Baltimore Speakers List

2010 Speaker Line-up

	Most Rev. Edwin Frederick O'Brien 15th Archbishop of Baltimore Motto: Pastores Dabo Vobis "I will give you shepherds" -Jeremiah 3:15 Edwin Frederick O'Brien was born April 8, 1939 in the Bronx, New York, son of Edwin Frederick O'Brien, Sr. and Mary Winifred O'Brien. He was one of three children, including brothers Ken and Tom (now both deceased). He attended St. Joseph's Seminary, Dunwoodie, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1961, a Master of Divinity in 1964, and a Master of Arts degree in 1965. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of New York on May 29, 1965 by Francis Cardinal Spellman. His first assignment was as a civilian chaplain at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He would later be commissioned to become a military chaplain and in 1970, he officially became an Army Chaplain with the rank of Captain, serving with the 82nd Airborne Division. From 1971 to 1972, he served a tour of duty in Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne Brigade and 1st Cavalry Brigade. From a base of operations in the middle of a jungle, he and a Protestant minister flew by helicopter to defensive outposts where they would provide for the spiritual needs of the soldiers. In 1973, he left the military and began his doctoral studies at Rome's Angelicum University. While preparing for his doctorate in sacred theology, Archbishop O'Brien was a graduate student at the Pontifical North American College. He studied moral theology and completed his doctoral dissertation, entitled The Origin and Development of Moral Principles in the Writings of Paul Ramsey, in 1976. He returned to continue his service to the Archdiocese of New York, serving as vice-chancellor for the Archdiocese and associate pastor at St. Patrick's Cathedral. In 1979 he coordinated Pope John Paul II's visit to New York and for two years served as communications director for the Archdiocese. In 1986, he was elevated to Monsignor and served two terms as rector of St. Joseph's Seminary from 1985-1989 and 1994-1997. From 1990-1994, he served as rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome. On February 6, 1996, he was named Auxiliary Bishop of New York and bishop of the titular see of Thizica. He was consecrated by Cardinal John O'Connor at St. Patrick's Cathedral on March 25, 1996. On April 7 of the following year, he was named co-adjutor bishop for the Archdiocese for the Military Services and on August 12, 1997, he succeeded as archbishop. The Archdiocese for the Military Services serves 1.5 million Catholics including all U.S. Armed Forces and their families as well as 170 Veterans Administration hospitals and U.S. Government employees overseas. From September 2005 to June 2006, he served as the Holy See's coordinator for the Papal Visitation of Seminaries and Houses of Priestly Formation and this spring was appointed a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education and Seminaries. On July 12, 2007, his appointment as Archbishop of Baltimore by Pope Benedict XVI was announced. He succeeded Cardinal William H. Keeler, who served as the 14th Archbishop of the nation's oldest diocese from 1989-2007, whose resignation was accepted having reached the age limit.

	Charles Baker founded Damien Productions in 1989 after his second pilgrimage to Medjugorje, Yugoslavia. Charley's first production in his four play repertoire was Damien about the great leper priest of Molokai. Plays on the lives of St. Paul, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. John the Baptist were added over the years. Charley has performed all over the eastern half of the United States. This year Charley celebrated the Jubilee Year of St. Paul by performing "I, Paul" at many different schools and churches on the east coast. He feels very privileged to have participated in such a beautiful way. This next academic year will also be extraordinary as he will get to perform Damien, not as Blessed anymore, but as Saint Damien. It is a beautiful, powerful play about a beautiful, powerful man. Also this year marks the 800th anniversary of the Vatican's approval of St. Francis rule...take neither gold, nor silver, nor brase for your journey.....eternal words, and another remarkable spiritual/theatrical experience. Come see Mr. Baker perform a portion of "I, Paul" on Saturday afternoon at 3:45 PM.

