 books in Mariology and Spiritual Theology, including his most recent works, Meet Your Mother: An Introduction to Mary; Meet Your Spiritual Father: An Introduction to St. Joseph; Time to Meet the Angels, and Jesus In You: The Indwelling Trinity in the Souls of the Just.
Dr. Margaret Turek
Saturday, April 12 at 3:00 PM Central
Dr. Margaret Turek is Department Chair and Professor of Dogmatic Theology at St. Patrick's Seminary & University in Menlo Park, CA. She received spiritual formation as a Carmelite for six years before undertaking graduate studies in Theology at the Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology and the University of Fribourg (Switzerland). Her most recent book is Atonement: Soundings in Biblical, Trinitarian, and Spiritual Theology (published by Ignatius Press). She is a sought-after speaker and teacher on topics that include the mystery of God the Father, Theologies of the Cross, and evangelization through fiction and film. She serves on the Editorial Board of Communio: International Catholic Review and the Advisory Board of The New Ressourcement Journal of Theology and Philosophy.
Bishop John Oliver Barres
Saturday, April 12 at 7:00 PM Central
The Most Reverend John O. Barres, STD, JCL is the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre (Long Island, NY). Previously, he served as the Bishop of the Diocese of Allentown (PA) from 2009 to 2016. He is a graduate of Phillips Academy (Andover), Princeton University and the New York University Graduate School of Business, and holds advanced theological degrees from the Catholic University of America and the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. Bishop Barres serves on the Board of Trustees of the Catholic University of America. His Episcopal motto “Holiness and Mission” is taken from Pope St. John Paul II’s encyclical Redemptoris Missio which emphasizes the universal call to holiness and mission in the Catholic Church. It also expresses Bishop Barres’ commitment to Pope Francis’ emphasis on global Catholic missiology and evangelization and the call for a “missionary transformation” of Catholic parishes and every dimension of Catholic life and witness to the world.
Dan Burke
Saturday, April 12 at 8:00 PM Central
Dan Burke is the past President and C.O.O. of EWTN’s worldwide news network. He is presently the founder and President of the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation, which offers graduate and personal enrichment studies in spiritual theology to priests, deacons, religious, and laity in 90 countries and prepares men for seminary in over 100 dioceses and priestly formation in three seminaries.
Dan is a best-selling author and editor of numerous books on authentic Catholic spirituality and hosts the Divine Intimacy Radio show with his wife, Stephanie, broadcast weekly on EWTN Radio. Past episodes can be found, along with thousands of articles on the interior life, at SpiritualDirection.com.
In his deep commitment to the advancement of faithful Catholic spirituality, he is also the founder of Apostoli Viae, a world-wide, private association of the faithful dedicated to living and advancing the authentic spiritual patrimony of the Church.
Most importantly, Dan is a blessed husband, father of four, grandfather of one—and grateful to be Catholic.
Breakout Speakers

Fr. Robert J. Altier has served in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis since his ordination in 1989. He has lectured throughout the Twin Cities and is best known for his EWTN series “The Fundamentals of Catholicism” and his devotion to the Eucharist and to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Laura Phelps is a Catholic author and national speaker passionate about helping women unpack Scripture and apply it to their daily lives. After a powerful conversion, Laura has been on a mission to share the good things the Lord has done. She is a Content Creator Manager at Walking With Purpose and co-host of Hope For Right Now, a Walking With Purpose Podcast. She resides in CT with her husband, four children, three cats, two dogs, and six chickens. You can find out more about Laura at www.lauramaryphelps.com.

