Power and Witness

Fr. Augustine Wetta, OSB speaks to us about saints who were considered failures in life. It is liberating to hear how the saints did not live by the standards of this world. Very moving!

Fr. William Blazek, a Jesuit Priest, talks to us about the Daily Examen, a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day as described by St. Ignatius Loyola.

Fr. John Paul Mary, MFVA interviews Fr. George Elliott, a priest from the Diocese of Tyler in Texas and Co-founder and Director of Catholic CAST Media. They discuss Fr. Elliott’s new book— Discernment - Do’s and Don'ts.

Karen May, a Catholic writer and inspirational speaker, talks to us about her book, “Walking through Holy Week,” an in-depth guide to the stories and events that open up a deeply meaningful experience of Easter.

Debbie Capen is the Executive Director of MiraVia, a pregnancy care center on the campus of Belmont Abbey College.

Fr. Edward Looney talks to us about the only approved Marian apparition in the United States.

Alex Jones, an engineering graduate from the University of Notre Dame, is the CEO and co-founder of Hallow, an audio-guided Catholic meditation and prayer app. Hallow aims to help people to combine the peace and stillness of meditation with the spiritual growth of prayer. The app is comparable to the popular mindfulness meditation apps trending today, but was built with a lens of Christian faith. It offers a variety of prayer techniques, a choice in audio guides, sessions organized by theme, and options for session length. In 1993 he entered the U.S. Province of the Missionaries of the Company of Mary, a small community founded by Louis de Montfort himself. The years since have included thirteen mission trips to central Nicaragua, service as the parochial vicar at a bilingual parish, campus ministry, and mission and retreat preaching across the United States and in Mexico. Recently he also had the opportunity to offer a course on devotion to Our Lady and the spirituality of St. Louis de Montfort to clergy in India and to offer a series of programs on devotion to Our Lady to Catholics at several parishes in the United Arab Emirates. Presently Father is serving as the managing editor for Montfort Publications and as the acting director of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Island in addition to his itinerant preaching commitments in the service of promoting the spirituality of St. Louis de Montfort.

Fr. Hugh Gillespie, SMM is originally from the town of Jim Thorpe, a small mining and railroad town in the Pennsylvania Coal Region. Following his time at MIT to purse a degree in Physics, he moved to the Midwest to pursue PhD studies at the University of Wisconsin in the field of Materials Science. It was during this time of graduate studies that he was introduced to St. Louis de Montfort’s book, “The True Devotion to Mary.” This came at a time when he was seeking the ultimate direction of his life. Fr. Gillespie laid aside his doctoral studies after 5 years in the program to test the waters of a missionary vocation at the service of the Church. In 1993 he entered the U.S. Province of the Missionaries of the Company of Mary, a small community founded by Louis de Montfort himself. The years since have included thirteen mission trips to central Nicaragua, service as the parochial vicar at a bilingual parish, campus ministry, and mission and retreat preaching across the United States and in Mexico. Recently he also had the opportunity to offer a course on devotion to Our Lady and the spirituality of St. Louis de Montfort to clergy in India and to offer a series of programs on devotion to Our Lady to Catholics at several parishes in the United Arab Emirates. Presently Father is serving as the managing editor for Montfort Publications and as the acting director of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Island in addition to his itinerant preaching commitments in the service of promoting the spirituality of St. Louis de Montfort.

Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, is the vicar provincial and vocation director for the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy Province of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, as well as the author of a number of books. In the midst of crisis, confusion, and a world at war with the Church, it's time to come home again to our spiritual father, St. Joseph. Drawing on the wealth of the Church's living tradition, Fr. Calloway calls on all of us to turn to St. Joseph, entrust ourselves, our Church, and our world to our spiritual father's loving care, and then watch for wonders when the Universal Patron of the Church opens the floodgates of Heaven to pour out graces into our lives today.

Long standing Wall Street executive , frequent guest on CNBC, Fox Business News, and Bloomberg TV, and a chartered financial analyst (CFA), Auth went from managing money to saving souls on the streets of New York City. For the last 10 years Auth has led missions trips to Wall Street and has written a book about the experience.

Joelle Maryn is a Catholic Speaker and Evangelist who has been featured on various Christian TV and radio shows. Her message of God's healing love has radiated hope and purpose in life to many around the world. In her past, she has modeled for well known brands such as Jergens, was on a billboard in Times Square, appeared on numerous book covers, films and news interviews and is the former Host of Trend TV. In 2012, she hit a spiritual rock bottom and realized she was completely empty despite these worldly accomplishments. She had a major encounter with Jesus and in His mercy, was given another chance to love and lead others to Him. After years in ministry, she now speaks full time and works with youth and adults to cultivate spiritual growth in their lives and to have a personal relationship with Jesus through her talks and the healing power of prayer, music and the sacraments.

Joe Sikorra has a broad and diverse background as a former police officer and stuntman, actor, musician, singer-songwriter, and licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. In addition to hosting The Joe Sikorra Show, Joe is currently a Marriage and Family Therapist at Stillpoint Family Resources in Southern California. Joe and his wife dealt with the revelation that their two young children were diagnosed with a rare, neurological and fatal disease Initially seeming they had been given a death sentence, they chose joy and found hope, love and laughter in the midst of incredible struggle. He helps all families or individuals facing difficult and unexpected challenges see how they can deepen their faith and connection with what really matters.

Fr. Glenn is one of the eight founding members of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, founded in the spring of 1987. The apostolic mission of the Community is to save the materially poor, especially the destitute and homeless. Presently, the Community has over 120 members and 15 friaries around the world. Father Glenn Sudano is from Brooklyn, and briefly pursued a career in television before entering the Capuchins in 1978 with the encouragement of Father Benedict Groeschel.

Samatha Kelley, the president of Fierce Athlete (fierceathlete.org), and one of her board members, Angela Schnieders, spoke about the challenges of being a female athlete today, and how to deal with those issues. They are both former athletes and have appeared on EWTN's Women of Grace.

Fr. Willy Raymond, C.S.C. is President of Holy Cross Family Ministries. He entered Holy Cross Fathers in 1964. He earned a Bachelors in Philosophy from Stonehill College in 1967 and a Masters in Theology from the University of Notre Dame in 1971. In addition to English, Father Willy is conversant in French and Spanish. He's a native of Old Town, Maine and one of 12 children. He remains a diehard fan of the Boston Red Sox, even though he has served as Chaplain for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He talks to us about Venerable Patrick Peyton.