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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 Peterson, Lex 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.
Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers – known around the world as the “Dynamic Deacon” – is one of the most sought-after speakers in the Church today. He is a powerful and passionate evangelist and preacher, whose no-nonsense approach to living and proclaiming the Catholic faith will challenge and inspire those who hear him.
He travels across the United States and around the world speaking at conferences, workshops, retreats, parish missions, high schools, and young adult events – in short, to everyone who desires to know Jesus intimately and enjoy a deeper personal relationship with Him. His areas of expertise include marriage and family life, discerning the will of God, the sacraments, male spirituality, evangelization, prayer, and many others.
Deacon Harold holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame, and a Master of Theological Studies Degree from the University of Dallas. He co-hosts the national weekly broadcast “Living Stones” on Mater Dei Radio. Deacon Harold has appeared in the major feature film Power in My Hands and is the creator of Walk by Faith Wednesday Webinars, a weekly hour of Catholic catechesis and teaching.
In addition, he is the host or co-host of several popular series on EWTN television and is featured on the award winning Chosen faith formation program by Ascension Press. Deacon Harold is the author of five books, including Behold the Man: A Catholic Vision of Male Spirituality, Father Augustus Tolton: The Slave Who Became the First African-American Priest, and the acclaimed new book Our Life of Service: The Handbook for Catholic Deacons.
Retaining a deep love of Benedictine spirituality which he gained during his time discerning a call to that religious community, Deacon Harold is a Benedictine Oblate of Mount Angel Abbey. He is also a member of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars and the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy.
Immaculée Ilibagiza is a powerful Catholic witness who survived the 1994 Rwandan genocide. She credits her survival to prayer and specifically a set of rosary beads which were gifted to her by her father.
Immaculée’s first book, Left to Tell; Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust (Hay House) was released in March of 2006 and quickly became a New York Times Best Seller. She has since published six additional books including Led by Faith: Rising from the Ashes of the Rwandan Genocide and Visit from Heaven.
Immaculée has received honorary doctoral degrees from nearly a dozen universities and colleges including the University of Notre Dame, Saint John’s University, Seton Hall University, Siena College, Walsh University, Duquesne University, and the Catholic University of America. She has also been recognized and honored with numerous humanitarian awards including The Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Reconciliation and Peace.
Today, Immaculée is regarded as one of world’s leading speakers on faith, hope and forgiveness. She has shared this universal message with world leaders, school children, multinational corporations, churches, and at events and conferences around the world.
Dr. Peter Kreeft is a professor of philosophy at Boston College and a convert to the Catholic Church. He is the author of over eighty books including classics such as the best-selling Handbook of Christian Apologetics and its latest edition, Handbook of Catholic Apologetics, Fundamentals of the Faith (co-authored with Fr. Ronald K. Tacelli, S.J.), Yes or No: Answers to Tough Questions About Christianity, and How to Win the Culture War. Dr. Kreeft has influenced countless Christians and non-Christians globally with his luminous, eloquent, and compelling, reasons to believe in God, Jesus, and the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Sister Bethany Madonna, SV, was raised in Melbourne, FL. While attending the University of Central Florida, she had a profound encounter with the Lord, which drew her heart toward the vulnerable unborn and their mothers. After her graduation in 2006, she worked for the Respect Life Office for the Diocese of Orlando before joining the Sisters of Life in 2007. Immersed in Eucharistic prayer within a vibrant community life, the Sisters’ missions include caring for women who are pregnant and in crisis; accompanying college students on campus; inviting those suffering after abortion to receive the healing mercy of Jesus; intercessory prayer; retreat works; and fostering a culture of life through evangelization. Sister Bethany made her final vows in 2015, and serves as the local superior and mission coordinator in Phoenix, where the Sisters accompany vulnerable pregnant women and also have a ministry of presence and evangelization on ASU Tempe’s campus. She is passionate about sharing the message of life and love. www.sistersoflife.org
Jordan B. Peterson has taught mythology to lawyers, doctors and business people, consulted for the UN Secretary General, helped his clinical clients manage depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, and schizophrenia, served as an adviser to senior partners of major Canadian law firms, and lectured extensively in North America and Europe. With his students and colleagues at Harvard and the University of Toronto, Dr. Peterson has published over one hundred scientific papers, transforming the modern understanding of personality, while his book Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief revolutionized the psychology of religion. His book 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos was published in 2018 and has sold over 4 million copies internationally. The sequel, Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life, was released on March 2, 2021.