	Dr. John Bruchalski grew up in northern New Jersey. After attending a Salesian High School and a Jesuit college he went to the University of South Alabama College of Medicine in Mobile, AL, receiving his MD degree in 1987. He completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Eastern Virginia Medical Center and the Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine in Norfolk, Virginia in 1991. He received board certification in 1993. He founded the Tepeyac Family Center in Fairfax, VA in 1994, with the mission of establishing an obstetrical and gynecological facility that combines the best of modern medicine with the healing presence of Jesus Christ providing affordable healthcare to women, in particular, those with crisis pregnancies. In 2000, he founded Divine Mercy Care, a non-profit organization performing spiritual and corporal works of mercy in Northern Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia and is currently the Chairman of its Board of Directors. In 2005, Tepeyac Family Center became a part of Divine Mercy Care and currently operates as the first Catholic health care facility in the Diocese of Arlington. Dr. Bruchalski's affiliations with the Couple to Couple League and the Family of the Americas make him one of the foremost medical experts on Natural Family Planning (NFP) in the country. He has spoken on various topics concerning the renaissance of Catholic medicine here in the United States, in Canada, and in Europe. He has been a part of numerous videos concerning pro-life issues, natural family planning items and those covering the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He and Tepeyac Family Center were recently featured in a front-page article in The Washington Post. Dr. Bruchalski has been married to his wife, Carolyn, since 1991 and is the father of two boys: John Paul, born in 1992 and Joseph, in 1996. They live in Oak Hill, Virginia.

	Martin Doman has been writing, performing, and ministering as a Catholic Musician for over ten years. As a student at Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH, Martin served as the Head of Music Ministry. Since leaving the University, Martin has led worship at Franciscan University of Steubenville's Youth Conferences, including Steubenville East, Steubenville of the Rockies, and Steubenville Charleston. He continues to travel across the country, speaking and performing at concerts and conferences. Martin has released six recordings of Catholic worship entitled Praying Twice, Image in Love, Praying Twice II: Open Wide the Doors, Where Are You, Emmanuel: A Christmas Concert, and God's Goodness So Far. These recordings are a mixture of modern Catholic praise and earnest prayer. Both projects include original songs, as well as a collection of Catholic Christian "praise & worship" style music. In 2002, Martin founded Christ Music (tm), a non-profit company dedicated to renewing the heart of the Church through Eucharistic praise and worship. He also works as the Coordinator of Renewal through Praise and Worship Programming for the Diocese of Harrisburg, PA. Martin was featured on the Catholic TV network EWTN on "Backstage" and "Life on the Rock". Martin and his wife Charlene reside in Dallastown, PA and have six beautiful children.

	Rob "The Donut Man" Evans teaches and entertains young Christians, jumping, clapping, singing, laughing, exciting children right where they are with a wonderful blend of Bible songs, his Catholic testimony, stories, and lots of audience participation. Young families will sow seeds of Catholic values into their lives, all within the joyful communion of the Eucharist and Church values that Rob has cultivated with his wife Shelley and their own five children. The Donut Man presents the Gospel in a way that introduces young children and their families to the basic elements of the Christian faith from a Catholic perspective. For more on Rob Evans, visit www.donutman.com.

	Dr. Eulalio Gonzalez is a Professor of Psychology at Lorain Community College in Elyria, Ohio. He teaches courses in personality psychology, psychology of adjustment, psychology of gender; child & adolescent development, and research methodology. His teaching and research interests include marriage and family issues, parenting, and integrating psychology and faith. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Dr. Gonzalez serves as the faculty advisor for Campus Crusade for Christ. He and his wife Mariann have four children and have served in couples ministry, diocesan Pre-Cana retreats, and as leaders in Catholic girls and boys clubs.

	Ray Guarendi is a father of 10, clinical psychologist, author, public speaker and radio host. Dr. Ray has been a regular guest on national radio and television, including Oprah, Joan Rivers, Scott Prime Time, 700 Club, Gordon Elliot, and CBS This Morning. He's appeared on regional radio and shows in over 40 states and Canada. He has written several books, including Discipline That Lasts a Lifetime, You're a Better Parent Than You Think!, now in its twenty-fifth printing, Back to the Family and Good Discipline, Great Teens.

