Jim is the fifth oldest Wahlberg. Like his brothers Donnie and Mark, Jim recovered from his tough upbringing in the streets of Dorchester to become a producer, writer, and director of films. Jim is the executive director of the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, created to improve the quality of life for inner city youth through a working partnership with other youth organizations.

His recently published autobiography, The Big Hustle, tells how in prison he was befriended by a priest-chaplain, Fr. Jim Fratus, who had a major impact on his life. It was also while he was in prison that Mother Teresa visited and he heard her offer some “life-changing” words. He received the Sacrament of Confirmation while still an inmate, and began to learn and embrace the Catholic faith. Jim and his wife live in South Florida and have three children.

Just a few years ago, Christen Furka was a Wall Street lawyer and her twin sister, Natalie, was working in a hospital. Now with new names and a new calling, Sister Pia

Jude (Christen) and Sister Luca Benedict (Natalie) reflect on their journey, themselves surprised that their future would be a call to religious life. But, they say, God had a greater plan.

Christian, wife, mother, grassroots activist, author, speaker, Podcast host and a human rights advocate. President of Students for Life of America and Students for Life Action, she was recruited in 2006 to launch Students for Life of America’s full-time operation.

Immaculée Ilibagiza was born and raised in a small village in Rwanda, Africa. She enjoyed a peaceful childhood with her loving parents and three brothers. Education was very important in her household, so it was no surprise that she did well in school and went on to the National University of Rwanda to study electrical and mechanical engineering. It was while she was home from school on Easter break in 1994 that Immaculée's life was transformed forever.

On April 6 of that year, the Rwandan President’s plane was shot down over the capital city of Kigali. This assassination of the Hutu president sparked months of massacres of Tutsi tribe members throughout the country. Not even small, rural communities like Immaculée’s were spared from the house-by-house slaughtering of men, women and children. To protect his only daughter from rape and murder, Immaculée’s father told her to run to a local pastor’s house for protection. The pastor quickly sheltered Immaculée and seven other women in a hidden 3 x 4 foot bathroom. For the next 91 days, Immaculée and the other women huddled silently in this small room, while the genocide raged outside the home and throughout the country.

Mary Devlin Capizzi advises individual corporations and consortia clients on complex regulatory compliance, legislative, scientific and policy issues and engages with key regulatory agencies on their behalf. Clients in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, health, consumer goods and technology sectors rely on Mary to help advance their business goals and achieve regulatory compliance. She also is highly valued for her facilitation of cross-industry and industry-wide initiatives focused on collaborative technology development and data sharing. Mary is an authority on product quality, research and development, data privacy, security and strategy, supply chain management, and other policy and management issues.

James W. Keyes is known internationally as a business and social change agent. Currently spearheading several new tech initiatives, his career has included serving as Chief Executive of two Fortune 500 companies (Blockbuster Inc. and 7-Eleven), and creating a strategic consumer product collaboration with Walmart.

Passionate about aerospace and aviation, Keyes has been a pilot for 40 years. He frequently single-pilots Cessna Citations and other jets and is also certified to fly helicopters and floatplanes. He is a skilled sculptor, painter, musician and composer (he cowrote “Born Again America,” as performed by Shelley Laine). He enjoys playing a variety of sports, including baseball, golf, polo, tennis and skiing.

In 2005 the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans recognized Keyes with its Horatio Alger Award. Keyes currently resides in Dallas, Texas.

Jennifer Hubbard is the president and executive director of the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary, which she founded in memory of her daughter who died in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Hubbard is a national Catholic speaker and retreat leader and is frequently featured at Legatus gatherings. She also is an award-winning writer with Magnificat.

She has been a guest on a variety of national television shows, including Today, CBS News, and ABC News. She also has been featured on Catholic News Agency and is a monthly guest on Spirit Morning Radio in Omaha, Nebraska.

Hubbard earned her bachelor’s degree from Randolph Macon Women’s College. She is a member of the board of trustees at Fraser Woods Montessori School. She lives with her son in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.

