Power & Witness

Guy Gruters is a retired Air Force Captain who was shot down twice in Vietnam. He was captured after his second crash and imprisoned for over five years as POW. He shares with us about that experience and how he overcame his hatred toward his captors through prayer and his relationship with God. He also shares about his spiritual life today and his daily practices.

Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse is the founder of the Ruth Institute, a global non-profit organization that defends the family at home and in the public square and equips others to do the same. She spoke with us about the effects and principles behind the sexual revolution, and what we can do to push back against it. She makes reasoned arguments about why there is a better way for the next generation in moving forward.

Hannah Brockhaus writes for Catholic News Agency / EWTN News from Rome covering the Vatican and Pope Francis.

Fr. Ubald Rugirangoga is a survivor of the Rwandan genocide while losing more than 80 of his family members and 45,000 of his parishioners in the killings. In the aftermath, Fr. Ubald experienced a renewed sense of purpose as a minister of reconciliation and a healing evangelist in his homeland and around the world. He offers 5 spiritual principles that can help those traumatized by the past to experience healing and peace in Christ.

Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman, are the Hollywood writers and producers behind God’s Not Dead and the film, Unplanned. Solomon and Konzelman are Catholics who believe the Lord is at work in Hollywood and modern technology is supporting a growing parallel industry of Christian film-making.

Jason Craig writes, works, and hosts on-farm retreats at St. Joseph’s Farm. He is also the co-founder of and VP of program for Fraternus, a leading apostolate for Catholic mentoring, and is Senior Contributor for Those Catholic Men. Craig holds a Masters in Theology from the Augustine Institute and is the author of a forthcoming book on rites of passage. He writes and speaks about Catholic mentoring, masculinity, culture, and only occasionally goes on a tear about his family inventing bourbon. All adventures are alongside his high-school sweetheart Katie and their five children.

Sister Margie Cheong has devoted herself to providing the best opportunities for education to the poor children of our world. Born on 1963 in Milyang-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, she found her vocation at an early age and eventually joined the Sisters of Mary when she was 22 years old. In 1991, Sr. Margie served as the local superior to our Girlstown in Chalco, Mexico for 17 years. In 2008, she became the director of the Sisters of Mary schools in Korea. Currently she is serving the Sisters of Mary in the Latin American community as a support for the Sisters' of Mary well-being.

Anna Carter is the co-founder of Eden Invitation, a movement celebrating personal integration and promoting solidarity beyond the LGBT+ paradigm. Through small groups, retreats, and online resources, Eden Invitation provides millennials with community and conversation focused on sexual identity. Anna’s tenacious faith in Jesus predated her own experience of same-sex desires. Her passion for catechesis and evangelization led her to the Franciscan University of Steubenville, NET Ministries, and the high school classroom. Anna now writes, speaks, and directs the work of Eden Invitation.

Fr. Donald Haggerty, a priest of the Archdiocese of New York currently serving at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, has been a Professor of Moral Theology at St. Joseph's Seminary in New York and Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Maryland. He has a long association as a spiritual director for Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity. He is the author of the books Contemplative Hunger and Contemplative Provocations.

Peter Wiberg talks to Fr. Mark about his apostate in Sweden, a country with a population of 10 million but where less than 1% attend Mass.

Kevin Cotter is the Executive Director of Programming at Amazing Parish. He previously served with FOCUS for 11 years as a missionary and Sr. Director of Curriculum. He’s the author of numerous FOCUS resources and five books, including Dating Detox with his wife Lisa and his newest release, Called: Becoming a Disciple in a Post-Christian World. He lives with his family in Denver, Colorado.

Fr. Brett Brannen is pastor of the Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Savannah, Georgia. Fr. Brett provides parish missions and retreats to seminarians, priests, and religious orders, appears on EWTN and has an audio series on how to discern a priestly vocation.

Power & Witness | Guest: Dr. Carrie Gress | 2/5/19 by Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word

Father Augustine Wetta, O.S.B. is a monk of Saint Louis Abbey and a teacher at the Saint Louis Priory School, where he also coaches rugby and serves as chaplain. He runs “Monk Camp” during the summers for the youth and recently wrote a book, "Humility Rules." He gave us this talk at an EWTN employee retreat. Father speaks about saints who were considered failures in life. It is liberating to hear how the saints did not live by the standards of this world. Very moving!

Fr. Thomas Acklin, OSB, is a Benedictine monk of St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. He earned an MA in philosophy at Duquesne University as well as an STD in theology and a PhD in religious studies at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium where he specialized in psychology of religion. He is a psychoanalyst as well as a spiritual director and has been a professor at St. Vincent Seminary where he also served as rector. This is a talk on prayer by Fr. Thomas Acklin.

Fr. Thomas Acklin, OSB, is a Benedictine monk of St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. He earned an MA in philosophy at Duquesne University as well as an STD in theology and a PhD in religious studies at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium where he specialized in psychology of religion. He is a psychoanalyst as well as a spiritual director and has been a professor at St. Vincent Seminary where he also served as rector. Father gave us our community retreat this year. This podcast is one of the conferences he gave us. It is the best talk on the cross that I have ever heard.