Father Dave Pivonka, TOR, became president of Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2019. The well-known Catholic speaker and author received his bachelor’s from Franciscan University, then earned an MDiv, MA in theology, doctorate in education, and executive juris doctorate. A member of the Franciscan Friars of the Third Order Regular, Province of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, he was ordained a priest in 1996. He served in leadership positions at Franciscan University including as vice president for Mission and Planning. He also served as director of the TOR’s Post-Novitiate Formation and most recently directed the TOR’s evangelistic outreach Franciscan Pathways.
Tim Tebow is a two-time national champion, Heisman Trophy winner, first-round NFL draft pick, and a former professional baseball player. The five-time New York Times best-selling author, speaker, and football analyst is most passionate about his work with the Tim Tebow Foundation (TTF), whose mission is to bring faith, hope and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need. The Tim Tebow Foundation is currently fighting for people who can’t fight for themselves in over 70 countries and counting through 4 primary ministry focuses with 16 initiatives. Tim is married to Demi-Leigh Tebow, a speaker, influencer, entrepreneur, and Miss Universe 2017. Tim and Demi live in Jacksonville, Florida, with their three dogs, Chunk, Kobe, and Paris.
Jim Wahlberg aims to serve God by writing, speaking, filmmaking and serving our community. Jim serves as the executive director of the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, which was created to improve the quality of life for inner-city youth through a working partnership with other youth organizations. He is a producer, writer, and director of films, and uses his talents and experiences to raise awareness about opioid addiction and point to the hope found in Christ. He is the author of The Big Hustle and Executive Producer of the number one documentary film, across all genres, of 2022 “Mother Teresa: No Greater Love.” Jim has been married to his lovely wife Benny for 30 years and they have three children.
Mark Bradford was appointed Fellow for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities at the beginning of 2023. For over 20 years, he has been blessed to serve in leadership positions in various church ministries, including as the founding president of the Jerome Lejeune Foundation in the U.S. Mark and his wife Denise are parents to Thomas, their 6th child (and first son), who happens to have been gifted with an extra 21st chromosome. Mark is a passionate advocate for those born with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. He especially advocates against the threat of abortion following a prenatal diagnosis at every opportunity. The Bradfords reside in the Philadelphia suburbs.
Fabiola Garza is a celebrated author and illustrator currently employed by the Walt Disney Company. Her works include the book, “A Boy Who Became Pope: The Story of Saint John Paul II” and Pixar/Disney’s Little Golden Book “Coco”. She attended Rhode Island School of Design and went on to work in the video game industry as a concept artist, eventually moving to Orlando, Florida for the position of Character Artist at Disney Design Group. Throughout her adult life she’s been blessed with strong Christian friendships and a loving family. She holds a devotion to Saint John Paul II and Saint Francis de Sales and is especially fond of the writings of G.K. Chesterton. She loves fairytales, ballroom dancing and spending time with her goddaughter, Elena. She is now working on a special project for Word on Fire.
Stephen has served as the International President of Legatus since 2016. Prior to becoming President, he was based in Dallas, Texas as the Central Regional Director. In that capacity, he managed 22 existing chapters and developed five new chapters of Legatus. Originally hailing from the first diocese in the US, Baltimore, Stephen grew up the youngest of seven. He discerned the priesthood at a high school seminary in NH and continued on to the novitiate. After discerning his vocation lay elsewhere, Stephen joined the Marine Corps at age 17 as a communications technician. Stephen served one tour in Iraq in 2006 serving on small unity riverine craft patrolling the Euphrates river. During his time stateside in the Marine Corps, Stephen attended and graduated from Ave Maria University alongside his wife, Krista, with a bachelor of arts in Politics. Stephen continued working for the Security department of Ave Maria while also serving as a special assistant to the Chancellor and Founder of Ave Maria University, Tom Monaghan. When Stephen departed AMU in 2013, he was director of Security and Life Safety. Stephen now serves on the board of advisors for the Center for Catholic Citizenship at his alma mater. Stephen has been married to his wife, Krista for sixteen years and they have six kids, five girls and one boy.
Shannon Wendt is the founder and CEO of Chews Life. She and her husband Zach have been married for nearly twenty years, run 3+ small businesses and homeschool their eight children in West Michigan. Shannon has spoken to audiences around the world sharing the story of her journey through grief and depression into healing through the power of The Rosary. She shares hope and also practical ways to live a well integrated life, to become who you were created to be so that you can set the world on fire!
Tod Worner is a husband, father, Catholic convert, and practicing internal medicine physician. He is also the Managing Editor for the Word on Fire Institute Journal, Evangelization & Culture. He is passionate about exploring truth, goodness, and beauty, and his writing can be found at Word on Fire, Aleteia, National Review, New York Post, and on Twitter @thinkercatholic.
