When I first sensed a clear call to the service of the Church in my final year at college, I wasn’t sure if I was or would be cut out for it.  Although I had led college groups, I had never studied ministry or theology – not a single course in Christianity – and not to mention how late I had come to love the Lord. But as it turned out, I didn’t have to journey alone. In the ensuing decade of study and ministry I have had amazing mentors including my Catholic university chaplain, my professors in Scripture, my teachers’ education instructor in Catholic Religious Education, and my ever patient supervisor for my PhD in Systematic Theology. Thanks to the fine examples and friendships of them and other role models in Christ, I’m passionate about Jesus, our love for the Church, our sacramental and prayer life as Catholics, and the radiant beauty of our faith.  My favourite saints include: St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Catherine of Siena, St. John Paul II, Bl. Newman, three Sts. Francises: Assisi, Xavier, and De Sales, and three Sts. Teresas: Ávila, Lisieux, and Kolkata.  I currently serve in Toronto’s archdiocesan Office of Formation for Discipleship in multiple areas. In addition to Biblical catechesis, I coordinate the ministry with persons with special needs (SpecTO) and support the Office’s design and curation of parish catechetical and sacramental prep resources for people of all ages and abilities.  My wife and I and our young children attend St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Hamilton.  I enjoy the outdoor and sports especially running.  I’ve completed four marathons, with hope for more to come.

Christine received her Doctoral degree from the Pontifical Salesian University, Rome, Italy in the interdisciplinary study of Theology and Communications Science and presently serves the Catechetical Institute in outreach to national and international partnerships and is an adjunct faculty member of the FUS MA Theology and MACE programs. Her research of St. Pope John Paul II's Development of a Theology of Communication (LEV 2008) has helped her to understand and live more deeply the Church's mission in the communication of the faith, that is - the communication of Jesus Christ as a witness of God's love. Having a background of extensive travel in Church related works of mercy, Christine has been particularly influenced by the time she spent living in Rome where she worked as a Broadcast Journalist/Vatican Analyst. During the Pontificates of St. Pope John Paul II and Pope Emeritus Benedict, Dr. Mugridge had the great joy of singing in the Vatican "Coro Guida" which brought her to all the papal masses and Vatican liturgical events. "Being so near to the Holy Father while studying and reporting on papal and magisterial teaching from Rome for American Catholics gave me a great appreciation for how closely united the local Church is to the heart of the universal church. This realization has made me want to assist all Catholics in understanding their faith and loving the gift that the Church is." Having over thirty years of experience in the lay apostolate Christine also enjoys serving in the areas of retreat work and healing prayer.

My name is Dane Kirk and I am a proud husband and father. I have been married for four years to my amazing wife. We have two beautiful daughters and hope to have as many as the Lord wants to give to us. I am 28 years old. I am a convert to the faith, for a little over five years now and have loved every second of it. If I could describe my faith right now and my passion for teaching and mentoring, I would utter the words of the Psalmist, "zeal for thy house has consumed me" (Ps 69:9). I am presently the Youth Minister at my parish and I teach Faith Formation classes at my local parish, anywhere from 8th to 11th grade. I have run Bible studies, Catechism studies and have done numerous guest lectures on my conversion and other topics on the Faith. I have a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Rockford University. I played football there, I was a captain and my highest honor was becoming an Honorable Mention for All-American. I love playing football, other sports and weight lifting to this day. Now, I am a Graduate student enrolled online for a Master's degree in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville. I love it so much and I can't wait to share the knowledge I have gained and the zeal with others.  Viva Christo Rey!

Justin currently serves as the Director of Confirmation, Youth Ministry and Young Adult Ministry at St. Philomena Catholic Church in Carson, California. He has over ten years of ministry experience where he volunteered as a catechist, youth leader, retreat coordinator, and assistant youth minister. He has always found joy in evangelizing the youth which is what made him choose to attend Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. Justin graduated from Franciscan with a Bachelors in Theology and Catechetics with a concentration in youth ministry. His hobbies and interests include Marvel Comics, music, poetry, cooking, and spending quality time with his beautiful wife Jackie.

Justin is the Adult Faith Formation and RCIA Coordinator at St. Laurence Catholic Church in Sugar Land, TX. He holds an M.A. in Theology and Christian Ministry from Franciscan University of Steubenville and has been in professional catechetical work for over 20 years. Driven by his passion for the New Evangelization; Justin speaks, writes, and has co-hosted a radio show on this topic. He and his wife, Meghan, have been married seventeen years and have five children.

Katie Dubas is a mid-westerner through and through. She grew up in Kearney, Nebraska and currently resides in Imperial, NE after having lived in Ohio, North Dakota and South Dakota. She began ministry work at age twenty by serving on NET Ministries and traveling all over the states. After finishing her BA in Theology and Catechetics from Franciscan University, she jumped into various parish ministries – RCIA, K-12 children’s catechesis, sacrament prep, summer VBS, Bible Studies, and she also worked at the diocesan level in evangelization and catechesis for eight years before following her heart back to Nebraska. She currently works as a regional Youth Minister for a sparsely populated rural Deanery containing nine small parishes, four priests and six youth groups within the Lincoln Diocese. When she isn’t doing ministry you may find her digging in the dirt of her flower beds, on a road trip to see extended family or play with her godchildren (Peter, James, John and Sarah!), lounging around, reading a good book, surfing Facebook, out on a walk, planning her next vacation or trying to round up some people to play Phase 10 with her. She also has a great love for singing in the church choir and shares her gift as often as possible.