Fr. Chase Hilgenbrinck grew up Bloomington, IL, where his parents – Mike and Kim – raised he and his brother, Blaise, in the Catholic faith. Fr. Chase was a two-sport athlete at University High School, playing varsity basketball for three years, and varsity soccer for four years. He was a high school All-American in soccer while at U-High and was chosen to represent the United States on the Under-17 National Team before moving on to play Division I soccer at Clemson University in the Atlantic Coast Conference. While at Clemson, he was a four-year starter, helping the Tigers win the 2001 ACC Championship and four NCAA tournament berths, including two Elite-Eight appearances.
After graduating from Clemson in 2004 with a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and International Trade, Fr. Chase signed with Huachipato of the Chilean First Division. He then spent four years playing in the Chilean league, winning a league championship with Ñublense in 2006. Fr. Chase played the 2007 season in the first division while completing his fourth and final year in Chile. During two of those years, he was selected the league’s most valuable player at the left fullback position. He later signed with the New England Revolution in the United States’ Major League Soccer before retiring in 2008.
Fr. Chase left his professional soccer career to enter the seminary and to become a Catholic priest. He was ordained for Diocese of Peoria on May 24th 2014. As a priest, Fr. Chase has spent two years in Hispanic ministry and high school chaplaincy, four years as an Assistant Chaplain at St. John’s Catholic Newman Center at the University of Illinois, and is now the Vocations Director for the Diocese of Peoria.

Joshua is devoted to building culture in which each one can flourish in his/her personal vocation for building up the Body of Christ and sanctifying the world.
He is the co-author with Luke Burgis of Unrepeatable: Cultivating the Unique Calling of Every Person (2018) and a contributing author to The Motivation Code (2020).
Joshua is a leader in the field of narrative based motivational assessment. For the last 20 years he has applied his expertise in a variety of applications, including coaching, executive search, organizational development, and talent management.
He is a co-developer of MCODE, an assessment that helps persons understand their own patterns of unique motivation based upon their stories of authentic fulfillment.
In addition to serving as the Executive Director of the Inscape Center for Personal Vocation, Joshua serves as Director of Programming & Coaching at Franciscan University of Steubenville’s Office of Personal Vocation.
Joshua has an MA & Ph.D. in Philosophy of the Human Person. He and his wife, Brooke, are joyfully Catholic, have six dear children and live in Steubenville, Ohio.

Dr. Michael Gama was born and baptized into Roman Catholicism, though at five years of age, his family left the Catholic Church. They then spent years in Evangelicalism.
Dr. Gama attended and graduated from Evangelical schools (Westmont College and Fuller Theological Seminary, respectively) for his BA and M.Div. degrees. Post-seminary he had a sense that even with, or perhaps even because of, his educational experience, his faith was missing something vitally important. He began reading extensively in the patristics, particularly in the monastics and the eastern fathers.
As a result, about 25 years ago he, his wife, and three children began attending an Orthodox church where they remained for five years. Then, 20 years ago they moved permanently to the Maronite Catholic Church, attending St. Sharbel Maronite Catholic Church in Portland, Oregon.
While there, Michael received his Abouna’s blessing to go through a doctoral program at a local seminary where he did his work primarily in the area of soteriology — theosis — the eastern Christian understanding of union with God, by grace. His doctoral dissertation was published by Wipf & Stock and is entitled, Theosis; Patristic Remedy for Evangelical Yearning at the Close of the Modern Age.
Dr. Gama is grateful for the opportunity to participate as an instructor at the Avila Institute, where he engages with students in exploring the call to grow toward being partakers of the divine nature, and entering into the fellowship of the Holy Trinity.
He and his wife, Carol, have been married 43 years, have three children and thirteen grandchildren.
Their entire family now lives in north Idaho, where they attend St. Thomas Catholic Church in Coeur d’ Alene.

Fr. Ignatius John Schweitzer, OP is a Dominican priest of the St. Joseph (Eastern) Province. He was ordained in 2011. He spent six years living as a monk in a Carthusian monastery. He then returned to the Dominicans, discerning a strong call from the Lord to help others grow in the spiritual and mystical life. He is a professor of spiritual theology and director of spiritual
formation at St. Joseph’s Seminary at Dunwoodie (Yonkers). He is also the provincial promoter of the Lay Dominicans.

Dr. Bob Schuchts, Ph.D. is the founder of the John Paul II Healing Center and the author of the best-selling book, Be Healed: Encountering the Powerful Love of Jesus in Your Life, and other numerous titles. He has also contributed to a variety of other publications and has published resources available through the Center.
Bob spent more than 30 years as a therapist, while also teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in marriage and family relationships, human development, applied psychology, and marriage and family therapy. He held adjunct professor positions at Florida State University; Tallahassee Community College and the Center for Biblical Studies in Tallahassee, Florida. He has also taught courses at the Theology of the Body Institute and the Augustine Institute.