Fr. Mike Schmitz is a Catholic priest and Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries in the Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota, as well as a speaker and author. He is known for his internet presence, especially his YouTube videos. He has been a speaker for various Catholic programs and events, including the Fellowship of Catholic University Students leadership summit, Ascension Presents, and Steubenville Conferences. Lighthouse Catholic Media publishes many of his talks.
Bishop Robert Barron is the bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester (Minnestota) & Founder of Word on Fire. He is also the host of CATHOLICISM, a groundbreaking, award-winning documentary about the Catholic faith, which aired on PBS. 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 regular YouTube videos have been viewed over 50 million times and he has over 3 million followers on Facebook.
Elizabeth Lev is a transplanted US art historian with degrees from University of Chicago and University of Bologna. She has been working as a guide in Rome for over twenty years and teaching at Duquesne University’s Italian campus. She loves Rome, its history, art, cuisine and people and is happiest in its many churches and museums. Liz is the author of four books and has commented on art and the papacy for several television networks. Her latest project was hosting a radio show for BBC’s Heart and Soul on Leonardo da Vinci! She is also a certified sommelier, so cheers!
Watch Dr. Lev’s talk from the 2022 Conference here.
Dr. Gianna Emanuela Molla, MD, is the daughter for whom Saint Gianna Beretta Molla gave her life. She serves full time, with great joy, enthusiasm and deepest gratitude to Our Lord, to spread around the world, particularly in the United States, the example, testimony and spirituality of her Saint Mother and of her holy father, Pietro. She is a Founder, Lifetime Member of the Board of Directors, and an Officer (Secretary of the Board) of the “Saint Gianna Beretta Molla and Pietro Molla Foundation”.
Watch Dr. Molla’s talk on the Beauty of Sainthood from the 2022 Conference here.
Paul Murray, OP, an Irish Dominican friar, lives in Rome, where he is a professor at the Angelicum University on the literature of the Western Mystical Tradition. Fr. Murray is president of the Spirituality Institute and serves as spiritual director at the Convent of San Clemente in Rome. He is also a Consultor at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Father Paul Murray is a Fellow of the Word on Fire Institute and has published many books, including Scars: Essays, Poems, and Meditations on Affliction; Aquinas at Prayer: The Bible, Mysticism, and Poetry; God’s Spies: Michelangelo, Shakespeare, and Other Poets of Vision; and The Mother of Jesus is Wonderfully Real.
Watch Fr. Paul’s talk from the 2022 conference here.
Fr. John Riccardo was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1996, where he served as a pastor for 15 years. In 2019, he founded ACTS XXIX and serves as the Executive Director. ACTS XXIX, a non-profit apostolate that exists because God wants His world back, unleashes the power of the Gospel and equips ordained and lay leaders to mobilize the Church for mission. Fr. John hosts a weekly podcast, publishes a weekly article, and is the host of the radio program “Christ is the Answer”. He has authored several books including Rescued: The Unexpected and Extraordinary News of the Gospel.
Watch Dr. Riccardo’s 2022 talk on the Beauty of Hope here.
Andrew Petiprin is Fellow of Popular Culture at the Word on Fire Institute. He is an author and former Anglican cleric who came into full communion with the Catholic Church on January 1, 2019. He earned an M.Div. from Yale University and an M.Phil from Oxford University.
Watch Andrew’s talk from the 2022 Conference on Evangelization through Film here.
Actor, director, producer and voice-over artist, Jonathan Roumie, is best known for his award-winning role as ‘Jesus’ in the groundbreaking series, THE CHOSEN, a drama about the life of Jesus Christ and the calling of His initial disciples. Born and raised in New York City, Roumie graduated from The School of Visual Arts with a degree in filmmaking. In August 2021, Roumie had the distinct honor of meeting the Pope for the first time in connection with one of the monumental moments featured in an upcoming documentary he is producing and hosting about the impact of Christ in culture around the globe.
Fr. Mike Schmitz is a Catholic priest and Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries in the Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota, as well as a speaker and author. He is known for his internet presence, especially his YouTube videos. He has been a speaker for various Catholic programs and events, including the Fellowship of Catholic University Students leadership summit, Ascension Presents, and Steubenville Conferences. Lighthouse Catholic Media publishes many of his talks.
Watch Fr. Mike’s talk on Finding Beauty in Suffering here.