I was born in New Hampshire and lived with my Grandmother outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania after my parents divorced in Vermont when I was six. I was diagnosed with Type I diabetes at thirteen during the eight years I lived in Ohio with my divorced father and brothers and sister, all older than me. My entire time in Ohio was spent in poverty, including several winters going without heat in the house. Not knowing the Natural Law that personal responsibility and one's decisions pave the path before a man, I left home at 18 (and vowed never to go back, which I didn't), a year and a half after moving to Texas with my father (who left Ohio to escape many things aside from just the poverty), heading to college objectively ill-equipped to be an adult. An avowed atheist, misogynist, liberal and moral relativist by this time, I eagerly participated in the immoral lifestyle of a person without scruples or virtue. The time I spent with my Grandmother is where the seeds for my grace-filled life and apostolate, ManHusbandDad were planted, and on summer and holiday visits to her from Ohio those seeds would be watered and nurtured, eventually starting to show growth above the dirt after I had finished four years of college and had determined that my lifestyle, for some reason I did not know, wasn't right.Those four years were spent walking in the shadow of a building on my college campus that had words inscribed on it that I finally read and accepted as a challenge to me personally from God: "Ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free." (This link will show you the picture from my web site) I read these words for the first time ten days before I transferred from this school that supported my immoral lifestyle to another school one hundred miles and a completely different world away. The events leading up to reading those words is a great story of God's intervention and nudging. So I spent the next four years facing off against God's challenge (When I had read those words I said out loud, as an atheist, "Okay, God, if you exist, let's see who knows the truth. I accept."). I was an honest skeptic seeking the Truth through myriad books and faith traditions, counting the Bhagavad Gita, Koran, Torah, Talmud, Bible, Book of Mormon, I Ching and their incumbent religions among them, but the list is exhaustive. I visited every house of worship I could, and stood outside those I wasn't allowed in, asking questions constantly. Eventually I found the Catholic Church, convinced intellectually of its founding by Jesus Christ when I read Mathew 16:18: And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church This revelation of the succession of Popes throughout history, of which I am a proud student, was the final piece in a journey of Catholic discovery that had started with a very physical, personal and real experience with God two years earlier, a blessing that does not give me the option of any doubt of His existence. I was baptized, confirmed, and came into full communion with the Holy Catholic Church on April 15, 1995; 11 days shy of my 26th birthday. Life began anew for me that day. I left universitya month later with over 160 credit hours, eight years, and no degree, though 11 more hours would qualify me for a tripe degree in English, History, and Speech Communications. Much of that education was due to me seeking the Truth, and once the Truth set me free, God instructed me to leave school and start my own business. Through countless miracles in the millennia prior to my baptism and the 19 months after, I married Beth on November 9, 1996, and God has continued to shower miracles upon us daily, blessing us with three boys and a dog (our second, and we had a cat for a year). I live in Texas and smoke a mean brisket. I am fond of a good cigar, especially when there is a good porch and good conversation accompanying it, and a cold beer or few fingers of Jack Daniels would top off that perfect evening. I also fancy myself a pretty good No Limit Texas Hold 'Em poker player, having finished eleventh out of 300 in the only casino tournament I ever entered. I started speaking from the stage in 1993, when I stopped feeling sorry for myself and what I thought was a bad hand that life had dealt me. Inspired by the teachings of Stephen Covey, who taught me that if I know my past I can change my future instead of blaming my past for my lot in life, I quickly became a professional motivational speaker, being paid obscene amounts of money (at least for a 24 year-old) for presentations that my Speech professors were giving me Bs for...! Today, chronically ill and now blind in one eye, I see opportunity in life where once I saw nothing but hopelessness. And I like to share that with people, as well as my philosophy and concrete guidelines on how to not just make it through life, but to succeed in a way that can only mean God has something special only you can do. In 2013, twenty years after showing me that His gift to me was the talents of writing and speaking, God gave me the vision for ManHusbandDad . I like to say that God gave me a talent for writing and public speaking, and made me aware of it before I even believed in Him. It just took almost two decades for Him to train me on what he wanted me to write and speak about - being a Man, Husband, and Dad. And it took several more years for him to bring my training to a point here I could share what He wanted me to share. This conclusion was not an easy discernment. Who was I to teach others how to be a Man, much less a Husband and a Dad? I had grown up in abject poverty; sexual, physical, emotional and mental abuse; a broken and dysfunctional family life; subjective agnosticism and atheism; misogyny; and moral relativism that justified all of it including divorce, abandoning children, and degenerate and purposeful lack of parenting. Combined with a constant fear of not knowing when or where the next meal would come, or if I would be allowed to eat it, I not only started out with no training in how to be a Man, Husband, or Dad, but actually had a diametrically opposite idea of what those vocations were - though I had no clue they were vocations, or even what a vocation was or that such a thing even existed. At the time that I discovered my talents for speaking and writing, the only thing I could speak and write about in that genre was how to break all Ten Commandments and how to best avoid being a Man, Husband, or Dad, which of course would only be profitable at a convention fo pornographers. Which is why my motivational speaking career of the 90s failed, since all I could do was mimic the great speakers like Covey, Ziglar, and Nightingale; I had no foundation in Truth back then. I was a parrot while I was slowly, through the inexorable patience of God, learning. I have been around a couple of blocks, some of them more than once. And I've had a fair share of rodeos, too. Whether being an On-Air Radio personality or selling Radio advertising; delivering newspapers, ice, t-shirts, pizza, or custom photography; designing web sites; fixing computers; DJ'ing; steel and road construction; slinging burgers at McDonald's or a beach concession stand; or running legal files and consulting on Parliamentary Procedure issues, training organizations on membership recruitment and retention, and social media and traditional marketing and owning several businesses that provided these products and services, I have professional experiences that mix with my personal life experiences to provide a Pandora's box of topics and presentations that not only teach, but inspire (and I can also write really long sentences apparently!). And I haven't even told you about my personal experiences during my eight years of misguided college life - I think your imagination might not be able to think of everything. I hope not, anyway. There are broken souls in my wake. I have paved my way down a path that God has shown and led me down, making the way a bit less bumpy for those who follow - starting with my Wife - Mama - and our three boys - The Boyz. Growing up without guidance on so many fronts that a Man, Husband, and Dad must be able to meet head-on, I took the vocations seriously from the start, studying successful ManHusbandDads and purposefully applying the success to my own life and family; when I met my future Father-in-Law I kept a small notebook in my pocket to write down everything he did because I could tell he was exactly what a ManHusbandDad should be, though I did not even know that concept yet. Everything I do is my own making revealed by God as the path to take, including specifically rejecting the way I was raised in order to forge a new family tree from those seeds my Grandmother planted. I am not a self-made Man - God made me. I am a self-discovered ManHusbandDad, chiseled out of the vision I had of myself into the vision God has for me. My oldest son is a Dean's List student at Franciscan University of Steubenville, and my wife has earned her Master's degree from Franciscan as well. I've run my business from home for the last 20 years, and I have been the lead educator in our home school since 2010, since my oldest son was in fourth grade. Our family eats dinner every night at the dining room table and that alone will tell anybody what else our family is and does. To see me today is a vigorous denunciation of who I was half a lifetime ago, and the only one who recognizes me is the God who saved me and the woman who married me. I owe it to Him to share his love, that I have seen most perfectly echoed through Beth, with the nations, starting with my family. So I may not have the formal training to do it, but I have helped my parish and deanery and diocese in ways that tell me it is time to help others in tandem with my Wife and Boyz, so here I am, Lord. Far from perfect, I seek that goal of perfection in the Biblical sense. I make many mistakes daily and still drop the ball in relationships. But I continue to improve by remembering that defeat only happens if you don't get up one more time. What you see is what you get with me, and hopefully that makes me someone you can relate to. But in the long run, I know that I am turning the ship of multi-generational dysfunction from my own past and setting the right path for my children as what Stephen Covey would call a transitional parent - and while that is not what I planned for my life, I am very comfortable knowing that I am following God's plan for me to be a Man, Husband, and Dad. And you're invited to walk along that path with me. That path continues to unfold before us, and in Spring of 2019 God led Beth, our Boyz, and me to combine our professional, volunteer, and ministerial activities into an organization called Holy Owned and Operated. SInce then, and with the advent of the coronavirus shelter-in-place situation much of the planet finds itself in, we have been offering catechesis and faith formation as a team for free, by subscription, and with donor support.