	Mrs. Kimberly Hahn has been married to Scott since 1979. They have six children: Michael, Gabriel, Hannah, Jeremiah, Joseph, and David. Kimberly has been a full-time, stay-at-home Mom since their firstborn's arrival. Currently, she home schools her younger children. She enjoys speaking with Scott, but ministry is a priority after family commitments. Kimberly became a Catholic at the Easter Vigil of 1990 in Joliet, Illinois, after a difficult struggle during the four years following Scott's entrance into the Catholic Church. She has completed a book with Scott on their journey into the Catholic Church entitled Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism. It has been translated into Spanish, French, Czech, Polish, Chinese, Italian, German and Dutch. In addition to Rome Sweet Home, Kimberly's newest books are Chosen and Cherished: Biblical Wisdom for Your Marriage and Life Giving Love: Embracing God's Beautiful Design for Marriage published by Servant Publications. She has contributed chapters to Catholic for A Reason: Scripture and the Mystery of the Family of God, Catholic for A Reason II: Scripture and the Mother of God, Catholic for A Reason III: Scripture and the Eucharist, Catholic for A Reason IV: Scripture and the Mystery of Marrigae and Family Life, and The Gift of Femininity. She has also co-authored a book on Catholic home education with Mary Hasson entitled Catholic Education - Homeward Bound: A Guide to Home Schooling. Kimberly's educational background includes a Bachelors of Arts in Communication Arts from Grove City College in Grove City, PA, in May of 1979 (magna cum laude), followed by a Masters of Arts in Theology from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in May, 1982 (magna cum laude). During past school years, Kimberly lead a weekly Bible study at Franciscan University. Her studies on the Mysteries of the Rosary, Proverbs 31, Knowing the Will of God, Finances, Praying from the Hearth, Dating and Courtship, and Women of Hope are available on audiocassette through St. Joseph Communications as are many of her talks on topics related to family life and the Catholic faith.

	Mary Hasson is a homeschooling mother of seven and, like her husband Seamus, is a graduate of Notre Dame Law School. She co-authored with Kimberly Hahn Catholic Education: Homeward Bound and co-authored with Miki Hill a chapter in the book Back to the Drawing Board: The Future of the Pro Life Movement, edited by Teresa Wagner. Mary and Miki also teamed up last year as hosts on an internationally broadcast 13-part television series entitled "Women’s Issues For the Third Millennium".

	Miki Hill is the mother of nine children. She and her husband Tim have been homeschooling for 28 years, true pioneers in the Catholic homeschool community. They were founding members of TORCH (Traditions of Roman Catholic Homes) and NACHE (National Association of Catholic Homes and Educators) and are presidents of the Catholic Family EXPO. While continuing to homeschool their own children, Miki and Tim founded a Catholic school in 1995 in their area for families who did not feel called to homeschool. Miki is a regular speaker at homeschooling events and marriage and family conferences across the country, and is pursuing a Masters degree in Theology. She and long-time friend Mary Hasson wrote a chapter in the book Back to the Drawing Board: The Future of the Pro Life Movement, edited by Teresa Wagner in 2004. The dynamic duo hosted an internationally broadcast television series entitled "Women's Issues For the Third Millennium and have started a new series called "Real Faith, Real Life, Real People."

	Dr. Peter Kreeft is a Catholic apologist for Christianity, professor of philosophy at Boston College and The King's College, and author of over 45 books including Fundamentals of the Faith, Everything you Ever Wanted to Know about Heaven, and Back to Virtue. His ideas draw heavily from religious and philosophical tradition, especially Thomas Aquinas, Socrates, G.K. Chesterton and C.S. Lewis. Kreeft is especially known for his writings on Socratic logic, the sea, angels, Pascal, and Heaven, as well as his work on the Problem of Evil for which he was interviewed by Lee Strobel in his bestseller, The Case for Faith. His essay "The Apple Argument Against Abortion" is influential in pro-life movements.

	Fr. Joseph Lang Fr. Joe Lang was ordained in May 2005 two days before his 70th birthday. Already, he has served the Church in many capacities. In his youth, he entered St. Mary Seminary in Norwood, Ohio. But he set aside his priestly discernment upon receiving his bachelor's degree in philosophy at the age of 24. The Lord, he discovered, was calling him to marriage. In 1965, he married Mary Zammitt. The Langs had three children and became heavily involved in the Catholic Family Movement, a lay ministry that helps foster interpersonal relationships with the Lord within marriages. His life changed drastically, however, when Mary died in 1996. After approaching Christ through marriage for 31 years, he was inspired to serve the Lord in a different capacity. After his wife's death, Fr. Lang — who was still a teacher and a basketball and baseball coach — entered Sacred Heart Major Seminary to study for the priesthood. Fr. Lang has received tremendous support for his new priestly vocation from his grown children. Although he and Mary lost their son Christopher to death in 1991, his family has grown and now includes four grandchildren. Fr. Lang now serves on the pastoral staff at the National Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak, Michigan. He sees the priestly vocation as a tremendous opportunity to be an example of Christ to many people and to bring the divine life and divine holiness to all people. Fr. Lang sees a prominent need to administer the sacramental life of the Church and to make people aware of the power of God's presence. "That's the challenge," he says, "to make them excited about their faith and help them see that they are the salt and the light of the world."

