Jeannie Ewing is a Catholic spirituality writer who focuses on the topics of grief, redemptive suffering, and waiting. Her four books include a meditation journal, a devotional, and two books on the topic of discovering joy in the midst of grief and waiting with expectation. She is a frequent guest on Catholic radio and contributes to several online and print Catholic periodicals. For more information, please visit her website lovealonecreates.com.
Amanda Woodiel
Amanda Woodiel is a Catholic convert, a mother to five children aged 9 to 1, a slipshod housekeeper, an enamored wife, and a “good enough” homeschooler who happens to believe that the circumstances of her life–both good and bad–are pregnant with grace. Read more thoughts on faith and parenthood at www.inaplaceofgrace.com.
Rocco Fortunato
Rocco Fortunato grew up Roman Catholic, but God had little part in his life. Television, movies, and disordered music attracted his heart to the life of sin they promoted. After years of living in mortal sin and believing he was beyond hope, Rocco was set free by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ in sacramental Confession, experiencing the unfathomable love and mercy of Almighty God in a very PROFOUND way!!!
(Listen to Rocco’s interview–Partial Testimony–on Encounter Radio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-XicIvlYTs)
Through Sacred Scripture, the Most Holy Rosary, daily Mass, and Eucharistic Adoration, he experienced a RADICAL CONVERSION!!! He’s been teaching, preaching, and/or writing on the fullness of the truth of the Catholic Faith since 1993. In 1995, Rocco founded Spread the Blaze (http://spreadtheblaze.com/), an apostolate dedicated to the conversion and sanctification of souls. He’s organized, led, and been the main speaker for Confirmation programs, Youth Groups, a Young Adult Group, a Men’s Group, Conferences, Retreats, a Street Apostolate, First Saturday Rosary Rallies, and served as Director of Evangelization. He’s also been on Catholic radio and had several television interviews.
Rocco runs a very unique Youth Group (Knights of Mary Immaculate) made up of middle-school and high-school youth including multi-cultural, homeschooled, inner-city, and special needs youth; he also runs a Young Adult Group (Crusaders of Mary Immaculate). In both groups, all souls are being challenged to become Saints through radical Marian devotion! These apostolates are leading souls into Holy Mother Church and helping those already there to grow in holiness.
His audio CD “God is Love” (http://spreadtheblaze.com/god-is-love/) and YouTube talks (https://www.youtube.com/spreadtheblaze) give ample testimony to his zeal for souls! To invite Rocco to share his love for Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and ALL things Catholic, please contact him at Spread the Blaze (http://spreadtheblaze.com/).
Gabriel Garnica
Gabriel Garnica is crazy enough to believe that we can all be saints, and he refuses to buy the lie that we cannot. He is a college professor with degrees in law and mental health counseling. He was born in Colombia and came to the U.S. as a young child. While Gabe continues to enjoy teaching law, his greatest fulfillment as an educator has come from his ten years as a catechist at two local parishes. Gabe is passionate about sharing his faith through writing and speaking; and he has enjoyed giving numerous talks to children on such topics as Divine Mercy, David and Goliath, The Ten Commandments, and prioritizing one’s faith. While he enjoys talking to children, it is in writing and speaking to adults that Gabe truly feels he has found his calling. His goal is to continue developing his Catholic speaking and write several books on his topics of interest, which include meditations on the Ten Commandments, Divine Mercy, the saints, parable stories, general Scripture, Pro-Life, and The Virgin Mary. He enjoys writing for his blog Deus solus https://wordpress.com/posts/deussolus9.wordpress.com and as a columnist at Catholic Stand ww.catholicstand.com/author/gabriel-garnica/
Gabe’s favorite saints are Tarcisius, Therese “The Little Flower”, and Alphonsus de Liguori, whom he describes as giving us a powerful glimpse of the loving challenge which God has given each of us. As mentioned above, Gabe believes that we are all called to be saints, but we spend more time convincing ourselves why we cannot become one than trying to fulfill our true purpose in becoming precisely that. Gabe also speaks about Catholic marriage as being the true “Love Triangle”, with each partner and God.
Maureen Smith
Father Juan Velez
Fr. Juan R. Vélez is a Catholic priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei, presently working in San Francisco and Berkeley. He was born in Venezuela and raised in Colombia, England and the United States. He holds a doctorate in dogmatic theology from the University of Navarre. Fr. Juan has a medical degree, also from the University of Navarre, and was previously board certified in internal medicine. He is author of Passion for Truth, the Life of John Henry Newman (TAN, 2012) and co-author of Take Five, Meditations with John Henry Newman (Our Sunday Visitor, 2010). He has also published a number of journal articles on theology and on medical ethics. He posts short reflections on Cardinal Newman’s writings at: www.cardinaljohnhenrynewman.com
Deanna Bartalini
Deanna Bartalini is the Director of Faith Formation for St. Edward Catholic Church in Palm Beach, FL. She has served in the diocese of Palm Beach since 1985 in both paid and volunteer positions in the areas of religious education, youth ministry and stewardship. Prior to working in full time ministry, Deanna worked in the field of English as a Second Language as a teacher, consultant, teacher trainer, curriculum developer and publishing sales manager. Deanna has been married for over 30 years and has raised two wonderful adults. For most of her life she has been a planner; however, the Holy Spirit usually intervenes, sometimes quite forcefully, and leads her to another path.
Deanna is available to lead retreats and speak at catechist and ministry events. Learn more about her on her website, New Evangelizers, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest.
Msgr. Charles Pope
Msgr. Charles Pope is the pastor of Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian, a vibrant parish community in Washington, D.C. A native of Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, his interest in the priesthood stemmed from his experience as a church musician. He attended Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary and was ordained in 1989. A pastor since 2000, he also has led Bible studies in the U.S. Congress and at the White House in past years. Monsignor Pope is often featured in New Advent and Our Sunday Visitor and is the primary author for the Archdiocese of Washington’s blog, and we are honored that he will be sharing some of his best blogs on theology, art, music, and culture here at Amazing Catechists.
Elizabeth Ficocelli
Elizabeth Ficocelli is a best-selling, award winning Catholic author of fifteen books for adults and young people, including Seven from Heaven: How Your Family Can Find Healing, Strength and Protection in the Sacraments and The Imitation of Christ for Children. She has spoken at the LA Congress, NCEA, and various catechetical conferences, as well as at numerous schools and parishes. Elizabeth also hosts “Answering the Call” on St. Gabriel Catholic Radio AM 820, in which she interviews priests, deacons, and religious about their spiritual journeys and current vocations. For more information, visit www.elizabethficocelli.com
Karee Santos
Karee Santos is a happily married mom of six and a popular writer and speaker on Catholic marriage. Karee and her husband, Manuel P. Santos, M.D., began teaching marriage preparation and enrichment classes in New York City in 2003. They are also co-authors of The Four Keys to Everlasting Love: How Your Catholic Marriage Can Bring You Joy for a Lifetime (Ave Maria Press 2016). Karee’s writing can be found at Catholic Match Institute, Aleteia, CatholicMom and her personal blogs Can We Cana? and Comencemos en Caná.