What an exciting time to be serving in the Church and what a blessing and privilege it is to be working with you and the Catechetical Institute at Franciscan University! My name is Lori Smith and I serve full time as the RCIA Director at St. John the Baptist Parish in Chico, California in the Diocese of Sacramento. With God's abundant grace, I am honored to work with a wonderful RCIA team to introduce Christ and His Church to children, teens, and adults in a parish with around 500 families. Having directed the transition from a school year model to a year round process with a team approach, and adding RCIA adapted for children and teens in addition to Spanish for adults, I am happy to share what I have learned along the way with you- both the successes and the failures! A recently retired Registered Dental Hygienist with a B.S. in Community Health Education and a native of California, I reside in Chico with my husband Gary to whom I've been happily married for 35 years. I have been serving in the Vineyard in the RCIA since the year 2000 and have loved every minute of it! As the Formation Chairperson of our Diocesan RCIA Committee, I am part of the team that conducts the RCIA Specialization Series workshops for our diocese and assists in the preparation for our Rite of Election at the Cathedral. I also serve as the RCIA Assist Person for the parishes in our deanery. A graduate of the Catechumenal Ministry (RCIA) Track at the St. John Bosco Conference, a task writer for the RCIA Track, and a Bosco Conference RCIA Track presenter, I am passionate about evangelizing through the RCIA and living out my faith as a co-responsible lay person in the New Evangelization! An avid snow skier, I also enjoy swimming and hiking, but what energizes me most is using my charism of evangelism and cooperating with God's grace for the building up of the Body of Christ and the coming of His Kingdom in its fullness! I look forward to working with you in our Father's House! "...I must be in my Father's house" Lk 2:49.