	Mark Pacione has served as the Director of the Division of Youth and Young Adult Ministry in the Archdiocese of Baltimore since 1985. He has been instrumental in conducting national gatherings of Catholic youth, as well as coordinating activities at World Youth Days. Specifically, he served as the coordinator for the Papal Mass and Vigil in Denver in 1993. In 2000, Mr. Pacione was honored with the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry Award.

	Andrew Pudewa is the director of the Institute for Excellence in Writing and a homeschooling father of seven. Presenting throughout North America, he addresses issues relating to teaching, writing, thinking, spelling, and music with clarity and insight, practical experience and humor. His seminars for parents, students, and teachers have helped transform many a reluctant writer and have equipped educators with powerful tools to dramatically improve students' skills. Although he is a graduate of the Talent Education Institute in Matsumoto, Japan, and holds a Certificate of Child Brain Development from the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, his best endorsement is from a young Alaskan boy who called him "the funny man with the wonderful words". He and his wife Robin are converts to the Catholic faith and reside in Atascadero, California. For more on his programs, visit www.excellenceinwriting.com.

	Dr. Pat Sprankle , husband and father, is Director of Youth Ministry at St. Louis Church in Clarksville, MD. He has served two parishes over a 25+ year span, and has extensive experience with middle and high school young people and young adults. Pat graduated from Graduate Theological Foundation with a doctorate in Ministry and also has a Master's in Theology. Pat has written for Group Publishing, Priest Magazine, Disciples Now Movie Reviews website, Connect with Music and has an ongoing parent series with Cornerstone Media. Pat has spoken and led retreats locally to over 50 churches and schools. He has given presentations in 7 states and recently served as a facilitator for World Youth Day in Australia.

	Father Larry Swink was ordained to the priesthood on May 27th 2006. He has served as a parochial vicar at St. Mary of the Mills for the last three years and the Chaplain of Pallotti High School. Fr. Larry went to the Resurrection Church (where the conference is being held) until he was in third grade and then moved and grew up in Silver Spring, MD. He is the eldest of ten children and joined the seminary at the age of twenty five after working as a financial advisor for Morgan Stanley for a couple of years. Fr. Larry went to college at the University of Dallas where he graduated with a B.A. in Political Philosophy and lettered in baseball. He attended Immaculate Conception Seminary where he received a Masters in Divinity. He loves the Eucharist, the Pope, and Our Lady!

	H. Robert (Bob) Taylor is president and co-founder of Educational Materials Associates, Inc. (EMA) of Charlottesville, VA. Since 1974 EMA has been America’s #1 publisher of affordable, family-type history & geography games for ages 8 to adult. His games have been selected by 1200+ museums and historic sites nationwide such as the National Archives, Mount Rushmore, presidential homes & libraries and national parks. Bob is a U.S. Army Veteran and holds degrees from the University of Virginia and the University of Delaware. He has over 40 years experience in teaching, writing, and speaking about American history, including 15 years as an award-winning teacher, coach, and administrator. Bob and his wife, Lorraine, have been married for 39 years and have two grown daughters, one of which is a homeschooling mom, and six grandchildren.

	Fr. Michael Triplett was born in 1979 and grew up the fourth of seven children in Reisterstown. While at work camp with his parish in his sophomore year of high school, he first experienced a calling to the priesthood. At the end of high school, he was accepted as a college candidate with the Archdiocese of Baltimore. After finishing his college degree in philosophy and religious studies at La Salle, he spent one year at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore before beginning his studies in Rome. He was ordained a priest at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen on June 23, 2007 and then returned to finish his license in Spiritual Theology from the Carmelite Teresianum University. He has been the Associate Pastor at Resurrection since July 2008.

	Kristin Witte serves as the Coordinator of Pastoral Care for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Kristin presently holds three Masters degrees and is currently a student at Catholic University of America where she is pursuing a Doctorate in Ministry. Kristin and her husband Andrew just celebrated their eighth wedding anniversary.