Sister Nodelyn Abayan, SSS
Sister Nodelyn Abayan, SSS is a member of the Sisters of Social Service. She earned her Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education at San Francisco State University. She has been in the field of early childhood education for 17years. She is a certified trainer for (PITC) Program for Infant/Toddler Care. It is a national program that seeks to ensure that America’s infants and toddlers get a safe, healthy, emotionally secure and intellectually rich start in life.
Session 8-03
I am Moving, Learning, Praising
Aaron Bianco
Aaron Bianco has a Doctorate in Sacred Theology and has worked in ministry for over twenty years. He is currently the Pastoral Associate at a parish in San Diego and coordinates the Diocese of San Diego LGBT Outreach.
Session 5-02
Developing Support for Catholic LGBT Students: Training for Counselors and Educators
Session 8-04
LGBT Catholics & the Church…Let’s build a bridge!
Mary Birmingham
Mary Birmingham is the director of music, liturgy, and Christian Initiation at Ascension Catholic Community in Melbourne, Florida. A graduate of Saint John University’s School of Theology, Collegeville, Minnesota, with a Master of Arts degree in Theology and Liturgy. Mary was the recipient of the Diocese of Orlando’s annual “Sower Award” for excellence in the area of evangelization on a local and national level. Mary is a team member for the North American Forum on the Catechumenate and is a popular presenter at national and diocesan workshops in the areas of initiation, sacramental and liturgical catechesis across the United States and Canada.
Session 3-03
How the Baptismal Catechumenate Inspires All Catechesis
Session 4-03
The Role of Doctrine in the Catechumenate
Rev. Kenneth Boyack, CSP
Fr. Kenneth Boyack, CSP, Vice President of Paulist Evangelization Ministries in Washington, DC., received his Doctor of Ministry degree from The Catholic University of America. With a team, he developed and coordinates Living the Eucharist, a ministry that forms Catholics as missionary disciples through a more profound experience of the Eucharist. Fr. Boyack enjoys serving on weekends at Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish in Southern Maryland.
Session 5-03
The Sunday Eucharist: Transforming Parishioners into Joyful Missionary Disciples
Session 6-03
Experience the joy of a deeper, personal relationship with Jesus Christ
Andrew Brown
Andrew Brown is the Pastoral Associate at St Lucy parish in the Diocese of San Jose. He is a Lay Ecclesial Minister and has served in youth ministry, children’s ministry and adult faith formation since 2004. He has a bachelor’s from the University of San Francisco and is pursuing his Master’s in Theology. He married his pre-school classmate, Mary Beth, in 2010 at Mission Santa Clara.
Session 2-02
Will you marry me? Why we must ‘engage’ young adults in parish life through marriage preparation.
Paul Canavese & Ann Naffziger
Ann Naffziger has her MDiv from the Jesuit School of Theology and MA in Biblical Languages from the Graduate Theological Union, both in Berkeley. Ann has worked in a variety of parish roles, as well as a hospital chaplain, spiritual director, scripture instructor, and lecturer at the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University. She has written articles in the field of spirituality and scripture for America, BustedHalo.com, Commonweal, and other publications. She is also a Master Gardener and girls’ softball coach.
Paul Canavese is the director of the online Pastoral Center, and has his MTS from the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley. He has served in a wide range of parish ministries and also directs GrowingUpCatholic.com (focused on coaching parents) and GospelLiving.org (focused on “intentional daily life Catholicism”).
Paul & Ann married in 2004 and live in Alameda, California with their daughters Madeleine (11) & Rachel (8), and nine chickens. Their family operates their mini-urban farm, loves to bike around town, and find creative ways to build community in their neighborhood. They do their best to navigate parenthood based on Gospel values.
Session 2-03 Presenting together
Bringing Scripture to Life for Young Catholics
Session 4-05 Presenter Paul Canavese solo
Don’t Let Your Parents Drop Off and Run: How to Engage Parents while Their Kids Are in Class
Session 5-04 Presenter Paul Canavese solo
Don’t Let Your Parents Drop Off and Run: How to Engage Parents while Their Kids Are in Class
Sr. Maryann Cantlon, CSJ
Sister Maryann Cantlon, CSJ is currently the Associate Director of Restorative Justice for the Diocese of San Jose, working with inmates and victims. She holds a Master’s degree in Music from the Hartt College of Music of the University of Hartford and a Master’s degree in Theological Studies from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California. Before coming to San Jose, Maryann worked as a teacher and chaplain in state and federal prisons for over thirty years.
Session 3-04
Making Disciples of All Nations
Crystal Catalan
Crystal has a passion for social justice and has over ten years of experience leading immersion trips for youth and adults. Crystal served alongside the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Cabrini Sisters) at their various missions in the US, Swaziland, and the Philippines, and continues her commitment to the global community through Catholic Relief Services, as the Global Solidarity Coordinator for the Diocese of San Jose. She currently works at Presentation High School in San Jose, CA.
Session 4-06
Witnessing to the Culture of Encounter: The Individual Call to Social Justice
CNEHT Panel
Social Action Ministries – Anthony Ordona, St. Thomas of Canterburry, Nancy Moreno, Santa Teresa Parish
Parish advocates on the CNEHT (Catholic Network to End Human Trafficking) team are dedicated to social action ministries and raising awareness of this horrific issue. We seek to inform parish communities and provide strategies on how we can help to end this modern day slavery.
Anthony Ordona has been a CNEHT volunteer since 2015. He currently serves at St Thomas of Canterbury Parish in San Jose as a Social Justice minister and is also a Benedictine Oblate postulant at Incarnation Monastery in Berkeley.
Nancy Moreno has helped bring an array of anti-trafficking programs to her parish and has engaged with various high school students and their service projects to raise awareness. She is a CNEHT volunteer and on the Social Action Ministry (SAM) team at Santa Teresa Parish in San Jose with its human trafficking ministry.
Session 8-05
Stop the Game!: Informed Communities are Key to Ending Human Trafficking – Parishes
CNEHT Education Team
Elizabeth Avalos, BVM, Sr. Catarina Chu DC, Rosemary Everett, SNJM, Terry Jelley, Marilyn Wilson, BVM – accompanied by students and other educational experts
The CNEHT Education Team are volunteers dedicated to end Human Trafficking through education and awareness. We are educators and social justice advocates in the diocese of San Jose.
Session 4-04
“How to Educate Students About Ending Human Trafficking.”
Terry Cotting-Mogan
Currently the Pflaum Publishing Group’s Western Regional Manager, Ms Cotting-Mogan has 40 years in catechetical, campus, family, and youth/youth adult ministries at the parish, school, and diocesan levels. She has spoken at numerous events at diocesan and national levels. She earned a BA from Marquette University, a MS from Cardinal Stritch College, both of Milwaukee WI, and an Advanced Studies Certificate in Youth Ministry Training from St Mary’s University, Baltimore MD.
Session 3-05
Make a New Year’s Resolution to Strengthen Catholic Identity
Joshua Danis
Joshua Danis is a life-long Catholic, a husband and a father. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in the Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville and is projected to complete his Master’s in 2017. Previously, he has worked in Catholic radio, served in several parishes, and ministered to couples preparing for marriage as Coordinator of the Family and Respect Life for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. He currently helps form evangelization and marriage building efforts in parishes across the country as the National Director of Alpha Catholic Context.
Session 4-08
Alpha and the Evangelization in the Art of Accompaniment
Dr. Leonard J. DeLorenzo
Leonard J. DeLorenzo teaches theology at the University of Notre Dame, where he also directs Notre Dame Vision, the Notre Dame Catechist Academy, and the Notre Dame Character Project within the Institute for Church Life. He is the author of Witness and the forthcoming Fiat (Spring 2018).
Session 2-04
Forming Catholic Identity through Stories of Grace
Session 5-06
Following Mary into Missionary Discipleship
Michael DiCosola
Mike DiCosola is the Director of Mobile Services for myParish App at Diocesan. He has been actively involved in lay ministry for more than 15-years with experience in early childhood, middle school, teen and adult formation. Mike resides in Rockford, Michigan, with his wife Heather and five children. He has been a featured speaker at retreats, conferences and missions across the globe. His greatest blessing is being a father of five and a child of the one God. His goal in life is to give this all up and see everyone in Heaven.
Session 3-06
Connecting people to Faith and Learning through a Mobile App Experience
Mary Doak
Mary Doak, Ph.D., is professor of theology at the University of San Diego, where she has taught for the past 10 years. Her publications include Divine Harmony: Seeking community in a Broken World (Paulist Press, 2017), along with other books and articles on the challenges of living Christian faith in the world today.
Session 5-07
Called to Communion: a Reconciling Faith in a Polarized Society
Session 6-04
A Love that Does Justice
Cord Dorcey
After years of being vegetarian and trying to save the world through good ecology, Cord came to an important realization: souls are being lost for eternity. Convicted by this reality he served as a missionary for 3 years with the NET Ministries (National Evangelization Teams) where he discovered his true passion for evangelization. He now serves as NET Ministries’ Western Regional Coordinator in Los Angeles, CA. Cord considers all Catholics missionaries and desires to equip them to share the saving love of Jesus wherever they go.
Session 3-07
So you want to be an evangelist?
Fr. Barry Eneh
Fr. Barry Eneh, Chaplain, Veteran’s Administrative Hospital Exceptionally versatile, knowledgeable, compassionate, community-driven certified pastoral leader with M.S. in Public Health Management, M.S. in Marketing, Ph.D. in Health Care Administration in progress, and over 20 years of Has developed and implemented programs providing evidence-based spiritual, psychosocial, and physical care and support for children, needy and bereaved families, homeless and at-risk veterans. Accustomed to serving extremely diverse populations and to interacting with a broad spectrum of healthcare leadership, management, and staff. Adheres strictly to corporate policies, core values and procedures
Session 2-05
End of Life Decisions – A Catholic Perspective
Deacon Dick Folger
I am an ordained Deacon (30 years) for the Diocese of Oakland. I am the author of THE GOSPEL STORIES OF JESUS, a three volume set in English and Spanish and the creator of the downloadable Pastoral Center Resource for CCD and religious education classes. I am the producer of the USCCB video: Deacons, Ministers of Justice and Charity. I was the producer of Mosaic, a weekly television program by the Archdiocese of San Francisco. I am the founder/president of FolgerGraphics, Inc., a printing and publication business that has run since 1959 and which is the proud printer of The Catholic Voice for the Diocese of Oakland. For 60 years I have bee married to Patricia Ann and we have six children. Our firstborn is Mark, who is a Conventual Franciscan Friar serving in Rome. I enjoy ocean sailing and have made voyages to Tahiti and down the Mexican coast as far as Acapulco.
Session 3-08
Welcome to Galilee
Dr. Carole Eipers
Dr. Carole Eipers is the National Catechetical Advisor for William H. Sadlier, Inc. She served in parish ministries for over 20 years as a teacher, Director of Religious Education, Youth Minister and Pastoral Associate. Carole was Director of the Office for Catechesis for the Archdiocese of Chicago for nine years and also served as President of the National Conference of Catechetical Leadership. Carole has been a member of the adjunct faculties of Mundelein Seminary, Loyola University Chicago, Loyola New Orleans and Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. She has been published and made presentations throughout this country and internationally in the area of catechetics. Carole holds a Master of Pastoral Studies degree from Loyola University Chicago and a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Graduate Theological Foundation in Indiana. Her book, Sending Out Roots: Helping Parents and Teachers to Share the Faith was published by Veritas Publishers, Dublin, Ireland. Her latest book, Wade Don’t Dive: Giving New and Seasoned Catechists Confidence was published by Twenty-Third Publications.
Session 4-09
Catechists/Teachers and Parents as Partners
Session 6-05
Catechist and Teacher: Awesome Vocations!
Deacon David Ford and Lorie Ford
Session 8-06
Loss – How Do We Respond When Everything Falls Apart? An Individual/Communal Spirituality of Accompaniment.
Kathy Hendricks
Kathy Hendricks is a National Religion Consultant for William H. Sadlier and a contributing writer for their materials, including the We Believe program and the blog, WeBelieveAndShare.com. Kathy has over 25 years’ experience in Catholic schools, parishes, and dioceses. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Colorado and a Master’s Degree in Adult Christian Community Development from Regis University in Denver. She is also a certified spiritual director. Kathy offers keynote presentations, workshops, and retreats on a variety of topics, including catechesis, prayer and spirituality, and family. In addition to authoring the weekly blog for Sadlier, she is author of several books, including The Spiritual of Parenting, Forming Families in Faith, and Rituals for the Home and Pocket Prayers for Parents. Her articles have appeared in numerous magazines. She is married and the mother of two adult children.
Session 2-07
Finding Spiritual Balance in Off-Kilter Times
Session 5-09
The How-to of Preparing and Directing Retreats for Kids
ValLimar Jansen
Blessed with an extraordinary voice, ValLimar Jansen is a highly regarded singer, composer and recording artist. She is also an experienced college professor, a leader of worship and prayer and a workshop presenter at conferences across the United States and abroad. Known especially for her work with contemporary Christian, gospel, and gospel-jazz styles, she sings a wide range of music, including spirituals and traditional, organ-based choral music. (Word)
Friday Keynote 100
Evangelization Through the Arts & the Beauty of the Word of God
Annapatrice Johnson
Anna Johnson is the Director for the Western Region and Young Adult Outreach for Maryknoll Mission Education. She works with the local Church to connect our faith with missionary discipleship, and going forth in joy! Anna has taught in the US, Uganda, and Ireland, and she loves connecting people around the world.
Session 2-08
Too Young to Go Forth? Engaging Youth in Global Issues through Faith
Rosa Kadera-Redmond
Rosa Kadera-Redmond represents the Our Sunday Visitor Offertory Solutions Department as a Senior Campaign Consultant. Rosa brings 15 years of experience working with parishes across the Western United States to devise plans for offertory and communications to build parishioner engagement. She has conducted parish and diocesan workshops in the dioceses of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Fresno, Monterey, and Oakland. She has a proven track record of consulting with parishes to significantly increase offertory and to help foster vibrant parish communities. Rosa resides in the Diocese of Oakland.
Session 4-12
Increase Your Parish Offertory and Engage Your Community
Rev. Dr. Thomas A. Kane, CSP
Rev. Dr. Thomas A. Kane is a Paulist priest, is an internationally known ritual maker and videographer. His research interests include the area of arts, communication, liturgy and culture. Dr. Kane studies contemporary worship and celebration and has written and lectured on liturgy, dance and creativity in the US and abroad. In his research, he has documented liturgical inculturation in three Dancing Church videos. He has recently retired from the faculty of the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry in Chestnut Hill, MA. At present, he directs Landings International, a Paulist Ministry of Reconciliation, which offers a compassionate, lay-run program for returning Catholics. He has been a cruise chaplain for nineteen years and enjoys his days at sea.
Session 2-09
Becoming a Disciple of Joy and Mercy
Session 6-06
Becoming a Disciple of Joy and Mercy
Fr Joe Kim
Fr Joe Kim is the Director of Vocations and Seminarians for the Diocese of San Jose. He was ordained in 2010 for the Diocese of San Jose by Bishop Patrick J. McGrath. Fr Joe grew up in San Jose attending St. Frances Cabrini School and Saratoga High School. After graduating from UC Berkeley with an Engineering degree and working in the Silicon Valley he felt drawn to a vocation to the priesthood. In thanksgiving to the many religious, lay, clergy who helped him discern God’s call for his life, he desires to do the same for young people today.
Session 5-10
Vocations in the Church Today: Everybody’s Problem, Everybody’s Solution
Sister Lisa Laguna, D.C. has been a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent De Paul, since 2003. She has served in education as a middle school teacher and administrator. Sister Lisa also serves the Vincentian Family as National Advisor for Vincentian Marian Youth, USA. Since 2010, Sister Lisa has served as the vocation director for the Daughters of Charity, Province of the West.
Brother Patrick Martin, FSC
Br. Patrick Martin, FSC teaches religion at De La Salle High School in Concord, CA. Br. Patrick has taught at the high school level and in youth ministry for more than 10 years. He is actively involved in promoting vocations to the De La Salle Christian Brothers through his ministry along with his creative use of music, art, and media.
Session 2-10
Giving Young People Tools for Discernment
Chris Mariano
Chris Mariano has been involved in Catholic Youth Ministry since 1999 throughout the San Francisco Archdiocese. Husband and father of 2 young boys, he currently is the Youth Minister at Our Lady of Angels in Burlingame. His passion to instill servant leadership qualities in youth is the driving force in all the work he does.
Arthur Refuerzo
A parishioner of St. Augustine Parish in South San Francisco, Arthur Refuerzo serves as an active leader, facilitator, and advisor for neighboring parishes and their youth/young adult programs, along with the Archdiocese of SF High School Youth Council. His ministry began while in high school, where he worked with middle school youth. His work is inspired by his own experience with the Holy Spirit, and the want to share those experiences.
Session 8-07
“Connected and Authentic: Modern Youth Ministry”
Bob McCarty, D.Min.
Bob McCarty is a pastoral ministry consultant and trainer and has been in professional ministry since 1973. Bob is the Saint Mary’s Press project coordinator for their research project on disaffiliated young Catholics. He is adjunct faculty at Catholic University and the University of Dallas – and a parish youth ministry volunteer at St. Francis of Assisi in Fulton, MD.
Session 4-13
“How to Talk with Young People about God!”
Session 6-08
Going, Going, Gone … The Dynamics of Disaffiliation in Young Catholics
Bishop Robert W McElroy
Born in San Francisco on February 5, 1954 to Walter and Roberta McElroy, who now reside in Santa Rosa, California. In 1972 he entered Harvard College and graduated three years later with a degree in American history. After his graduation from Harvard, Bishop McElroy attended graduate school at Stanford and in 1976 received a master’s degree in American history. In 1976, Bishop McElroy attended Saint Patrick Seminary in Menlo Park, California and was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese on April 12, 1980. His first assignment was Saint Cecilia Parish in San Francisco, which was the parish where both of his parents had grown up and attended grammar school, and the church where they were married.
Bishop McElroy was appointed auxiliary bishop of San Francisco by Pope Benedict XVI on July 6, 2010 and was ordained by Archbishop George Niederauer at Saint Mary’s Cathedral on September 7, 2010. Pope Francis appointed him to be the sixth bishop of San Diego, Bishop McElroy on March 3, 2015 and was installed on April 15, 2015.
Saturday English Keynote
Pastoral Theology and Pope Francis: A New Framework for Comprehending, Teaching and Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Tom McGrath
Tom McGrath of Loyola Press is the author of Raising Faith-Filled Kids, The Meal Box,the magazine Together: Preparing at Home for First Eucharist, and editor of the New York Times best-seller Dear Pope Francis: The Pope Answers Letters from Children Around the World. He is an author, speaker, and spiritual director who has been advocating evangelization in the context of the home his whole career.
Session 2-11
Make Space for Grace
Session 8-08
Taste and See: Using Scripture to Evangelize in small groups
Rev. Brendan McGuire
Is pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in San Jose, California and Vicar General, Special Projects of the Diocese of San Jose. He is a regular speaker on subjects such as Stewardship, Prayer, Forgiveness and Parish Leadership. Fr. Brendan is also author of three books on Sunday homilies and his most recent book is The Living Gospel: Daily Devotions for Advent.
Education Keynote
Empowering Christ’s Mission in our Schools: Investing in our Christian Community
Spanish Keynote Speaker
Maria del Mar Muñoz-Visoso
Maria del Mar Munoz-Visoso is executive director of the Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, where she previously was assistant director of media relations. Before moving to Washington, Mar worked for the Archdiocese of Denver in various capacities, including editor of the Spanish language diocesan newspaper, El Pueblo Católico, director of Hispanic Ministry, and founding executive director of Centro San Juan Diego. Mar holds a B.A. In Communications and a Master’s degree in pastoral theology. She is married and the mother of three teens.
Session 5-11
Go and Make Disciples of all Nations: The Need for Intercultural Competence
Session 6-15
Spanish Keynote
Dios con nosotros: Discípulos misioneros al encuentro del otro
Pam Perrino
Pam Perrino is an early childhood educator and advocate. Pam has worked as a preschool teacher, infant/toddler teacher, and administrator of a N.A.E.Y.C. corporate based childcare. She has her undergraduate degree from Thiel College and her Masters of Education in Early Childhood Leadership and Advocacy from the University of Dayton and presently is an adjunct professor. She currently serves as a member of the Ohio Child Care Advisory Council and Ohio Professional Development Network. She has spent the last ten years as an early childhood advocate and educational consultant with her own company and has worked with the Youngstown Diocesan schools in supporting a Pre-K focus.
Session 3-09
Build a Bridge Between Research and Best Practice that Supports a Strong Foundation of Faith Development for Children Preschool through Third Grade
Session 5-13
The Time is Now! Early Investment in the Faith Formation Lasts A Life Time
Bill Perry and Anne Maloney
Bill Perry is a Catholic Relief Services Ethical Trade Ambassador serving the Diocese of San Jose. He has been working with social justice issues such as the homeless and restorative justice for over 10 years.
Anne Maloney is a teacher and the Assistant Director of Christian Service at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose. A member of the Diocese of San Jose Global Solidarity team, she also serves as an Ethical Trade Ambassador with Catholic Relief Services.
Session 3-10
Ethical Trade and Right Relationships: Justice For Workers and Consumers
Fr. Sergio Ovando
Father Sergio is a priest of the Diocese of San Jose. Originally from Argentina, he was ordained a priest in 1993, and earned a Doctorate in Biblical Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He is pastor of Saint Martin of Tours Parish in San Jose.
Session 5-12
The presence of God as a Promise in the Gospel of Matthew.
Ken Preston
Ken Preston is Relationship Manager for Catholic Relief Services in northern California. He has worked for numerous church agencies and has led hundreds of workshops and trainings on various church and social concerns topics. He holds an M.A. in Theology from the Jesuit School of Theology.
Session 2-13
Showing Mercy to the Stranger: Responding to Victims of Human Trafficking at Home and Abroad
Session 4-14
God Walks With Us: The Catholic Church’s Response to the Refugee Crisis
Fr. Raymond Reyes
Session 3-11
The Holy Spirit Driven Purposeful Life
Michael Ruzicki
Michael Ruzicki is editor and liturgical training consultant for Liturgy Training Publications and director of music for Notre Dame de Chicago Parish. Michael has served as a team member of the North American Forum on the Catechumenate and as coordinator of adult and sacramental formation for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He is author of Guide for Training Initiation Ministers: An Introduction to the RCIA (LTP, 2017) and has worked to introduce LTP’s National Gathering on Christian Initiation.
Session 3-12
Prayer in the Classroom: Leading and Animating
Session 4-15
Preparing School Masses with Children
Session 6-09
Preparing Joy-filled Celebrations in the RCIA
Session 8-09
Leading RCIA Dismissal Sessions
Anna Scally
Anna Scally is the President of Cornerstone Media, Inc., in Santa Rosa, California. Anna is an inspiring workshop and youth rally speaker, youth ministry training consultant, and a disc jockey. She is a columnist for Cornerstone Media’s Top Music Countdown quarterly poster, and also the host for the audio show Burning Issues, dealing with relevant youth topics. She was M.C. of the catechetical sessions for 77,000 young people at Mile High Stadium in Denver for World Youth Day. Anna has authored several articles on popular music, religious education and youth ministry that have appeared in several journals and popular publications. She has travelled all over the world to make over 2,000 public presentations at youth rallies, training events, retreats, adult education days, and other youth ministry related events, including all the major conferences for religious educators in North America.
Session 2-14
Bring New Hope to Your Ministry – A New Approach to Getting, Keeping and Surviving Volunteers
Session 3-13
Changing Lives, One Song at a Time
Session 4-16
Hope is Contagious – How to Find Hope in Challenging Times
Deacon Ruben Solorio
Deacon Ruben Solorio is a permanent deacon in the Diocese of San Jose and a Global Fellow for Catholic Relief Services. He was the Director for the Office of Social Ministries in the Diocese of San Jose, served as Director of Youth Ministry at Sacred Heart Parish, and the Community Relations Manager for Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County. He attended Most Holy Trinity School and Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, followed by Santa Clara University and Loyola Marymount University. He received a Master of Arts degree from the Graduate Program in Pastoral Ministries at Santa Clara University.
Session 2-15
Journey with Jesus: A Family Encounter
Session 5-14
Engaging In Global Solidarity: Transforming our Classrooms and Evangelizing our Entire School Community
Alison Spong
Alison Spong serves as a Master Catechist and Summer Scripture Camp director at St. Charles Parish in San Carlos.
Session 6-10
Nurturing the Creative Catechist in You
Sr. Nancy Usselmann, FSP
Sr. Nancy Usselmann, FSP is the Director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies in Los Angeles, CA and a Media Literacy Education Specialist. She has degrees in Communications Arts and a Masters in Theology and the Arts from Fuller Theological Seminary. She has extensive experience in the creative aspects of social media, print media, radio and video production as well as in marketing, advertising, retail management and administration.
Sr. Nancy has given numerous media mindfulness workshops, presentations and film retreats around the country to youth, young adults, catechists, seminarians, teachers and media professionals helping to create that dialogue between faith and media. She is a board member of CIMA (Catholics in Media Associates) and a member of NAMLE (National Association of Media Literacy Educators), SIGNIS (World Catholic Association for Communicators) and THEOCOM (Theology and Communications in Dialogue). She writes film reviews and blog articles for www.bemediamindful.org and is a regular contributor to Fuller’s Reel Spirituality website: http://www.brehmcenter.com/initiatives/reelspirituality/film/articles/. Her book on Cultural Mysticism is in the process of being published by Wipf & Stock publishing.
Session 3-14
Media Mindullness: Faith Formation in a Digital Age
Session 5-15
The Good Life: Virtue Ethics in Social Media
Dr. Johan van Parys
Johan van Parys, Ph.D., a native of Belgium has been director of liturgy and the sacred arts at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis since 1995. He holds degrees in archeology, art history and theology from the Catholic University in Louvain, Belgium and from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. His publications include Symbols that Surround Us, published by Liguori Publications in 2012 and What’s the Smoke for. And Other Burning Questions about the Liturgy, published by The Liturgical Press in 2014.
Session 3-15
The Art of Sacred Symbols
Session 6-11
Beauty that Saves: Liturgy, Architecture, and Environment.
Lindsey West
Lindsey West has a combined 10+ years serving as DRE and/or youth and young adult ministry coordinator and is a regional and national speaker. Currently, she is finishing her Master’s in Theological Studies at the Jesuit School of Theology this December with an emphasis on parish inclusion of individuals with autism and other disabilities. Lindsey and her husband are also parents to an ausome son on the spectrum.
Session 2-16
Meet Them Where They’re At: Best Practices in Inclusion
Session 5-16
Meet Them Where They’re At: Best Practices in Inclusion
Dr. Joseph White
Dr. Joseph White is a child and family psychologist and National Catechetical Consultant for Our Sunday Visitor Publishing and Curriculum. Dr. White previously worked as a parish catechetical leader and later spent seven years as Director of Family Counseling and Family Life in the Diocese of Austin. A frequent guest on Catholic television and radio, he is the author of ten books and numerous articles on catechesis and ministry, and co-authored the Allelu and Alive in Christ catechetical series.
Session 3-16
Special Learning Needs: Basic Accommodations in a Catholic School Setting
Session 6-12
Pope Francis’ Vision for Catechesis
Dr. Scot Hanna-Weir leads the Santa Clara Chorale as their artistic director and is also Director of Choral Activities at Santa Clara University, where he oversees the choral program, directs the SCU Chamber Singers and Concert Choir, and teaches other courses within the music department. As a conductor, singer, pianist, and teacher, Hanna-Weir is known for his insatiable desire for artistic excellence and his deep connection to the personal joy of music making.
Christopher Wemp is the Director of Professional Development Programs at Santa Clara University and teaches a liturgical music leadership academy for the Diocese of Stockton; he has also participated in liturgical music research and leadership in El Salvador, Peru, Colombia, India, and Kenya. In addition to being passionate about engaging young people in liturgical music, he is a composer, a pianist, and Director of Music for Sunday morning and feast day masses at St. Clare Parish in the Diocese of San Jose.
Session 2-06
The Liturgical Choir Rehearsal: What’s Your Plan?
Session 4-11
Connecting Technology, Catholic Social Teaching, and Choral Singing
Audrey Gomes is a graduate of Santa Clara University with degrees in music and marketing and experience as a music ministry intern for SCU Campus Ministry. Since graduation, Audrey has served in various music leadership roles in the Diocese of San Jose and Diocese of Oakland, with particular interest in engaging children and other youth in high quality liturgical music leadership.
Claire Wemp sang in youth choirs for almost her entire childhood and serves a cantor and mentor for ensemble members at St. Clare Parish in the Diocese of San Jose. She is particularly passionate about youth and women empowerment, whether through her work as a mechanical engineer or as a Church musician.
Session 5-08
Connecting youth to liturgical music and empathy building: testimonies and strategies
Fr. Tony Mancuso has been a diocesan priest and educator for 34 years. He has served in the capacity of chaplain, teacher, counselor, parochial vicar, and pastor in various schools and parishes. In addition, he has served as the Director of the Permanent Deaconate for the Diocese of San Jose and an adjunct faculty member at Santa Clara University as well as a visiting scholar and senior fellow; he is the lead author of Build.Plant.Grow.
Christopher Wemp is the Director of Professional Development Programs at Santa Clara University and teaches a liturgical music leadership academy for the Diocese of Stockton; he has also participated in liturgical music research and leadership in El Salvador, Peru, Colombia, India, and Kenya. In addition to being passionate about engaging young people in liturgical music, he is a composer, a pianist, and Director of Music for Sunday morning and feast day masses at St. Clare Parish in the Diocese of San Jose.
Session 6-07
Build. Plant. Grow. and Liturgical Music as Character and Faith Formation
Amy McEntee
Kimberly Kay Cox
Mark Mogilka
Armando Cervantes
Anna Betancourt
Andrea Chavez-Kopp