Magdalena Gutierrez studied music and business at the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Mexico. She began her ministry at St. Camillus Parish in Silver Spring, Maryland and then served as the Coordinator of Evangelization and Hispanic Christian Initiation for the Archdiocese of Washington D.C. She is presently in D.C. working as an outreach and evangelization consultant.

Maysoun has been a mentor for the Catechetical Institute of Franciscan University since 2017.  She is a seasoned catechist with 20 years of catechetical experience and currently serving at different levels of youth and family ministry at her home parish in Michigan. Born in the Christian village of Telkeppe in the Nineveh Plains of Iraq, Maysoun is multilingual. She is literate in the Arabic language and speaks her native tongue of Aramaic fluently.  As a lead catechist in faith formation for the Eastern Catholic Re-evangekization Center (ECRC), Maysoun taught Prayer and Spirituality, Morality and The Role of the Catechist in the catechist certification program serving the Chaldean Catholic Diocese of St. Thomas the Apostle.  She is a sworn Vincentian, and currently serves as the spiritual advisor for her local Saint Vincent DePaul chapter #706. She is a gifted sacred artist. Her painting "Mary and Elizabeth-The Visitation" was awarded People's Choice Award in 2018 at the Seventh Juried Catholic Art Exhibition. Her art has been featured in Our Sunday Visitor , The Chaldean News and St. Vincent Arts. Maysoun is married with four grown children and recently earned her most prestigious title as Nana to her first grandchild, Isaac Yousif.  A gallery of her artwork can be viewed on her social media accounts: IG account @myseman.art ,  fb Blue Skies Art Studio,   Etsy BlueSkiesArtStudio https://etsy.me/2XRCSLW   

Tawnya Arsenault is a catechism teacher and Assistant at the Precious Lambs Early Learning Centre in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and Development and an Ecclesial Magister in Religious Studies. She has experience working in the Philippines, Chile, and Mexico, as a speaker, teacher, and formation instructor.

My name is Andrea Patch and I love being Catholic. I'm passionate about sharing my faith with others through relational ministry. Once a relationship is formed, it is so fruitful to accompany people in their walk of life to find purpose and happiness through the Catholic Church. I met my husband in 2009 through a young adults group at our parish, apparently I caught his eye while I was in Eucharistic Adoration. We were married in 2012 and have been blessed with 3 children: Claire (2013), Katherine (2015), and Matthew (2019). I have been involved in many different ministries over the past ten years including: teaching Theology of the Body, diocesan and parish youth ministry, parish religious education for youth and adults, sacramental preparation, and archdiocesan evangelization and discipleship. I am currently coordinating the Totus Tuus Program, writing the religion standards for our parishes and schools in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and creating a culture of discipleship for Principals and DREs.

Beth grew up in Southeast Texas attending the local Catholic School from Kindergarten through 8th grade. Since there was no local Catholic High School, she joined the High School CYO at her parish and became a member of the Emmaus Retreat Team after Confirmation. This Team led retreats for their peers (mostly Confirmation retreats). She also became a Lector. After High School she attended Texas A&M University and became involved at St. Mary's Catholic Center. After graduating and marrying her husband, Kristofer, in 1996, she continued to work with the RCIA Team at St. Mary's and she and Kristofer also worked with the Marriage Preparation Team, putting on day-long Pre-Cana retreats with a dozen or so other couples. Beth taught Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, and Math in secondary schools for 10 years before transitioning to full-time ministry in the Church. She worked at St. Anthony Parish in Bryan, TX for 10 years as the Coordinator of Elementary Religious Education, did a two year stint as the High School Youth Minister, was the Deanery Rep for DREs for the Diocese of Austin for 7 years, offering training and support to catechists. Beth completed the Master of Arts in Catechetics and Evangelization online program at Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2019. She is also a task-writer for the CI workshops. Beth and Kristofer launched a non-profit ministry, Holy Owned and Operated, Inc. in April 2020 "Helping Anyone Grow in their Catholic Faith" bringing faith and life together in ways that anyone can use whether married, single, have children or not, in ministry or not. Beth and Kristofer's oldest son is a student at Franciscan and they homeschool the two boys remaining at home. Other things that keep Beth busy are her love of cooking and baking, visiting with her extended family and friends, reading and crafting.

Brittany Doucette earned Master’s degrees in Catechetics (MA, Franciscan University of Steubenville) and Theology (MTS, Saint Meinrad), as well as a Certificate in Youth Ministry and Master Catechist Certification. She also holds a state teaching license in secondary English, and is in a graduate program studying English/literature classical education (University of Dallas). Brittany is a proud Navy officer’s wife and mother to four children. She has lived in nine states thus far, presently stationed in North Carolina. Along the way, she has been active in Catholic education in many roles and a variety of settings, including parishes, schools, and online. She enjoys the unique opportunity at Franciscan to accompany learners from all over the world in meeting their catechetical certification and personal formation goals.