Walter R. Bashaw II joined Coherent Corp. in 2018 and has been President of the company since 2019. Mr. Bashaw previously served as Vice President of Strategy. In this role, he was primarily responsible for the company’s M&A and integration work. Prior to joining Coherent, Mr. Bashaw was a senior partner at the law firm of Sherrard, German & Kelly in Pittsburgh, where his areas of expertise were corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, and technology planning. Mr. Bashaw has broad emerging-company experience and regularly works on complex corporate transactions with manufacturing, e-commerce, real estate, medical service providers, and high-tech companies.

Father Fred Jenga, C.S.C. President of Holy Cross Family Ministries. Father Fred Jenga is President of Holy Cross Family Ministries, (HCFM) founded by Venerable Patrick Peyton with the mission of nurturing the prayer life and spiritual well-being of families around the world in 17 countries. Father Fred, a native of Uganda, has multiple degrees including theology, philosophy, and a Doctorate in communications. He has been a teacher, researcher, author, and family-life minister. Father Fred is committed to helping build God’s masterpiece one family at a time.

Like Father Peyton, Father Fred has experienced firsthand the power of media in the work of evangelization through weekly radio programs on matters of faith, prayer and family life. As the Second Vatican Council pronounced “media as gifts from God” (Inter Mirifica, #2) Venerable Patrick Peyton, C.S.C. was a global pioneer in the use of media in the work of evangelization with his radio programs, television and films. Family Theater Productions, a media ministry of HCFM continues to produce high-quality remarkable stories enriching faith and unlocking hearts to God’s promises of love, hope and belonging.

PRAY: The Story of Patrick Peyton, is a short 70-minute film from Family Theater Productions that tells the remarkable life story of the Irish Rosary Priest who made famous the phrase “The Family That Prays Together Stays Together” to 28 million through Rosary rallies and media. By overcoming adversity at every turn through steadfast prayer and faith and with a disposition of gratitude for a miraculous healing, Father Peyton dedicated his priesthood to spreading devotion to the Blessed Mother’s most holy Rosary to families throughout the world. After the film, Father Fred Jenga will lead a brief conversation and Q & A with attendees.

Steve Blanco currently serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of MSA Safety, Inc., a global leader in the development of advanced safety products and solutions that help protect people and facility infrastructures. He was recently elected Chief Executive Officer, to be effective May 10, 2024. Blanco joined MSA in 2012 as Vice President of Global Operational Excellence. In 2017, he was named President of MSA Americas, responsible for the company's business in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. Under Mr. Blanco's leadership, from 2018 through 2022, revenue in the company's Americas segment grew by more than 40 percent.

During his tenure with the company, Mr. Blanco also helped oversee the acquisitions and integrations of Globe Manufacturing, Sierra Monitor and Bacharach. Most recently, he has served as the architect behind the MSA Business System, which is designed to make the company a best-in-class organization by driving a culture of continuous improvement across MSA – to innovate, improve and transform the company.

Father Mike Schmitz serves as the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Duluth and is the Chaplain for the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Under his leadership, the Duluth Newman Center has flourished, emphasizing the importance of the Sacraments, theological study, and knowledge of the Church. His dynamic and Spirit-filled guidance has allowed him to preach to thousands both locally and nationally.

He is widely known as the host of Bible in a Year and The Catechism in a Year, two highly popular podcasts produced by Ascension. In addition to these, he offers weekly homilies available on iTunes, Hallow, and BulldogCatholic.org. His engaging approach to faith has also been featured in numerous youth and young adult programs through Ascension Press, as well as in regular video messages on Ascension Presents.

Father Mike Schmitz has achieved remarkable success through his work in Catholic media. His podcast Bible in a Year reached the #1 spot in the U.S. podcast charts upon its release in January 2021, accumulating over a million downloads. It remained the #1 Religion & Spirituality podcast globally for a second consecutive year in 2022.