Sterling Jaquith is a coach for Catholic moms. She homeschools her six kids in Northern Idaho. She's an author, podcaster, and a speaker. She converted to Catholicism at 25. She teaches women how to quiet the chaos in their minds so they can hear the Holy Spirit!
www.catholicmomcalm.com

Anne Auger is a wife and mother of 7 children. She graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville in with a Masters Degree in Theology in 2003 and has worked extensively in RCIA, Adult Catechesis, and Religious Education programs throughout Wisconsin. She served as an instructor at the Seat of Wisdom Institute in Madison, and has been a keynote speaker at many parishes and Catholic events. Most recently, Anne serves as Director of Evangelization for St. Therese of Liseux Parish in Madison.

Deacon Colin Coleman CB was baptized a Catholic but not raised in the faith, first
encountering our Lord in a real way at age twenty-one, just before he met his wife.
After their marriage, Deacon Colin was asked by the bishop of Auckland NZ to join the diocesan youth team as director, a position he held for two years.
Desiring a deeper and more radical relationship with Jesus, Deacon Colin and his wife joined the Community of the Beatitudes in 1993, entering the Beatitude community house in France that was only a few miles from Lourdes. They were then asked to help found the Beatitude house in Christchurch, New Zealand, where they
stayed for nine years.
During this time, Deacon Colin was asked to take over as superior of the house. They were then led to the United States to assist in the mission in Denver, Colorado, where he worked for the parish of St. Catherine of Siena as Director of Religious Education. On behalf of the Archdiocese, Deacon Colin teaches and provides formation for engaged couple preparing for marriage. As part of his responsibilities with the Beatitude community, he helps oversee the lay branch and assists in the formation of new members and the ongoing formation of existing members. Deacon Colin was ordained in 2011 and has been married to Maria since January 1989 and they have been blessed with seven children (four daughters, two sons and one son
waiting for them in heaven).
He is currently working at the archdiocese of Denver as the Marriage and NFP specialist.

Before discovering her passion for the Faith and the call to evangelize, Simone worked
in marketing, communications, media, radio and her first love, theatre. Her graduate
degree is in Theological Studies with an emphasis in Systematic Theology from
Christendom College.
She has worked at the parish level, for both youth and adult formation at St. Ambrose
parish in Annandale, Virginia and taught high school seniors moral theology and
Church History and chaired the Theology Department at St. Mary’s Catholic High
School in Phoenix, Arizona. She also served at Endow, an apostolate for women
dedicated to cultivating a New Feminism according to the vision of Pope St. John Paul
II. You can find her thoughts on the prophetic value of Church documents on The
Endow Podcast from 2020-2023.
Currently, Simone is the Director of Philos Catholic, a frequent guest on Catholic
Answers Live, and a faculty member of the Avila Institute.
As a first generation American of Egyptian-Armenian descent, Simone has a particular
interest in matters of religious freedom, culture and the Eastern roots of the Faith. She
currently hosts the Beyond Rome podcast which seeks to reconnect Catholics to their
Hebraic and Near Eastern Christian Roots.
You can find her talks and publications on culturalgypsy.com.

Dr. Elizabeth A. Mitchell, S.C.D., received her doctorate in Institutional Social Communications from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome where she worked as a translator for the Holy See Press Office and L’Osservatore Romano. She is the Dean of Students for Trinity Academy, a private K-12 Catholic independent school in Wisconsin, and serves as an Advisor for the St. Gianna and Pietro Molla International Center for Family and Life and is Theological Advisor for Nasarean.org, a mission advocating on behalf of persecuted Christians in the Middle East.