I have been working in the field of adult formation and catechist formation in particular, for 20 years. For this I have designed, written and lead parish catechetical courses, a BA in catechetics, a Licence in Catechetics and Doctoral supervision in catechetics. I received the 'message for catechists' from Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 for the Year of Faith, which was a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

My name is Deyanira Pena. I married my husband, Victor, 20 years ago and have two kids: Mariana (17), and Sebastian (15). I just finished the Master's program in Catechesis and Evangelization from Steubenville and right now I am looking for a job. My priority being my kids and family, all my work in the catechetical field has been volunteer work in parishes and at a diocesan level. I enjoy sharing my faith with others, and proclaiming God’s love and His invitation to all people to participate in Jesus life has been my passion since I had my personal encounter with Him.

Gail Polselli (Toto) is the Director of Parish Services and Youth Ministry in Norristown, Pennsylvania. She has worked for 15 years in youth ministry and 8 years as a teacher, with additional years of catechist and liturgy coordination in-between. Her education includes a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Theology, and a Mastery’s Degree in Theology and Pastoral Ministry.

Gary has been leading RCIA teams for the past twenty five years in the Archdiocese of Denver, the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, and most recently in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. He studied Theology and Catechetics at Maryvale Institute in Birmingham England and earned certification in RCIA at the St. John Bosco Conference in the early years of the conference. Gary is a member of The Association of Catechumenal Ministry, ACM, working as the current chairman of the board and a presenter for team training and catechist training. He has worked alongside his wife Patty coordinating the St John Bosco Conference RCIA Track for many years. Gary and Patty have six children and ten grandchildren.

Gloria F. (“Gigi”) Zapiain has been involved in catechetics on the parish and diocesan levels for more than 25 years, having served as a parish DRE and catechetical consultant for the Archdiocese of Washington and diocesan director of faith formation for the Diocese of Fargo, North Dakota, and Bridgeport, Connecticut. She holds an MA in religious studies and a pontifical catechetical diploma from the Notre Dame Institute of Arlington, Virginia. She is currently director of catechesis and adult faith formation for the Archdiocese of San Antonio, a board member for the Association for Catechumenal Ministry, and an adjunct professor of catechetics at the University of Dallas.

Howdy! My name is Jason Spoolstra and I reside in Texas. I was born and raise in Fort Worth, TX and by the grace of God am a cradle Catholic. My deep love for Jesus Christ was planted by my family and extended family. My initial conversion occured while in High School and have never looked back since. I have been working in youth ministry since 2007. I have served in 3 parishes and currently for the Diocese of Fort Worth as Director of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministry. I received my bachelors in History from the University of North Texas and my Masters in Catechesis and Evangelization from Franciscan University. My wife, Becky, and I have been married since 2008. We have 3 daughters: Clare, Catherine and Elizabeth as well as 2 children in Heaven. Besides all this I like to make myself a "Jack of all trades" when it comes to anything within the culture (i.e. technology, movies, tv, music, etc.) I enjoy watching sports, exercising, reading, and of course I would be remiss if I didn't put in my love for all things Texas, especially food (Whataburger) & beverage (Shiner).

Jessica Valera currently resides in Leominster, Massachusetts and serves as a youth minister within the Archdiocese of Boston. After being involved in both national and international mission trips and catechetical opportunities as an undergraduate student at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Jessica felt the Lord calling her to pursue a deeper studying of the faith and sharing of His love with others. Therefore, after earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in English, she then went on to study and complete her Master of Arts degree in Catechetics and Evangelization through Franciscan University of Steubenville as well. In her leisure time, she loves spending time with her family and friends, camping, reading, traveling, sharing a good cup of coffee, and ultimately enjoying each day God blesses her with!

Jill Kerekes lives in central New Jersey with her husband and four children.  She has volunteered and worked in the area of catechesis for many years and holds a Master of Arts in Theology with a concentration in Biblical Theology from the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado as well as a Master of Arts degree in Catechetics and Evangelization from Franciscan University of Steubenville (Aug 2017).  In her spare time Jill is a voracious reader and loves to quilt.

A native of Northern California, John lives with his wife and daughter in Arlington, Virginia.  Baptized as an infant and raised a nominal Catholic, he drifted away in his early teens and spent many years in the wilderness of indifference and atheism, returning to the Church in 1998.  His conversion story has been featured on EWTN’s The Journey Home, in short videos by the Coming Home Network, and on various Catholic radio shows and podcasts.

John holds a BA in History from the University of the Pacific, an MLitt in Ancient History from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and an MA in Theology from the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in California.  He has an extensive background in RCIA, adult faith formation, and catechist training at the parish and diocesan levels.  John is a certified Master Catechist and has given many presentations and workshops at parishes and diocesan conferences since 2006.  He served the Catholic Diocese of Arlington as Coordinator for Evangelization and Adult Faith Formation for six years, prior to which he was Director of Admissions and Recruitment at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology.  Following a short detour in the federal government, he now works for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington DC.

Having discerned a religious vocation in both between 2000 and 2005, much of John's intellectual and spiritual formation has taken place within the Dominican and Cistercian traditions.  He has also been deeply influenced by the early Fathers of the Church - particularly the Desert Fathers - and by Eastern Christian spirituality both Catholic and Orthodox.  These days he has a particular passion for the great Christian writers of the late 19th and earlier 20th centuries such as G. K. Chesterton, Hilaire Belloc, Msgr. Ronald Knox, Frank Sheed, C. S. Lewis, St. John Henry Newman, Dom Hubert van Zeller, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Christopher Dawson, and George MacDonald.