The Sistine Chapel Choir, as it is generally called in English, or officially the Coro della Cappella Musicale Pontificia Sistina in Italian, is the pope’s personal choir. It performs at papal functions in the Sistine Chapel and in any other church in Rome where the pope is officiating, including St. Peter’s Basilica. One of the oldest choirs in the world, it was constituted as the pope’s personal choir by Pope Sixtus IV (from whom both the choir and the chapel in which it performs take their names). Although it was established in the late fifteenth century, its roots go back to the fourth century and the reign of Pope Sylvester I.
Teresa Tomeo is an author, syndicated Catholic talk show host, and motivational speaker with more than thirty years of experience in TV, radio, and newspaper, twenty of which were as a secular reporter/anchor in the Detroit market. In the year 2000, Teresa left the secular media to start her own speaking and communications company, Teresa Tomeo Communications, LLC. Teresa appears frequently on the EWTN Global Catholic Television Network and co-hosts the EWTN television series The Catholic View for Women. She is also a correspondent for EWTN weekly news program In-Depth. Teresa has written more than ten books and is an international speaker, addressing media awareness and activism as well as sharing her reversion to the Catholic Church.
Watch Teresa’s 2022 talk on the Beauty of Listening here.
Bishop Robert Barron is the bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester (Minnestota) & Founder of Word on Fire. He is also the host of CATHOLICISM, a groundbreaking, award-winning documentary about the Catholic faith, which aired on PBS. 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 regular YouTube videos have been viewed over 50 million times and he has over 3 million followers on Facebook.
Jackie Angel is a full-time traveling speaker, singer/songwriter, and worship leader from Orange County, CA. In 2006, she became an artist with Oregon Catholic Press, with whom she has released two albums.
Jackie’s talk from the 2021 Conference is available here.
Rachel and Jason Bulman have been married for 15 years and have 7 children, six on earth and one in heaven. Jason is a practicing physician assistant, speaker, writer, and a deacon. He has appeared on numerous podcasts, serves on the board for Catholic Charities of Central Florida and holds a Master’s Degree in Theology. Rachel is a stay-at-home mother, international speaker, and author. The Bulman family has been featured on the series “Meet the Bulmans” on the Word on Fire Institute YouTube channel.
Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, O.S.B., is the 12th abbot of Mount Angel Abbey, elected by the community in March of 2016. During his years in the community, Fr. Jeremy taught theology at Mount Angel Seminary and at Sant’ Anselmo in Rome. As Abbot, he continues to teach a class each semester at Mount Angel. He also continues to serve on various Vatican commissions, conducts conferences and retreats throughout the United States (and beyond), and continues to write and publish.
Father Stephen Gadberry, a native of the Arkansas Delta, is a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Little Rock. Father Stephen is a fellow of the Word on Fire Institute and currently pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Batesville, AR and St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church in Newport, AR. He is the dean of his diocesan deanery, which covers all of Northeast Arkansas, and is a member of various diocesan level advisory committees.
Fr. Stephen Gadberry’s talk from the 2021 Conference is available here.
Sister Josephine is a native Texan, born and raised in Houston. She moved to Dallas in 1999 to begin studies at the University of Dallas, where she completed a BA in politics with a business concentration. After growing up Baptist, Sister Josephine entered the Catholic Church in 2005 and in 2011 began her formation to be a religious sister with the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. She professed her first vows in October 2015. Sister Josephine serves in vocation ministry in her community and serves as a speaker, primarily for youth and young adult retreats and conferences throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area and around the country.
Watch Sr. Josephine’s talk from the 2021 Conference here.
Jeremy McLellan is a rising star in the standup comedy world. He was just honored as a New Face of Comedy at the prestigious Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He won the 2015 and 2016 Charleston Standup Comedy Competition and was named Best Local Comic in the Charleston City Paper. A devout Catholic with a passion for social justice, Jeremy is a staple at interfaith events around the world. He recently completed sold-out tours in the United States, UK, and Pakistan.
Fr. Mike Schmitz is a Catholic priest and Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries in the Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota, as well as a speaker and author. He is known for his internet presence, especially his YouTube videos. He has been a speaker for various Catholic programs and events, including the Fellowship of Catholic University Students leadership summit, Ascension Presents, and Steubenville Conferences. Lighthouse Catholic Media publishes many of his talks.
Watch Fr. Mike’s talk on Joy as the Gigantic Secret of Christians here.
Chris Stefanick is a speaker, author, and television host. He is a popular YouTuber and owns a channel that is based on his name, Chris Stefanick. In addition, He is the CEO of Real Life Catholic. It is a non-profit Institute. The aim of the organization is to aid in retaining a generation via missionary outreach events.
Watch Chris’s talk from the 2021 Conference here.