For more than two decades, Dr. Andrew Seeley has been a Tutor at Thomas Aquinas College in California, where his love has been teaching and learning with his fellow faculty and students from the greatest minds of Western Civilization. A 1987 graduate of Thomas Aquinas, Dr. Seeley received his Licentiate from the Pontifical Institute in Medieval Studies (Toronto) and a Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from the University of Toronto (1995). His dissertation was a study in St. Thomas’s teaching about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
His teaching experience includes courses in Biblical Studies; Patristics; Logic; Language; Natural Philosophy; Biology; Geometry; Cartesian Algebra; Differential Calculus; Number Theory; non-Euclidean Geometry; Ancient, Medieval and Modern Philosophy and Literature; Classical Physics and Relativity; and Music Theory.
Desiring to share his love of learning, in 2005 Dr. Seeley became Executive Director of the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education. He has spoken at conferences, led in-service workshops, offered consultations to schools and colleges and directed the Institute’s Academic Retreat for Teachers.
Dr. Seeley is on the National Policy Advisory Board for the Catholic High School Honor Roll, Wyoming Catholic College’s Catholic Scholars Advisory Board, and a number of Catholic liberal arts schools around the country. His articles have been published on-line in Crisis, First Things and The Imaginative Conservative, among others. He is co-author of Declaration Statesmanship: A Course in American Government.
Dr. Seeley is married to Lisa Seeley and is father to six children and grandfather to three.
Dr. Seeley can be contacted at atseeley@catholicliberaleducation.org.

Christine Hanus’ lifework is to glorify God at all costs and to encourage others to do
the same. As a writer, she contributes to organizations such as
Spiritualdirection.com and Catholic Mom and is the author of Everyday Heroism: 28
Daily Reflections on the Little Way of Motherhood. A graduate of Franciscan
University, a catechist, and a student in the Avila Institute’s Spiritual Formation
program, Christine teaches in various forums, specializing in prayer and radical
surrender to God. Visit her webpage at christinehanus.com.

Cardinal Anders Arborelius, O.C.D., Bishop of Stockholm (Sweden), converted to Catholicism at the age of 20. In 1971 he entered the Order of the Discalced Carmelite Fathers in Norraby, and gave his perpetual vows in Bruges, Belgium in 1977.
He carried out his studies in philosophy and theology in Belgium and at the Teresianum in Rome. At the same time he studied modern languages at the University of Lund. On 8 September 1979 he was ordained a priest in Malmö. On 29 December 1998 he was consecrated a bishop at the Catholic cathedral of Stockholm. He thus became the first catholic bishop of Sweden, of Swedish origin, since the time of the Lutheran Reformation in 1500.
From 2005 to 2015 he was president of the Episcopal Conference of Scandinavia, while in 2015 he was elected vice-president. He was appointed as member of the Commission of the Presidency of the Pontifical Council for the Family from 2002 to 2009. On 21 January he was appointed as consultor of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.

Sr. Mary Grace, S.V., grew up on the shores of Sydney, Australia, and graduated from the University of Notre Dame Australia with a degree in Theology. Captivated by the beauty of every human life and feeling compelled to lay down her life to protect it, she worked for the campus ministry team before entering the Sisters of Life in 2013. Sister Mary Grace made her first vows in 2018 and professed her final vows in 2023. She was first missioned for three years in Toronto, Canada, serving vulnerable pregnant women and their unborn children, inviting those wounded by abortion into the healing mercy of Jesus, and offering retreats. Sister then served in the Evangelization Mission for the Community for three years in the Bronx and in Denver, where she currently resides. The Evangelization Mission coordinates the sharing of the charism of life and fostering a culture of life throughout the US and worldwide, through in-person Mission Trips, media and online outreach. She is also the co-host of the Sisters of Life Podcast 'Let Love' and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Theology.

Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in 2002. He was ordained a priest in 2011 by
Cardinal Timothy Dolan in St. Patricks’ Cathedral in New York City and several years
later completed studies in spiritual direction at Our Lady of Divine Providence school
of spiritual direction in Clearwater, FL. Throughout his time as a Franciscan he has
participated in his community’s charism of hands on work with the poor and preaching, while also directing and preaching retreats all across the country and serving as a spiritual director. He lived for 3 years as a hermit at the Monastery of Bethlehem in Livingston Manor, NY and now currently lives at San Juan Diego Friary in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is the author of Amid Passing Things: Life, Prayer, and Relationship with God (2019), Mary and the Interior Life (2023), and Let Him Lead: Following Jesus in the Gospels (2025).