John loves discovering obscure saints and browsing second-hand bookstores, and he has a personal library he will never be able to read through in this lifetime.  He also loves travel and silent monastic retreats, but with a child at home he hasn’t been able to do either for a very long time.

Katie Torrey is a wife, mother, grandmother, Coordinator of Religious Education, former teacher, and someone who is passionate about formation. Born and (mostly) raised in Maryland along with four brothers, she graduated from the University of Steubenville in 1984 with a degree in Education. Following graduation she married, taught for a year, and began a family. She and her husband Dave have three adult kids and five grandchildren. Her work as a Religious Education Coordinator is a joy and a challenge; she describes it as a privilege to be allowed into the spiritual lives of her parishioners. She earned the St. John Bosco Conference DRE Certification in 2016 and is currently enrolled in the Master of Arts in Catechetics and Evangelization at Franciscan University. In her ‘spare’ time she enjoys hiking with her husband, playing with her grandchildren, reading, and travel.

Katrina Herlambang is currently working for Catechetical Institute as a graphics, copyrighting, and outlining assistant. She really enjoys working with the people that she is now working with. She is also currently helping out a youth ministry group in one of the local Parish in Steubenville while working on her Masters of Arts in Theology and Christian Ministry with a Catechetics Specialization Program from Franciscan University of Steubenville. Previously she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Aquatic and Fishery Science with a minor in Marine Biology from the University of Washington, Seattle, and she worked in a related business field for a year. She then did full time mission work for another year before she came to Franciscan, creating and facilitating retreats, talks, and formation for all ages in multiple countries. She is happy to share what she has learned and to converse with people that she met. Katrina is looking forward to seeing how the Lord will transform her from being a fisher-(wo)man into a fisher of men!

Katrina Oteyza is working for the Catholic Campus Ministry at the University of Mary Washington, where she served as a campus missionary with FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) for two years. She is working towards a Master’s Degree in Catechetics and Evangelization from Franciscan University Steubenville. She graduated from The Catholic University of America with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, a minor in Theology with a Certification in Pastoral Ministry. She previously worked as Regional Coordinator for the Office of Social Ministries in the Diocese of Richmond. She also enjoys painting, admiring beauty in nature and spending time with others. She’s a big fan of our Blessed Mother, St. Therese of the Little Flower, St. Teresa of Calcutta, St. John Paul II and other inspiring saints.

Lucas Pollice is the Associate Professor of Theology and Catechetics for the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado. He previously served as the director of Catechesis for the Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas. He holds a BA in theology from Franciscan University and a master’s in theological studies from the Institute of Pastoral Theology at Ave Maria University. Lucas has worked in catechetical ministry, the RCIA process, and adult faith formation at both parish and diocesan levels. He is the author of Open Wide the Doors to Christ: Discovering Catholicism, a complete curriculum for RCIA published by Emmaus Road Publishing. Lucas and his wife, Mary, have five children and live in Denver.

Marc Cardaronella is Director of the Office of Discipleship & Faith Formation at the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, MO. He graduated from Franciscan University with a Master’s Degree in Theology and Catechetics, and served for 12 years as a parish director of religious education. Marc is the author of Keep Your Kids Catholic: Sharing Your Faith and Making It Stick, published by Ave Maria Press. His articles have appeared in CATECHIST, The Catechetical Review, and numerous websites including National Catholic Register, AmazingCatechist.com, and CatholicMom.com. Marc blogs about discipleship, catechesis, and parenting with faith at MarcCardaronella.com. He lives in Olathe, KS with his wife Shannon and their two boys John and David.

Marie Higgins has her BA and MA in Theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. She directed the Catechetical School for the Archdiocese of Denver for two years. She is currently involved in her parish, and teaches the Catechism of the Catholic Church to Catholics in her area.