Leila Miller is an author, popular Catholic blogger, and a contributor to Catholic Answers Magazine Online. She has co-authored a book with Trent Horn, Made This Way: How to Prepare Kids to Face Today’s Tough Moral Issues. I spoke with her about the natural law approach to some of the moral issues today. As a woman and mother, she gives a needed perspective to issues facing the family today in a readily understandable way.

Fr. James E. McCurry, O.F.M. Conv., is Minister Provincial of St. Anthony Province of the Franciscan Friars Conventual in Ellicott City, Maryland. Also the Past President of the Mariological Society of America, and an appointee to the Pontifical International Marian Academy.

Father Gabriel Gillen, O.P. currently serves as the Director of the Rosary Shrine of Saint Jude which has over 80,000 members. He also serves as the Executive Director of the Dominican Friars Foundation, which provides support for the record number of friars with the Province of Saint Joseph. He is an auxiliary chaplain with the Knights of Malta. Father Gillen was recently asked to serve on one of the boards for the École Biblique, a center of biblical research and teaching in Jerusalem.

Fr. John Riccardo was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1996. Father talks to us about what has been effective in transforming his parish into a model for the new evangelization in new ministries and reaching people. Father also talks to us about the role his parents played in their witness to the faith (his father was also the CEO of Chrysler). We conclude with a discussion on Ephesians 5 and the Christian understanding of marriage.

Pete Burak is the Director of i.d.9:16. He is a 2010 graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, and has a Master’s in Theology from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, MI. Pete is a frequent speaker at numerous youth and young adult events, and he is the Camp Co-Director of Pine Hills Boys Camp. Pete and his wife Cait, have two daughters, Grace and Erin, and a new baby boy, Donovan. He talks to us about how to reach young adults today.

Fr. Romanus Cessario, O.P., completed doctoral studies at the University of Fribourg and continues to carry on research in psychology and moral theology. He is author of more than a hundred articles in theology and related fields and has published eighteen books mostly on the virtues and Christian ethics. Father Cessario teaches at St. John's Seminary in Brighton, Massachusetts, and is a Fellow of the Pontifical Academy of Saint Thomas Aquinas. He speaks to us about the encyclical, Veritatis splendor (Latin: The Splendor of the Truth), and how it relates to the errors of the day.

Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers is a powerful and passionate evangelist and preacher, whose no-nonsense approach to living and proclaiming the Catholic faith is sure to challenge and inspire those who hear him. He speaks to us about his ministry and outreach to men with a biblical view of masculinity.

Everett Fritz is a Catholic speaker and best-selling author. His most recent book is titled The Catholic Youth Ministry Problem. He is uniquely gifted in his work to restore the lost art of mentoring to the Catholic Church. Everett talks to us about youth ministry with a small groups approach.

Dr. Christopher Kaczor (rhymes with razor) is Professor of Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University and a member of the James Madison Society of Princeton University. He was appointed to the Pontifical Academy for Life of Vatican City and as a Consultor to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. We spoke about his book, The Seven Big Myths about the Catholic Church.

Fr. John Burns is a priest in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee who is studying for a doctorate in sacred theology at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. Ordained a priest in 2010, he has served as an associate pastor and pastor in the archdiocese, as well as an adjunct professor of moral theology at the Sacred Heart School Seminary and School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wisconsin. He spoke with us about forgiveness and the moral virtues.

Insights on how the Totus Tuus Summer Program evangelize parishes throughout the Wichita Diocese.

Insights on how the Totus Tuus Summer Program evangelize parishes throughout the Wichita Diocese.

A Harvard graduate, Rhodes Scholar, and devout Catholic tells you everything you need to know about keeping your faith at a modern university. Drawing on her recent experience, Aurora Griffin shares forty practical tips relating to academics, community, prayer, and service that helped her stay Catholic in college in her book, "How I stayed Catholic at Harvard." In this interview, we speak about her dissertation at Oxford about women and leadership in the Church.

Cristina Barba is President of The Culture Project, an initiative of Catholic young adults who serve as missionaries to teens and other young adults to speak and build community on issues of chastity, respect for life, and the complementarity of man and woman. Cristina is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University and the Emmanuel School of Mission in Rome. Cristina talks about the Culture Project and several issues facing youth today. She speaks about the importance of community, beauty, truth and goodness in evangelizing the culture. She also describes the chastity message that they deliver across the country.

Fr. Peter John Cameron, O.P. was ordained a Dominican priest in 1986. In addition to his work as Editor-in-Chief of Magnificat, taught homiletics at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, New York, and the artistic director of Blackfriars Repertory Theatre in New York City. He is the author of ten books and now works with Justin Fatica in Hard as Nails Ministry.

Justin is the founder and director of Hard as Nails ministry. The ministry assists schools, churches, and other organizations in their efforts to introduce people to Jesus, develop individual relationships with Jesus, and cultivate local communities. We had a wonderful discussion about his message to young people. He talks about the gift of the cross and suffering well. He also tells the story of meeting his wife and their journey to marriage. He also tells about how he prays.