Emanuela Hall is the speaking coach and story consultant for Christ-led entrepreneurs and leaders. She helps them speak with authority and captivate their audiences so they can create a community of raving fans, explode their impact, and change the world. Emanuela’s background as a professionally trained actor and playwright helps her teach others how to become more confident in themselves and their ability to share their message. In 2019, she wrote and performed a one-woman play, sharing her own story about breastfeeding and new motherhood. Emanuela also facilitates improvisational workshops for teams and events to help make networking more fun. She’s the Artistic Director of the (soon to come)
Magdalen Theatre Ministries, and a Catholic homeschooling mama of 3 who loves good food, karaoke and deep conversations. Emanuela is on a mission to raise the voices of Christ-led leaders because she believes our stories have the power to change the world.

Christine Flynn is a wife, mother of six, and convert to the Catholic faith from New Age and atheism. She writes and speaks about her journey, as well as how to raise children who are confidently Catholic. Christine is a Wisconsin transplant and spends her free time gardening, gaming, and singing in an 80s party metal cover band.
A frequent guest and contributor to Catholic media, Christine has been featured on EWTN, Catholic Answers, Relevant Radio, Sirius XM, and more. Her first book, Not Just Spiritual, was published by Catholic Answers in November 2024.

Father Joel was ordained to the priesthood in 2018 by now-retired Bishop John Pazak. In 2019 he was assigned to the formation staff of the Byzantine Catholic Seminary in Pittsburgh, after many years of teaching at St John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. In July 2022, he returned to Denver to continue his priestly ministry at Holy Protection parish, its Fort Collins outreach, and Saints Cyril and Methodius Russian Greek Catholic Community. Father Joel and Pani Leslie have raised seven children and take delight in their grandchildren, whose number is steadily growing.
Father Joel received his BA in Classics-History-Politics from Colorado College (1984); an MA in Early Christian Studies from the Catholic University of America (1987); and an MMS (1989) and PhD (1998) from the University of Notre Dame’s Medieval Institute, where he studied the divergence of the Latin and Byzantine theological traditions in the post-Patristic, early medieval period.

Michelle Hamel is a wife, mother, and grammy who writes to encourage women in all seasons of life, especially those times of grief and struggle. Life experience has given her a heart for women that are facing and healing from traumatic experiences. She is the author of a forthcoming book about the journey of infant loss accompanied by Our Lady of Sorrows as well as a contributing author to Cloud of Witnesses: 25 Stories of Saintly Inspiration and Intercession. Find Michelle at michellehamel.com.

Julie Enzler is a wife, mother, and grandmother, and before all else, a beloved daughter of the Father. In addition to cultivating a spirited Catholic family life, she has served as a translator for the Vatican, a catechist for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a mentor for the GIVEN Institute, a school founder and administrator, and a college and seminary theology professor. She is a co-author of the upcoming, Named for Glory: Saint Elisabeth of the Trinity's Identity and Mission. Her joy is to witness to God’s faithful love for us and His desire that we live in intimacy with Him.

Stacey Sumereau’s unique journey spans performing in Broadway National Tours of The Wizard of Oz and Beauty and the Beast, to discerning religious life on Reality TV in The Sisterhood, Becoming Nuns (Lifetime 2014), to marriage and motherhood. Stacey founded and hosted the Be Not Afraid Conference and the God’s Adventure Awaits Summit, serving over 20,000 people in 2020. She is a certified Catholic mindset coach and hosts the popular Called and Caffeinated Podcast and YouTube show. In 2020 she wrote and taught the True North Discernment Course to people in 13 countries around the world. Stacey has contributed to the Ascension Presents YouTube Channel and has written for the National Catholic Register, Vocations and Prayer Magazine, and Life News. She is the author of upcoming book in Spring 2025 Adventure Awaits: How to Interpret Your Desires and Hear God’s Voice with Ave Maria Press. Stacey has presented at the National Catholic Youth Conference, the LA Religious Education Congress, and dioceses across the country encouraging young people to know their worth and to embrace God’s adventure. She and her husband John are raising their four children aged seven and under in Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Brittany serves as a Communications and Mission Engagement Specialist at the Avila Foundation. She loves the Catholic faith and is passionate about healing, restoration, the life of prayer, truth seeking and reading. She completed her undergraduate studies in English and Creative Writing at the University of Minnesota. She holds a Masters Degree in Catholic Studies from the University of St. Thomas. She has grown in her love for Our Blessed Mother over the years through the Catholic Studies program, through her own journey of healing and through serving in healing ministry. She loves considering Mary’s role and accompaniment in our healing journeys to wholeness and integration in Christ.
Follow along with Brittany as she writes about Mary and explores healing our hearts at Immaculatehearthealing.substac

