Dr. Mary Amore is the Executive Director of Mayslake Ministries, based in Lombard, Illinois.  In her professional ministry, Mary is a highly sought-after presenter of missions, retreats, and workshops in the Diocese of Joliet and the Archdiocese of Chicago.  Dr. Amore holds a Doctor of Ministry Degree in Liturgy and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. She is a Cardinal Bernardin scholar and a distinguished member of the North America Academy of Liturgy. She is the author Primary Symbols of Worship and the Call to Participation, as well as numerous articles in the area of liturgical spirituality.  Prior to her role at Mayslake Ministries, Mary was the Director of Liturgy and Adult Faith Formation for St. Mary of Gostyn Catholic Church in Downers Grove, Illinois, where she served for fourteen years.  She resides in Downers Grove with her husband, and together they are the parents of two young adult children.

Lisa Bagladi is a Public Relations and Trade Marketing Associate at World Library Publications, based in Franklin Park, Illinois.  Her professional ministry in arts and spirituality combines dance and music as a pathway and practice for embodied transcendent prayer. Lisa's background includes dancing and teaching professionally for twenty years in the Chicago area. After receiving her college dance education from Western Michigan University, Lisa studied under renowned Chicago teachers including Larry Long of the Ruth Page Ballet Foundation, and Lou Conte, founder of the Hubbard Street Dance Company. She completed a certificate in pastoral ministry from the CALLED program in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Lisa resides in Barrington, Illinois, with her husband Tony and their four daughters.

Fr. Pat Brennan is a priest-in-residence at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Naperville, Illinois, assisting with the development of parish sacramental and formation programs.  He also works as the Director of Mission Integration and Pastoral Care at The Clare, a high rise senior community in Chicago. In addition, Fr. Pat teaches at Dominican University and Loyola University Chicago, and is the director of the National Center for Evangelization and Parish Renewal.  Fr. Pat is the former pastor of Holy Family Parish in Inverness. He holds doctorates in Pastoral Ministry and Psychology. For thirteen years, he was Director of the Office of Evangelization for the Archdiocese of Chicago. A highly-sought-after expert in the field of evangelization and church renewal, he has served as a consultant around the world, speaking at numerous conferences in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Great Britain, and Australia. Fr. Brennan is a psychotherapist and has authored more than 15 books, articles, and audio series, including The Mission Driven Parish, Re-Imaging the Parish, Spirituality for an Anxious Age, and The Way of Forgiveness. 

Andy Duran is the Executive Director of the Peacebuilders Initiative, a program of the Bernardin Center at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Before coming to Peacebuilders, Andy worked as the Youth Minister, and later the Director of Evangelization, at the Church of St. Mary in Lake Forest.  He also spent nearly 3 years as the Director of the Ministry for Persons with Disabilities for the Diocese of St. Augustine in Florida. Andy is passionate about advocating for social justice, and in 2004 he initiated his own Peace Project as the founder of Camp Hope, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports children and teenagers with developmental disabilities. Andy graduated in 2001 from Saint Leo University with a B.A. in Theology and a Minor in Special Education.  He is currently enrolled at Loyola University Chicago in the MSW/M.Div dual degree program. Andy lives in Lake Forest with his wife Lisa and his one-year-old daughter Emma Grace.

John Donahue Grossman is a gifted storyteller who inspires others with his passion for God and the Church. He has been in ministry for twenty-four years in a variety of roles including six years as a Parish Youth Minister, and nine years in Catholic Education as a Religion Department Chair and Director of Development. John is currently Director of Retreats at the Christian Brothers La Salle Manor Retreat Center in Plano and Director of Development for a non-profit ministry, Outside da Box. He is a highly sought after presenter, storyteller and retreat director. John resides in Campton Hills with his wife of twenty-three years, and they have three adult children.

Paul Jarzembowski is the Director of Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Joliet.  He also serves as the Executive Director of the National Catholic Young Adult Ministry Association (NCYAMA), a nationwide network and resource center for church ministry professionals serving young adults in their 20s and 30s.  Paul is an adjunct faculty member in the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University Chicago and has been a lay advisor to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, DC. 

Paul is an author, blogger, national consultant, motivational speaker, and film reviewer and columnist for Faith Catholic, a nationally-syndicated magazine service.  He received his undergraduate degree in marketing and theology from Valparaiso University in Indiana and his masters degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University Chicago. 

Sarah Jarzembowski is the Director of Youth Ministry at St. Mary Catholic Church in Mokena, Illinois, as well as a life coach, motivational speaker, young adult minister, and consultant on health and spirituality. She has worked in youth and young adult ministry for 11 years and has been a presenter at parishes, conferences, retreats, and training workshops around the Chicago area. Nationally, Sarah has spoken as a presenter at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), in the Archdiocese of Seattle and the Diocese of Ogdensburg, New York, at St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, and will speak this fall at the inaugural National Catholic Collegiate Conference (NCCC) in Indianapolis, Indiana.  She is a regional representative on the Leadership Council of the National Catholic Young Adult Ministry Association (NCYAMA), as well as an advocate for and coordinator of a national network of young adults working in professional ministry in the Catholic Church. Sarah is also completing coaching certification with the International Coaching Academy.

David Jones is the Director of Liturgy and Music, as well as the adult choir director, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Joliet, Illinois.  He works full-time as the music instructor at Joliet Central High School, where he also serves as the faculty moderator for the music solo and ensemble group, male chorus, and show choir. In 2010, David was selected by the NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet Committee to receive the NAACP Outstanding Image Award for his many years of dedicated teaching in Joliet.