In March 2022, he was the keynote speaker at the March for Life Rally in Washington, D.C. In January 2023, his newest podcast, The Catechism in a Year, debuted at #1 on Apple Podcasts, while Bible in a Year remained in the top three.

Over the course of his ministry, Father Mike has authored several books, including:
— Bible in a Year Companion (Volumes 1-3);
— Pocket Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation;
— Made for Love: Same-Sex Attraction and the Catholic Church;
— How to Make Great Decisions;
— A World Undone;

His work continues to inspire and guide people in their faith journeys across the world.

His latest book, The Hidden Power of Silence in the Mass: A Guide for Encountering Christ in the Liturgy, explores both the profound mysteries and practical aspects of silence in the Mass. He outlines five movements of silence in the liturgy, drawing connections to the example of Mary in each chapter. Additionally, the book incorporates wisdom from St. Benedict and includes reflection questions and practical exercises, making it ideal for small group studies and parish discussions.

Father Boniface is also the author of The Fruit of Her Womb, a 33-day consecration to Jesus through Mary, published by Sophia Institute Press. This book offers a collection of Scripture readings and reflections from Popes and Saints to guide readers in entrusting themselves to Our Lady. A sample is available on his Marian Consecration page.

In Through the Heart of St. Joseph, he provides an opportunity for readers to deepen their relationship with St. Joseph. For those unfamiliar with St. Joseph, the book serves as an introduction to his life and virtues, while those who have made their Consecration to St. Joseph will find guidance for a more profound devotion.

Father Boniface co-authored Spiritual Direction: A Guide for Sharing the Father’s Love with Fr. Thomas Acklin, OSB, offering insights into the practice of spiritual direction. More details can be found in his blog article.

He and Father Thomas Acklin, OSB, also collaborated on the highly acclaimed book Personal Prayer: A Guide for Receiving the Father’s Love, which provides a deep and practical approach to cultivating a personal relationship with God through prayer.

Sister Mary Gabriel is a member of the Sisters of Life, a religious community dedicated to the protection and enhancement of the sacredness of human life. The Sisters are based out of New York and have missions in Connecticut; Washington, DC; Philadelphia; Denver, CO; and Toronto, Canada. Originally from Long Island, NY, Sister Mary Gabriel has been a member of the Sisters of Life since 1999. She has a passion for mentoring young women into the freedom found in Jesus Christ and has served as Vocations Director and Novice Director for her community.

Sister Mary Gabriel was Co-Chair of the of the inaugural 2016 GIVEN Forum and, together with her community, conceived of the idea to host a leadership forum for young women throughout the United States with the aim of helping them to “receive the gift they are, realize the gifts they’ve been given, and respond with the gift that only they can give.”

After working in youth ministry and high school education for a number of years, Katie began speaking full time in 2017, averaging over 100,000 miles a year traveling to speak at events for young people, parishes, parent groups, fundraisers, retreats, religious education conferences, and more.

Katie is the author of four books with Ave Maria Press. She began working with Ave Maria Press in 2019 to help create digital and audio content for Ave Explores, a multi-media project digging into various Catholic topics relevant to people who want to learn more and live their faith in a real, practical way. She hosts the Ave Explores podcast, a long-form interview style podcast that topics relevant topics each season. Katie also hosts Like a Mother, a podcast about the joys, struggles, and ins and outs of motherhood. Like a Mother is an OSV podcast production. Katie and her husband, Tommy, are the hosts of Family Mass Prep on Hallow, a weekly podcast for families to get ready to hear and pray with the Sunday Mass readings.

Katie regularly writes for Blessed is She, Our Sunday Visitor, Aleteia, and the Grotto Network. She appears as a Catholic commentator on CNN, and is a consultant for the USCCB working group on youth and young adult ministry. Katie is an op-ed columnist with La Croix International, a French Catholic newspaper distributed daily in print and online.