j+m Praised be Jesus Christ! I am blessed to be married to Diane for over 35 years. We have 7 children and 6 grandchildren so far. Six members of our family have attended FUS. Near the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, I graduated from St. Henry's Prep Seminary in Belleville, IL. Then, I graduated with a B.A. in psychology from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN as a seminarian at St. John Vianney College Seminary. Taking some time off to discern celibacy, my first teaching job was a religion and psychology teacher at Mater Dei High School in Breese, IL. I paid for my rent of a mobile home and the boarding of my buckskin horse called "Rosanna" on a small farm by milking dairy goats. Also, I was the Director of the RCIA (experimental status) at St. Mary's Parish in Trenton, IL while also serving as the Assistant Diocesan Liaison for the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. After attending the Charismatic Leader's Conference at Franciscan University in 1986, I decided to apply to the M.A. in Theology and Christian Ministry. Beginning in summer 1988, I finished by the end of 1989 and taught Christian Marriage as an adjunct. In 1990, we moved to Milwaukee, WI so that I could attend Marquette University, but I spent a year selling Encyclopaedia Britannica before becoming a full time doctoral student. In 1994, I began teaching full-time at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, WI. With the support of my wife, I defended my dissertation in Jan. 1997, "Conscience and the Holy Spirit: A Theological Anthropology Applied to Mental Health Care Ethics." We moved to southern Indiana in July 1997, so that I could take a position as Assistant Professor of Moral Theology at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology.  During the next 13 years at Saint Meinrad, in addition to teaching seminarians, lay people, and permanent deacon candidates, I co-wrote the Youth Liturgical Leadership Program known as One Bread, One Cup; I led the reaccreditation of the Seminary; I published numerous scholarly and popular articles; and I spoke throughout the country. Unfortunately, the Great Recession brought many external and internal changes to the Seminary. After Saint Meinrad, I ran a small family apostolate near by called St. Joseph's Holy Family, Inc. As a result, I worked more closely with many dioceses and parishes in their catechist formation. Also, I co-founded John Paul the Great Catholic High School in Jasper, IN; thankfully, we were able to keep it open for 3 years. The challenges of running a Catholic apostolate, though, led me to look elsewhere for full-time employment. After a small time in the Diocese of Venice, FL, FUS wanted to hire me as an adjunct online faculty member for the M.A. So, we moved to the Memphis area IN 2017, to help our married daughter who was expecting her first child. When St. Benedict at Auburndale High School heard that I was in the area, they invited me to teach theology. I accepted and taught high school again, 35 years after my first time. I loved bringing to school fresh cut flowers from our large garden so that faculty and students could share their beauty with each other and their families. Returning to teach high school at the beginning of this school year was more than I could handle, but, under the new leadership of Fr. Dave Pivonka, the CI asked me to join their staff full-time in Nov. 2019, in a remote capacity as Strategic Partnership Liaison Fellow. I will be focusing my energies on extending our services to the southern part of the U.S., but I will not be limited to this territory. Simply put, I wish to provide for my family by serving the Lord with abandon however he wills.

Martha Drennan is the director of Adult Faith Formation & Liturgy at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Gainesville, Virginia. She directs parish faith formation for the adults in a 4,000-family parish in the Northern Virginia suburbs. Her work involves setting up parish missions, parish retreats and pilgrimages, guest speakers, adult formation classes, and RCIA. She also coordinates the parish liturgy, which involves working with hundreds of volunteers who serve in the various liturgical ministries. She also coordinates all parish funerals. Martha holds a bachelor’s degree in General Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point. In 1998, she graduated from the Franciscan University of Steubenville with a master’s degree in Theology and Christian Ministry with a specialization in Catechetics. Martha has served in three dioceses in their catechist formation process. She has also revised the 7th Grade Image of God textbook series, both the Catechist and Student books, working under the direction of the General Editor, Mary Jo Smith. Martha is a presenter at the St. John Bosco Catechetical Conference and a member of the DRE track faculty.

Mary Ann worked for 12 years in Evangelization and Catechesis at the diocesan level forming catechists and lay leaders in California and Florida.  She is a missionary with St. Paul Evangelization Institute, and heads up the Spanish language initiatives for the Catechetical Institute for Franciscan University.  She is married and lives in Houston, Texas.   Mary Ann trabajó por 12 años en la evangelización y catequesis a nivel diocesano en California y la Florida, formando a catequistas y líderes laicos.  Es una misionara con St. Paul Evangelization Institute, y dirige las iniciativas en español para el Instituto Catequético en la Universidad Franciscana de Steubenville.  Actualmente vive en Houston, Texas y es casada.   Agradezco recomendaciones y sugerencias para talleres nuevos que les serían de beneficio en sus parroquias. 

Mary Mosher, Auburn, N.H. As a young girl and as a teen I clearly remember two things that I really wanted to do with my life. I wanted to be married and to have many children and I wanted to serve God and His people. As I look back over my life of 70 years God has certainly blessed me with my heart’s desires and so much more! I have been married to the most wonderful man in the world for over 50 years and God has blessed us with 5 beautiful children who are all married and who serve God in their own lives. I am the grandmother of 21 grandchildren ranging from ages 23 to less than a year old. God has also granted me an adult life time of ministry in my family and in His Church. My passion in ministry is truly to catechize parents and support and teach about Catholic family life. I have formally taught the faith as a volunteer for over 37 years. I have had the privilege of writing and teaching, in my parish, a program of catechesis (The Family Program) built on the pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for 26 years. The Family Program was purchased by Sophia Press and has been adapted to suit families everywhere in our country. Sophia Press has named it "A Family of Faith". I retired from the director of family catechesis in my parish in 2017. I also served as the Director of Christian Formation for my parish and our sister parish for three years. Another area of ministry that God called me to was to be a founder of a private, Catholic, classical school that teaches children in grades 7 -12. I served as the chairman of the board of trustees as well as the Executive Director of the school. The school opened in the Jubilee Year 2000 and I retired from this ministry in 2014. It was such a joy to assist Catholic families in raising their children for Christ through this ministry. In the midst of all of these open doors, as my children were getting older, God made a way for me to attend the Franciscan University where I studied and completed my MA in theology and pastoral ministry with a concentration in catechetics. I am also certified in catechetics by the University. Currently, I serve as a team member, catechist and trainer for the RCIA. In my spare time I love to garden and to spend time with my husband and family.