Ken Yasinski is one of Canada’s most sought after Catholic speakers. He currently speaks regularly for parish missions, conferences, and retreats across Canada and internationally. Ken is the founder of Face to Face Ministries, a Lighthouse Catholic Media Speaker, author, and songwriter. Ken is also a busy husband currently residing in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada with his wife Janelle, and their three children. He talks to us about his conversion, his work, marriage and family life, and even taking care of ourselves through a balanced approach of diet and exercise.

Chris Stefanick, a consultant to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, is an internationally acclaimed author and speaker who has devoted his life to inspiring people to live a bold, contagious faith. Chris' live talks reach over 85,000 people per year. His videos and radio spots reach over one million people every month. His initiatives are turning the tide in the Church. Chris founded Real Life Catholic, a Denver-based nonprofit that operates as the headquarters for various initiatives. Chris is most proud to be the husband to wife Natalie and father to their six children. He tells us his conversion story and about his ministry of giving parish missions and Real Life Catholic. Chris also talks to us about his prayer life.

Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., was ordained in 1979 as a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a religious community dedicated to retreats and spiritual formation according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Having obtained his doctorate in 1983 from the Gregorian University, he has taught (St. John's Seminary, Brighton, MA; Our Lady of Grace Seminary Residence, Boston, MA), assisted in formation work, and served two terms as provincial in his own community. He has dedicated many years to an extensive international ministry of retreats, spiritual direction, and teaching about the spiritual life. He is a frequent speaker on EWTN, and his digitally recorded talks are utilized internationally. He currently holds the St. Ignatius Chair for Spiritual Formation at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver.

Dr. William A. Thomas is a Roman Catholic Theologian, Professor of Mariology at Newman College Ireland, and Director of the Pope St. John Paul II Institute of Marian Studies. Dr. Thomas studied metaphysics and philosophy in the United States before receiving his Doctorate in Sacred Theology (S.T.D.) from the University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome. He served as English Secretary to Bishop Van Lierde, OSA, the Vicar General of His Holiness Pope Saint John Paul II, in the Apostolic Palace. He is a custodian of the Sacred Relics of St. John Paul II, which accompany him.

Leslie Knopf, business director of Catholic CAST Media, airs podcasts that evangelize through beauty, witness, and education.

Damon West, motivational speaker and life coach, speaks out about the horrors of addiction and shares how he recovered by living in Christ and humbly serving others. A former college QB, recovering addict and ex-con, Damon inspires youth, college athletes, professional organizations and businesses to achieve their full potential.

Fr. Sean Kilcawley speaks about Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, human love and pornography addiction.

Father Augustine Wetta, O.S.B. is a monk of Saint Louis Abbey and a teacher at the Saint Louis Priory School, where he also coaches rugby and serves as chaplain. He runs “Monk Camp” during the summers for the youth and recently wrote a book, "Humility Rules."

Sr. Jane Dominic Laurel is a member of the St. Cecilia Congregation of Dominican Sisters. She received her S.T.B., S.T.L. and S.T.D. from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. She has been active in her religious community's teaching apostolate for over fifteen years and has assisted with the theological formation of the newest members of her religious congregation. In addition to contributing articles to a number of journals and magazines, including L'Osservatore Romano, Sister Jane Dominic has served as Spiritual Promoter for the Third Order Dominicans, and presented on topics related to theology, religious life, and marriage and family. Her main interest is systematic theology.

Denise Bossert has written a book on the mystery of the Visitation entitled Gifts of the Visitation. She speaks to Fr. Mark about how Mary is a model of evangelization in her visit to her cousin Elizabeth. After conceiving the Eternal Word, Mary is the Church in her very beginnings, where we see the essence of the Church and her first works.

Power & Witness | Guest: Michael O'Brien | 3/22/13 by Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word

Power & Witness | Guest: Jimmy Mitchell | 3/22/13 by Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word

Power & Witness | Guest: Sarah Swafford | 3/22/13 by Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word

Power & Witness | Guest: Fr. Scott Courtney | 3/22/13 by Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word

Power & Witness | Guest: Fr. Frederick Miller | 3/22/13 by Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word

Power & Witness | Guest: Fr. Andrew Apostoli, CFR | 3/22/13 by Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word

Natalia Fassano and Brittany Koepke’s mission, “Hearts Home,” promotes a culture of compassion around the world through a wide range of charitable efforts .

Rhonda Gruenewald is a full-time wife and mother of two teenagers and a convert to the faith. She is the president and founder of Vocation Ministry in the Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston and the author of Hundredfold: A Guide to Parish Vocation Ministry. Creating opportunities for the Holy Spirit to reach the hearts of the discerners is integral to this process and one of the overarching purposes of a Vocation Ministry. The ministry helps families understand the value and importance of vocations, ensuring a future generation of priests, nuns, sisters, brothers, and others who dedicate their lives to Christ.