In March of 2021, Katie began hosting The Katie McGrady Show, a daily radio program on The Catholic Channel on Sirius XM 129 that talks about pop culture, current events, Catholic news, how to live a life of abundant joy, and introduces listeners to a variety of engaging, dynamic, and profoundly inspiring guests.

Katie makes her home in Lake Charles, LA with her husband, Tommy, and daughters, Rose and Clare.

Ward Fitzgerald is the CEO and founder of ExCorde Capital, a private equity firm specializing in real estate debt and equity markets. With decades of experience, Ward is a recognized leader known for innovation, strategic vision, and delivering value.

In 2006, he founded Exeter Property Group and grew it into one of the world’s largest real estate investment firms, managing over $30 billion in equity across 53 cities worldwide. The firm was acquired by EQT AB in 2021 for nearly $2 billion. Before Exeter, Ward was a senior executive at Rouse/Liberty Property Trust, where he led its IPO in 1994.

Ward’s expertise spans logistics, life sciences, multifamily, and cold storage. He brings a deeply integrated investment approach and a track record of top-ventile returns.

Beyond real estate, Ward is active in philanthropy. He is President of the Board of Trustees for The Papal Foundation and serves on the boards of The National Centre for Padre Pio & the Catholic Leadership Institute. He supports Jefferson University Hospital’s Neurology Institute, Project HOME, and other organizations serving those in need.

Ward earned his MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from the University of Notre Dame. He and his wife, Kathy, have three children building careers in mental health, real estate, and private equity.

Father Dave Pivonka, TOR, is a nationally known author and speaker. He also leads pilgrimages to some of the holiest sites in the world. He spends much of his time helping others come to know God’s love for them through preaching, writing, CDs, and other spiritual outreaches.

His books Include:
— Spiritual Freedom: God’s Life Changing Gift;
— Hiking the Camino: 500 Miles with Jesus;
— Encounter Jesus: From Discovery to Discipleship;
— Breath of God – Living a life led by the Holy Spirit;

In 2019, Fr. Pivonka was named President of Franciscan University of Steubenville and is actively involved in the highly successful summer conferences program.

Fr. Dave developed the ministry of “The Wild Goose” – a TV Series for EWTN and a “Sign of Contradiction” — a movie about St. Francis of Assisi which is now available for Community and Theater Screening and Pre-order.

Fr. Dave is a member of the Sacred Heart Province of Franciscan Friars of the Third Order Regular. He is presently the director of Franciscan Pathways, an evangelistic outreach of his Franciscan Community.

Dr. Scott Hahn was born in 1957, and has been married to Kimberly since 1979. He and Kimberly have six children (two of which are seminarians for the diocese of Steubenville) and eighteen grandchildren. An exceptionally popular speaker and teacher, Dr. Hahn has delivered numerous talks nationally and internationally on a wide variety of topics related to Scripture and the Catholic faith. His talks have been effective in helping thousands of Protestants and fallen away Catholics to (re)embrace the Catholic faith.

He has been awarded the Father Michael Scanlan, T.O.R., Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization at Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since 1990, and is the founder and president of the Saint Paul Center for Biblical Theology. From 2005 to 2011, Dr. Hahn held the Pope Benedict XVI Chair of Biblical Theology and Liturgical Proclamation at St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, Pa. From 2014 to 2015, he served as the McEssy Distinguished Visiting Professor of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization, University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, IL.

Dr. Hahn is also the bestselling author of numerous books including The Lamb’s Supper, Reasons to Believe, and Rome Sweet Home (co-authored with his wife, Kimberly). Some of his newest books are The First Society, The Fourth Cup, Romans: A Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture, The Creed, Evangelizing Catholics, Angels and Saints, and Joy to the World.

Kimberly Hahn has been married to Scott since 1979. They met at Grove City College, where Kimberly earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts, magna cum laude. While Scott studied to be a pastor, Kimberly earned a Master of Arts in Theological Studies at the same school, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, graduating in May 1982, magna cum laude. They have six children, three are married with nineteen grandchildren.

