Bishop Jeffrey Walsh (invited)
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.
Fr. Bill Casey, CPM
Father Bill Casey is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and a 1979 graduate of Temple University. After graduating from college, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army. Upon leaving the Army, he entered the Congregation of the Fathers of Mercy. He studied Philosophy at Christendom College and Theology at Holy Apostles Seminary and was ordained to the priesthood in 1991. From 1997-2009, Fr. Casey served as the Superior General of the Congregation. Father attributes his call to the priesthood to the Mercy of God, his love for the study of Sacred Scripture, and his strong devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Father Casey is a nationally renowned speaker and a frequent guest on EWTN.
Fr. Chris Alar, MIC
Father Chris Alar, MIC, entered the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, the religious community entrusted with spreading the message and devotion of Divine Mercy, as a postulant in July 2006. Prior to that time, he received a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Michigan. After working as an engineering manager at a large automotive supplier in Detroit, he began his own consulting firm in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2000.
Answering the Lord’s call, he attended Franciscan University of Steubenville, in Ohio, for his philosophy studies; Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C., for his theology studies; and he earned his Masters of Divinity degree from Holy Apostles Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut.
He wrote and produced the popular “Divine Mercy 101” DVD and the “Explaining the Faith” YouTube series. He is the author of the bestselling books After Suicide: There’s Hope for Them and for You and Understanding Divine Mercy, as well as his newest release, Understanding the Sacraments: God’s Grace Guaranteed. He is host of the EWTN show Living Divine Mercy, which airs on Thursdays, 10:00 p.m. EST.
From 2014-2024, he served as “Fr. Joseph, MIC,” the Director of the Association of Marian Helpers. In 2023 he was elected Provincial Superior of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception located in the United States, England, and Argentina.
Brian Flynn
Born in Stockbridge Massachusetts, Brian Flynn is Catholic singer/songwriter who 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 to the Catholic faith.
Brian moved to Michigan in 1999, where he has worked as the Director of Music, Religious Education, and youth ministry at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Westphalia. 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.
He also serves as Diocesan Director of Parish Youth Discipleship for the Diocese of Lansing.
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. We are thrilled to have him return to the Marian Conference to provide music for the liturgies for the weekend.