Mary Jo Smith received her masters of theological studies from the University of Dallas Institute of Religious and Pastoral Studies. As a member of the faculty of the St. John Bosco Conference, she coordinates the catechist certification track. Mary Jo is also a marketing representative for Ignatius Press. She has co-authored the pre-school, kindergarten, and first grade curricula of the Image of God textbook series and was general editor of the series. She hosted a national cable TV series for children which appeared on EWTN. For 25 years Mary Jo was director of the pre-school/kindergarten religious education program for St. Raphael Parish in Crystal, Minnesota. Currently she is the RCIA coordinator for that parish.

Mona Anne Niedbala is an academic librarian by profession and worked in college and university libraries for fourteen years. She obtained a Catechetical Diploma from Catholic Distance University in 2016 and is currently a student in the Master of Arts in Catechetics and Evangelization program with the Franciscan University of Steubenville. She lives with her husband in Norwich, Connecticut, and she belongs to the Cathedral of Saint Patrick parish where she is a Lector, Eucharistic Minister, Minister of Care, and Catechist. She teaches middle school religion at Saint Joseph School in Baltic, Connecticut. In her free time, she enjoys reading, listening to classical music, gardening, and hiking.

Natalie Lacey is a ten-year ministry veteran who has the incredibly amazing gift to make awesomely terrible mistakes in ministry… and then learn from them! Her experience in the trenches, combined with a Masters in Theology, Certificate in Youth Ministry Studies, and Certification as Youth Ministry Leader from NFCYM, has given her a heart to reach out and encourage and form lay ministers in the important work that they are doing for our beautiful Jesus.

Patricia Christensen lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband. She holds a BA from Virginia Tech in hospitality management and an MA in Catechetics and Evangelization from Franciscan University. Patti is the coordinator of children’s and adult formation as well as teaches sacramental preparation classes for First Communion and Reconciliation. She has been involved in starting a MOMS ministry, taught Pre-Cana classes, worked with engaged couples, and directed small group Catholic book discussion groups. She enjoys traveling with her husband and daughter, hiking, reading and cooking. Patti and her husband credit the gift of their daughter to the intercession of the Blessed Mother.

Patty is the Director of Religious Education at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Milford, OH. Involved in adult formation for many years, she specializes in the RCIA process as a speaker and seminar director for the Association for Catechumenal Ministry (ACM). She is a regular contributor to the Catechetical Review and through her column, Practically Speaking: Notes from the Parish, addresses the reality of parish life and catechetical leadership. With her husband Gary, she coordinates the RCIA Track at the St. John Bosco Conference in Steubenville, OH.

Married to John. 3 grown sons. 2 granddaughters. B.A. from Western Kentucky Univ in 1971 in Political Science, History and French. Grad school in Ancient History at Univ of Ky. J.D. from UK College of Law in 1976. Private practice of law 40+ years in estate planning, probate. Planning to take comp exam for Masters in Theology from Franciscan in Nov., 2017. Co-founded an independent school for Catholics which is now recognized by the diocese (am retired therefrom as administrator and teacher). Taught high school religion and parish summer apologetics courses for adults for many years. Taught some RCIA classes to assist Deacon in charge. Community ed and various organizations and protection services for children at risk. Few publications - legal and review of parish ministry programs.

Regina is a writer and online mentor for the Catechetical Institute. She has served as a parish coordinator of Adult Faith Formation, a CCD teacher, an RCIA catechist, and a family retreat leader. She currently leads a Catholic women’s study group with a focus on the Carmelite tradition. Certified as a catechist with the Archdiocese of Washington, she is working on a Master of Arts in Theology from Franciscan University. Regina holds a BS in Education from Florida State University, an MA in Special Education from the University of Maryland, and she completed a Special Education traineeship at the Georgetown University Hospital Child Development Center.  She worked for twenty-five years as a librarian in a busy public library, serving patrons of all ages and walks of life, and has for many years held a monthly book discussion group for the residents of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Washington, DC. Her poetry has appeared in Liguorianmagazine and she published a book for children on the birth of a sibling with Down syndrome. She enjoys taking long walks, reading, family dinners with her husband and sons, and touching her feet whenever possible on the “gracious green” of Ireland.

Teresa grew up on a dairy farm in rural New York State, and has retained a love of the outdoors.  She went to high school in southern Pennsylvania and attended college and graduate school in Michigan, earning a BA in English and French, and an MA in English. She then spent 25 years in France, teaching English and Religion, and completing doctoral studies in French before returning to the States via the Philippines in 2003. Certified as a K-12 French teacher in Vermont, she taught French and Religion in a parochial school setting for thirteen years, before turning to parish work, and now serves as DRE at Saint Monica Parish, Barre, Vermont. She also facilitates retreats and gives workshops on prayer in the Carmelite tradition. Alba House and Our Sunday Visitor have published her translations. Since 2004, she has regularly participated in the Franciscan University Bosco Conference, earning Certificates in the Catechist, Youth Ministry I and Youth Ministry II tracks, and is currently pursuing DRE certification. Hiking, singing and reading are hobbies she enjoys. Teresa has been a member of Our Lady of Life Institute since 1978.  Its members are totally consecrated to God, called to become contemplative apostles in the world.

William O'Leary has been in catechetical ministry for 20 years and currently serves as the Director of Religious Formation for a large Parish in Overland Park Kansas. He is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Notre Dame in Sydney, Australia.