Kimberly became a Catholic at the Easter Vigil of 1990 in Joliet, Illinois, after a difficult struggle during the four years following Scott’s entrance into the Catholic Church. She completed a book with Scott on their journey into the Catholic Church entitled Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism, which has been translated into more than twenty languages, including Spanish, French, Czech, Polish, Chinese, Italian, German, and Dutch.

In addition to Rome Sweet Home, she co-authored a book on Catholic home education with Mary Hasson entitled, Catholic Education – Homeward Bound: A Guide to Home Schooling. Kimberly’s other books include Life-Giving Love: Embracing God’s Beautiful Design for Marriage, and a 4-part series on the Proverbs 31 woman: Chosen and Cherished; Graced and Gifted; Beloved and Blessed; and Legacy of Love. She has also contributed chapters to each of the four volumes of Catholic for a Reason, as well as The Gift of Femininity and The Fabric of Life.

Kimberly homeschooled her children for 26 years. When she retired, she wondered what to do with her free time. Kimberly has recently won a second term as Council-at-Large in Steubenville, OH.

Andrew Darcy is a Managing Director at Roberts & Ryan, Inc. Mr. Darcy’s experience is focused primarily on equity trading. Prior to joining Roberts & Ryan, Mr. Darcy was Managing Director & Head of Equity Trading at Drexel Hamilton, LLC, a veteran-owned investment bank, where he led the secondary equity trading department in all aspects of the business, including trading, corporate buybacks, TCA, client relationships, technology, operations, compliance, and business development. Before that, Mr. Darcy was a Managing Director of Equity Sales Trading at BTIG and Executive Director at Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC. Prior to Morgan Stanley, Mr. Darcy was Director of Institutional Equity Sales Trading at Citigroup Global Markets, Credit Suisse AG, and Merrill Lynch & Co. Mr. Darcy holds FINRA Series 7, 24, 55 & 63 licenses. Mr. Darcy was a Commissioned Officer in the United States Navy, serving as a member of SEAL Team Eight and SEAL Team Four.

He participated in Operation Desert Storm in the Red Sea and Operation Provide Comfort in Northern Iraq. Mr. Darcy earned a BS in Political Science from the United States Naval Academy and an MBA in Finance and International Business from Columbia Business School.

After graduating from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, with a degree in accounting, Paul Zucarelli moved to Tucson, Arizona, to work as a CPA. Two years later he entered the managed health field, where he enjoyed a successful career focused on provider¬-sponsored health plans. Paul has a keen interest in serving organizations that help disadvantaged children, and he has served on numerous healthcare and nonprofit boards.

Paul and his wife, Beth, are dedicating the remainder of their earthly days to help as many people as possible know God’s grace and saving love. Together they share their vibrant testimony of God’s miracles throughout the United States in personal presentations and speaking engagements.

Audrey Logan is thrilled to be returning to CATS this year! A recent graduate of Oklahoma City University with degrees in Musical Theatre and Vocal Performance, Audrey is passionate about merging music with faith and spreading light into the broken theatre industry.

Audrey has performed regionally as a guest artist with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Tulsa Symphony , and Lyric Theatre. She will return to OKC this summer to perform in the state production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!”.

As the founder of the Oklahoma City University Catholic Student Association, Audrey loves sharing her “College Survival Story” at Confirmation retreats across OKC and Pittsburgh.

Audrey is moving to NYC in the fall to enter more deeply into the hub of the theatre industry in order to experience the changing power of God in the lives of those she’ll encounter.

Dr. Miller graduated from the University of Oxford Medical School in 2015, and currently works as a medical doctor in the UK. As a researcher at the University of Oxford, he published over 30 academic papers in medicine, law, philosophy, and ethics. He also holds a Master's Degree with Distinction in Biblical Studies and has worked with over 70 countries to support their national pro-life movements.