Fr. Elijah Delello, FHS was born and raised in New Jersey. He grew up Catholic but didn't really have a personal relationship with Jesus.
While in college, he was challenged by a non-denominational Christian as to why he was Catholic. He soon realized that he didn't know, and so he began to read the Bible and study the Faith for himself. This led him to an encounter with Jesus through the scriptures and teachings of the Church. The truths of the Church placed a deep longing for God in his heart. He began to pray more and to cultivate his own relationship with Jesus.
By the end of college, he began to hear a call to the priesthood so he went to Franciscan University to study the faith and discern his vocation. While at Franciscan, he began to feel a call to religious life.
After graduation, he continued to discern God’s call for him while working as a campus minister at Louisiana State University. At the end of his time there he felt the Lord call him to join the Franciscan Friars of the Holy Spirit. He entered with the friars on August 11, 2017 on the feast of St. Clare and has been with them ever since. Fr. Elijah Delello was ordained a Deacon in 2023 and was ordained a priest on June 1, 2024, the feast of Corpus Christi.

Father Anthony Federico is the Director of Vocations & Seminarians for the Archdiocese of Hartford. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2019. Before entering the seminary, Father Anthony worked as a sportswriter and editor at ESPN. He is the author of Joe B., a novel which reimagines the Book of Job in modern-day Manhattan, and the co-host of the Practically Catholic podcast, which, along with a young missionary mom, offers the faithful practical advice about living the Catholic faith in everyday life.

Grace writes and speaks about healing, the spiritual life and the ever-surprising, never-ending gifts of God. She graduated from Franciscan University and has an MA from the Institute of Religious Studies in Dunwoodie, NY. She is a former Program Director of the Narnia Clubs (now Adeo) in NYC and has been a teacher, speaker, writer, retreat leader and catechist for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. In 2016 her mother was struck with a mystery illness and Grace left NYC to become her full-time caregiver in upstate NY. She currently leads pilgrimages part-time for Syversen Touring, and contributes to SpiritualDirection.com and other Catholic sites. Her web site is guardingparadise.com.

Megan Hjelmstad ("Helm-stead") is a proud wife and hockey mom living in Denver, CO. She spent fifteen years in the United States Army and currently serves the Church as an author, speaker, and women's mentor.
She loves to help others embrace their God-given identity, find hope in suffering, and discover practical tools for personal holiness. Her new book is called 'Offer it Up: Discovering the Power and Purpose of Redemptive Suffering.' You can also find her writing at Blessed is She and SpiritualDirection.com.
Learn more at MeganHjelmstad.com.

Bishop Gerardo J. Colacicco was born on September 19, 1955 in St. Francis Hospital, Poughkeepsie, NY to Angelo and Irma Colacicco (both deceased). His siblings are Linda Colacicco, Michael Colacicco and JoAnn Morgan; he also has two nieces and two nephews.
After receiving a degree in history from Marist College, the bishop-elect entered Saint Joseph’s Seminary, and was ordained a priest in 1982 by Terence Cardinal Cooke. His pastoral assignments include Sacred Heart Parish in Newburgh as a deacon, and as parochial vicar at Good Shepherd Parish in Rhinebeck, Our Lady of Fatima in Scarsdale, and at Saint Denis-Saint Columba in Hopewell Junction before becoming priest-secretary to John Cardinal O’Connor.
Bishop Colacicco has been pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Newburgh, Saint Columba in Hopewell Junction, and at Saint Joseph – Immaculate Conception, Millbrook. He has also served on the Metropolitan Tribunal of the archdiocese, and for four years, as Director of Pastoral Formation at Saint Joseph’s Seminary. He was named a Prelate of Honor of His Holiness by Pope John Paul II in 1999.
On December 10, 2019, the feast of Our Lady of Loreto, Bishop Gerardo J. Colacicco and Bishop Edmund Whalen were ordained to the episcopacy.