John Lamparis is the Director of Religious Education and Junior High Youth Minister from St. Peter Parish in Geneva.  He has his bachelor's degree in Applied Behavior Sciences from National Louis University – and is a graduate and has been an instructor in the Diocese of Joliet Pastoral Leadership Program.  John is a certified catechist teaching junior high religious education for the past several years and is the co-founder of the men’s spirituality groups at St. Isidore Parish in Bloomingdale and St. Peter Parish in Geneva.  He is also the co-founder of “Camp Emmaus,” a men’s spirituality camp-out. John is the author and publisher of Fax of Life and He Is Always Near.  John is also a sought-after motivational speaker around the Chicagoland area, doing retreats and confirmation presentations as well as presentations for young adults and parish groups.  He is the proud father of eight children.

Andrew & Terri Lyke have been leaders in Christian marriage preparation, education and enrichment since 1982. They have nationally presented keynote addresses, workshops, retreats and seminars on marriage and family issues to church, community and business audiences, as well as writing articles for a variety of publications including Catholic News Services. The Lykes are founders of the Arusi Network, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that educates African Americans on the skills and benefits of Christian marriage. Together they served as advisors to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Marriage and Family. As the Coordinator of Marriage Ministry for the Archdiocese of Chicago, Andrew was the principle author of In the Spirit of Cana, the Marriage Ministry Guidelines for the Archdiocese of Chicago. Prior to assuming this position, he served as a campus minister at his alma mater, DePaul University. Andrew now serves as the Director of the Office for Black Catholics in the Archdiocese of Chicago. The two are parents of two married young adults and are parishioners at Sacred Heart Church in Joliet.

Fr. Josh Miller is the Parochial Vicar at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Naperville, Illinois.  He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Joliet in June 2010 after completing his studies at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois.  Prior to this Fr. Joseph received his undergraduate degree in English literature from the University of Illinois, where the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas inspired him to take a closer look at the priesthood as a vocation. 

Gregory F. Augustine Pierce is the president and co-publisher of ACTA Publications and is the author or editor of ten books, including Spirituality at Work: 10 Ways to Balance Your Life on the Job, The Mass is Never Ended: Rediscovering Our Mission to Transform the World, and The World As It Should Be.  He is a former president of the National Center for the Laity, a founder of Business Executives for Economic Justice, and a leader in United Power for Action and Justice. Pierce is a popular national speaker using his sense of humor regarding his own spiritual journey to delight and inspire audiences. Pierce graduated first in his class at Maryknoll College in 1969 and is the 2000 recipient of the Hillenbrand Award for the Archdiocese of Chicago. He resides in Chicago, Illinois, with his wife Kathy. They are the parents of three adult children.

Sr. Lisa Polega, SLW, works in the Peace & Social Justice Office for the Diocese of Joliet.  The office’s primary mission is to promote the gospel message of peace and justice. Sr. Lisa graduated from Elmhurst College in 1991 with a B.S. in geography and environmental planning and in business administration. After graduating, she worked for approximately 10 years as an environmental consultant. Since 2002, she has been involved in the social mission of the Church as a vowed member of the Sisters of the Living Word, an order of Catholic sisters. She has ministered with the poor in Chicago as well as in rural Mississippi. Sr. Lisa received the 2007 Small Business Administration’s Minority Business Champion award for Mississippi, for her work with the economically marginalized in rural parts of the state. She also holds a master’s degree in theology from Loyola University of Chicago.

Fr. Ed Shea, OFM, is a Franciscan friar, a dynamic speaker, and an amazing singer and storyteller.  He is currently on the faculty at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, where he graduated in 1987, and now serves as the faculty moderator for Catholics on Call, a young adult discernment program of CTU’s Bernardin Center.  Since his ordination, Fr. Ed has had a wide variety of experiences including formation director, educator, and has worked for fifteen years as a pastor in three different churches, including St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Joliet, Illinois. 

David Spesia is the Director of the Office for New Evangelization & Lay Formation and the Respect Life Office in the Diocese of Joliet.  He also coordinates the newly formed Cardinal Newman Institute for Lay Formation, an educational program for catechists, parish ministers, and any Catholic looking to deepen their relationship with Christ through the Church and by bringing the gospel in the world.  Prior to his role on staff at the diocese, David served as the principal at St. Joseph Catholic School in downtown Joliet, Illinois, and theology instructor at Joliet Catholic Academy.

Chris Strong is the Adult Faith Formation Coordinator at St. John the Baptist Parish in Winfield, Illinois. Chris received his Masters in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University Chicago in 2010 and is a member of the National Jesuit Honor Society. Chris is currently serving as the coordinator of the North DuPage Young Adult Ministry Network and serves on the Diocese of Joliet Young Adult Ministry Advisory Board representing the northern area of the diocese.

Fr. Tony Taschetta is the Pastor of Mary Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Elmhurst, Illinois.  Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Joliet in 1971, he has worked in a number of parish settings around the diocese for the past four decades of his priesthood.  He has also been a popular preacher, teacher, retreat master, and mission director around the Chicagoland area for forty years.  Fr. Tony is the author of several religious education programs and, as pastor of several parishes with minority populations, has been very active in peace and justice issues.  He has also directed “pilgrimages of peace” to the Holy Land with the Diocese of Joliet Peace & Social Justice Ministry, the Illinois Office for the Missions, Catholic Relief Services, and Catholic Charities USA.

Melissa Versetto is the Youth Minister at the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus in Joliet, Illinois.  She earned a bachelor’s degree in theology from the University of St. Francis in Joliet in 2008 and is currently working towards a certificate in Pastoral Ministry from St. Xavier University.  Melissa is also active with the leadership of the Summit Young Adult Ministry Network in Will County, Illinois.

2011 CALENDAR VIEW

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