2025 Presenters

Keynote Presenters

Bishop Robert Barron

Diocese of Winona-Rochester and Founder of Word on Fire

Bishop Robert Barron is the bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester (Minnesota) and the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. He is the host of CATHOLICISM, a groundbreaking, award-winning documentary about the Catholic Faith, which aired on PBS. Bishop Barron’s more recent film series, CATHOLICISM: The Pivotal Players, has won an Emmy award and has been syndicated for national television.

Bishop Barron is a #1 Amazon bestselling author and has published numerous books, essays, and articles on theology and the spiritual life. He was a religion correspondent for NBC and has also appeared on FOX News, CNN, and EWTN.

Bishop Barron’s website, WordOnFire.org, reaches millions of people each year, and he is one of the world’s most followed Catholics on social media. His YouTube videos have been viewed over 131 million times, and he has over 3 million followers on Facebook.

He has engaged in dialogue with Dr. Jordan PetersonLex Fridman, Dave Rubin, Ben Shapiro, and William Lane Craig, among other influencers and thought leaders, and he has been invited to speak about religion at the headquarters of Facebook, Google, and Amazon. He has keynoted many conferences and events all over the world, including the 2016 World Youth Day in Kraków and the 2015 World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, which marked Pope Francis’ historic visit to the United States.

Fr. Mike Schmitz

Presenter of ‘Bible in a Year’ and ‘Catechism in a Year’

Father Mike Schmitz is the director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Duluth as well as the Chaplain for the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. The Duluth Newman Center focuses on being fed through the Sacraments as well as study and knowledge of the Church and has thrived under his humble and Spirit-filled guidance. He has preached to thousands locally and nationally. He is the host of the widely popular podcasts, “Bible in a Year” and “The Catechism in a Year” produced by Ascension. Father Mike also offers weekly homilies on iTunes, Hallow, and bulldogCatholic.org and has appeared in programs for youth and young adults through Ascension Press, as well as through regular short video messages on Ascension Presents.

More incredible speakers to be announced soon!