Ruth Berghorst, a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, is a grateful convert to the Catholic Faith. As an accomplished author, she has dedicated more than a decade to mentoring young women in their spiritual journey. Her heart resonates with a special devotion to the Passion of Christ and the sorrows of Our Lady.

Dr. David Arias has been a professor of philosophy at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, NE for eight years. Prior to coming to Nebraska, Dr. Arias taught philosophy, theology, natural science, mathematics, literature, and various other subjects for eleven years at Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, CA. Dr. Arias has published in both scholarly and popular venues. His main areas of scholarly interest are natural philosophy and metaphysics. He has also been blessed to be a part of the Avila Institute since 2016. On a more personal note, Dr. Arias is happily married to Jennaya Arias and together they are the blessed parents of fourteen children (nine boys and five girls).

Joseph Pearce is the author of over thirty books. He has presented two 13-part TV series for EWTN on Shakespeare's Catholicism and has hosted four hour-long specials for EWTN on the Catholicism of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. He is Visiting Professor of Literature at Ave Maria University and Visiting Chair of Catholic Studies at Thomas More College of Liberal Arts (Merrimack, New Hampshire). His personal website is jpearce.co.

With a career in administration, Jeanette has worked in ‘for profit’ and ‘non-profit’ companies, including a group home for people with intellectual disabilities; a Montessori School, and as a certified life coach directing a pregnancy resource center for those experiencing unplanned pregnancies. She provides stability and consistency as she helps prepare environments and operations for growth.
Having recovered from layers of developmental trauma from childhood and adolescent abuse, she now uses those strengths to help others. Since 2015 she has been volunteering and administrating Grief to Grace MN, part of an international ministry for healing the wounds of abuse, being notably invested in trauma healing. Jeanette delights in her grandchildren, theater and choral performances, folk singing, and walks in nature.

Sisters Cecilia Maria, Frances Marie, Miriam Esther, Bethany Marie, and Isabel Maria are all members of the Passionist Nuns of St. Joseph Monastery, located in Whitesville, Kentucky. Sr. Cecilia Maria and Sr. Frances Marie are perpetually professed nuns; Sr. Miriam Esther is a junior professed nun; and Sr. Bethany Marie and Sr. Isabel Maria are novices.
The Passionist Nuns were founded in 1771 by Saint Paul of the Cross, an Italian mystic and mission preacher, as the cloistered, contemplative counterpart to their brothers in the Congregation of the Passion. Their vocation is one of union with Mary at the foot of the Cross, seeking to comfort Jesus in His Sacred Passion and to become channels of His grace and love into the world by their hidden lives of prayer, penance, poverty, and solitude. All Passionists profess a special vow to promote devotion to and grateful remembrance of the Passion of Jesus Christ. The men live out this vow by proclaiming the love of Jesus Crucified to the world in missions, teaching, and priestly ministry; while the Nuns remain cloistered “on Calvary” to support the preaching of the Passionist men by their prayers, and also to provide a space for others to spend time with them at the foot of the Cross. There is a small retreat house attached to their monastery and their liturgies are open to the public.

Ann Virnig is the Director of Mission Engagement and Advancement at The Avila Foundation where she is responsible for overseeing donor relations and fundraising initiatives. On a quest to help souls engage with the mission of the Avila Foundation, Ann is passionate about connecting with our supporters and is focused on improving programs, outreach and relationships.
Prior to taking on her role at The Avila Foundation, Ann has over 15 years’ experience in the medical sales and management industry. She has a Master’s Degree in Psychology from Divine Mercy University and in her spare time is devoted to family, friends, spiritual direction, and healing and deliverance ministry.