As a walk-on football player, you have to believe in yourself despite all else. Anthony walked on to the University of Notre Dame football team under Lou Holtz and in three years became a key contributor - playing on scholarship for the nationally ranked Fighting Irish. He'll tell us what it takes to have vision, sustained passion and how to carry out a dream.

Growing up in New Jersey, Anthony was a three sport athlete and National Honors Society President at prestigious Seton Hall Prep. Turning down scholarship offers from many of the former Division I-AA and Ivy League schools, he chose to ignore conventional advice and follow his heart by choosing Notre Dame. He played five years for the Irish, participated in three major Bowl Games and was two times chosen as the State Farm Student Athlete of the Week all while also earning a degree as a double major in American Studies and Computer Applications.

Since college, Anthony has spent most of his adult life in Hollywood as a producer, writer and actor. He owns a multi-media company, Designerland, with his wife, Jelena, specializing in content creation and social media marketing campaigns for both secular and religious organizations such as the Knights of Columbus. He also produces a variety of documentaries and films and was a co-executive producer on the 2019 filmUnplanned.

Anthony will speak on faith, football and having a vision for pursuing and achieving your dreams.

We are so excited to announce that successful entrepreneur and culture-building expert Jeff Schiefelbein will be our first Catholic Breakfast speaker for 2024 - 2025.

Jeff is traveling to Fresno from Dallas, Texas for our September 13th breakfast to share his long history of launching and leading businesses that use Catholic Social Teachings to achieve healthy growth and workplace excellence.

He is passionate about human formation, innovation, and motivational speaking and is the co-founder and managing partner for Undivided Life, a strategy and culture consulting firm. He is also the founder of several other organizations, including:

- CARPOOL at Texas A&M University - The nation’s largest college safe-ride program

- A leading energy advisory and brokerage firm throughout North America

Across his various startups, both nonprofit and for-profit, Jeff has numerous received accolades for culture, growth, innovation, volunteer service, and leadership. Most notably, Jeff received the National Points of Light Award in 2002 and the Texas A&M University Distinguished Young Alumni Award. His companies have also appeared dozens of times on prestigious lists like the INC 5000, Best Places to Work in America, Best Places to Work in Texas, Entrepreneur 360, and more.

Jeff earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Texas A&M University and has served on several nonprofit boards, including The Highlands School and The Catholic Foundation. He co-hosts a live Catholic radio show on the Guadalupe Radio Network, and a weekly podcast called the BeatiDUDES.

Jeff lives in Coppell, Texas, with his wife Amanda and their seven kids.

Our Friday, June 14th Catholic Breakfast Club speaker is traveling to Fresno from Temecula, California.

Dr. Phil Chavez utilizes his more than 25 years of ministry and study in his current work in men’s spirituality and development. He has earned several graduate degrees, and holds a doctorate from the University of the Holy Cross in Rome.

Dr. Chavez is the founder of The Men's Academy which advances teachings on Christian Patriarchy in order that men serve with a father’s heart: to lead strongly, to protect sacrificially, and to provide faithfully. The Men’s Academy helps men reach full development as Beloved Sons in Christ who encounter healing and purpose and gives men navigation to embrace their identity, fulfill their mission, and move in their journey with grit and confidence.

Knowing CP&BC's Catholic Breakfast Club includes many women, Dr. Chavez will explain how "Finished Men" succeed in Faith, work, family and all relationships - much to the benefit of women!

The Men’s Academy provides live training, online articles, podcasts and videos for high school and college males, as well as for fathers and older men who aspire to make a better impact in family, society, and Church.

Be sure to make your reservations early for our last breakfast before our summer break!

Our Friday, May 10th speaker will be Michael Danks-Ferguson. Mike has been a Catholic Educator for over forty years. Most of that time has been spent teaching religion and coaching cross country at three Catholic high schools in California. He finished his Masters of Divinity degree from the Franciscan School at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley in 1984.

At that time, he was a solemnly-professed Conventual Franciscan friar preparing for ordination. When he requested dispensation from his vows, he was teaching at Moreau Catholic High School in Hayward, California, where he taught from 1984 to 1990. Mike married his wife Martha in 1989 and a year later they moved to Fresno where they would start a family and Mike would go on to teach at San Joaquin Memorial High School for thirty-two years.

In 2021, with the assistance of a life coach (who is also his sister-in-law), Mike decided to retire from classroom teaching and begin a new ministry as a companion to men who are in the process of recovery at the Poverello House here in Fresno. Mike's talk will witness to the work God has been doing on him over the past 45 years of his life in Catholic ministry, education, and marriage. It will involve personal witness, a discussion of his developing spirituality, and an open invitation to support the work and ministry of Mike McGarvin’s wonderful gift to Fresno - the Poverello House.

Our Friday, April 12th breakfast speaker, referred to us by Steve Barr, president of The Society of Catholic Scientists, is Dr. