Fr. Longenecker was brought up in an Evangelical home in Pennsylvania. After graduating from the fundamentalist Bob Jones University with a degree in Speech and English, Longenecker went to study theology at Oxford University. Eventually he was ordained as an Anglican priest and served as a curate, a school chaplain in Cambridge and a country parson on the Isle of Wight.

Realizing that the Anglican Church and he were on divergent paths, in 1995, Longenecker and his family were received into the Catholic Church. For ten years, he continued to live in England where he worked as a freelance writer and charity worker. Then in 2006 the door opened to return to the United States and be ordained as a Catholic priest. Fr. Longenecker now serves as Pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Greenville, South Carolina.

Ellen Salter’s passion for Jesus, life, and family has been lived out in a dramatic way beyond the imaginations of most of us. Her beloved 18-year old daughter Meghan was not expected to live past 6 months but is now completely dependent on others; unable to eat, speak, move, or even breathe on her own. Although born healthy, within months her health began to decline and has defied diagnosis—it’s a mystery to doctors. Meghan is cared for at home and has been on life support since she was an infant.

While others look on in wonder and some question the value of Meghan’s life, Ellen reveals what a gift the handicapped, weak, and vulnerable are to us. She transfixes audiences by sharing God’s revelation to her before Meghan was even born and how joining the difficulties to the cross of Christ has brought their family comfort and joy.

Bishop Walsh was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Scranton by Bishop James C. Timlin at the Cathedral of Saint Peter, Scranton, Pa., on June 25, 1994. After ordination, Bishop Walsh served as assistant pastor at Saint Rose of Lima Church, Carbondale, and the Cathedral of Saint Peter, Scranton. In July 1999, he was appointed to his first pastorate at Saint Mary of the Lake Church, Lake Winola, as well as Director of Spiritual & Liturgical Formation at Saint Pius X Seminary in Dalton, Pa.. From July 2004-July 2006, he served as pastor at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, Tunkhannock, until being appointed to serve as Episcopal Vicar for the Eastern Pastoral Region of the Diocese of Scranton.

In 2008, Bishop Walsh became administrator of Saint Rita Church, Gouldsboro, and in 2009 was appointed administrator of Saint Anthony, Saint Bridget and Saint John the Baptist parishes in Throop. In July 2010, Bishop Walsh was appointed to serve as pastor at the Church of Saint John, East Stroudsburg.

In January 2015, he was appointed Episcopal Vicar for Clergy by Bishop Joseph C. Bambera. While serving in that role, Bishop Walsh also served as Sacramental Minister for Our Lady of the Eucharist Parish, Pittston. In July 2020, he was appointed pastor at Saint Rose of Lima Parish, Carbondale, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Carbondale.

On December 21, 2021, the Diocese of Gaylord, Mich., announced that Bishop Walsh had been appointed by Pope Francis to serve as sixth bishop of the Diocese of Gaylord.

Sister Joseph Andrew Bogdanowicz, OP, is one of the four founders of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As vocations director, she lectures on topics related to religious life and theology, speaking at youth conferences, parishes, to university students, religious women, priests, and seminarians.

Sister has published in various Catholic journals and magazines as well as led retreats for high school and university students, parishes, religious priests and seminarians in the USA, Canada and Austria. She has appeared on television including EWTN, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and, more recently, NPR, CBS, and Fox & Friends to speak about the amazing success of the Community’s first CD, “Mater Eucharistiae.”

In her Community’s 20 years of existence, it has grown from 4 to over 130 members, with women coming from 30+ states in the USA as well as from Canada and Australia.

Father Heilman founded an apostolate for men’s faith formation called the Knights of Divine Mercy. Having focused his seminarian studies on spiritual direction, Father Heilman recognized a great need, early in his priesthood, to assist men in their roles as devout Catholic husbands and fathers. He is the author of the Church Militant Field Manual. He has also authored five other books, calling men to ”Special Forces Training for the Life of Christ.”

He has been a guest host on Relevant Radio’s “The Inner Life” for the past ten years. He is also the author of a faith formation website for men called, RomanCatholicMan.com (ranked 16th top Catholic blog in the world, by Feedspot). He is a leader, with Cardinal Burke, of the Catholic men’s movement, “The Holy League.” He is the creator of the “Combat Rosary,” based on the original WWI military issue rosary. Father Heilman is an avid user of new media for faith formation, finding his inspiration in St. Maximilian Kolbe who mastered the use of new media in his day.

Father Heilman is pastor of St. Mary’s in Pine Bluff, Wisconsin.

Born in Stockbridge Massachusetts, Brian Flynn is Catholic singer/songwriter that has a true heart for serving God with his musical gifts. A cradle Catholic, Brian has been involved in ministry since he was 22 years old and had a “reversion” back the Catholic faith. He then traveled throughout New England with the Capuchin Friars of the Primitive Observance providing dynamic music for Youth 2000 Eucharistic centered Youth Retreats.

Brian moved to Michigan in 1999, where he worked as the Director of Music at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Westphalia, MI for the past 15 years. In addition to leading music at St. Mary’s, Brian provides music for conferences, retreats and concerts throughout the United States, sometimes teaming up with one or more of his siblings, and his father, Vinny. A versatile musician, Brian also provides music for weddings and funerals.

Many of Brian’s songs have been featured on Catholic Radio stations across the United States. He has also been featured several times on EWTN. Brian really has a knack for weaving solid, Catholic teaching into his songs in a contemporary way that goes straight to the heart. Brian has been given a true gift from God to accompany his voice on many instruments, including the piano, guitar and organ. He also enjoys playing the tin whistle, accordion, drums, harmonica, and trumpet. Brian’s prayer is that, you, too will be led closer to Jesus through his gift of music. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!

Fr. Ken Geraci, CPM, lived the life of the prodigal son for most of his young adult life. Raised in a nominally Catholic family, who only lived the externals of the faith, Fr. Ken left the Catholic Church for many years. During that time he earned a business degree and worked as a business profession in Advanced R&D and software testing; a few years into his career he joined a few of his co-workers in establishing a $4.5 million Internet software company. Focused on money, fitness, and success, he made little room for God; but God did not give up on him. During this journey, God presented him with challenges that forced him to question his personal beliefs and the question “What is Truth?” Through a series of conversions, years of struggle, study and questioning, Fr. Ken found his way from agnosticism, to non-denominational Christianity, and ultimately back to the Catholic Church.

Fr. Ken joined the Fathers of Mercy in 2006 and was ordained in 2012. For two years, he served as an associate pastor of a medium sized parish and currently serves as a Missionary, webmaster and vocation director for the Fathers of Mercy. Fr. Ken has a great understanding of the personal and societal pressures that individuals face and knows what it is like to “hate coming to church.” His mission talks are for people of all levels of faith; from those who are madly in love with Jesus to those who struggle with church and religion.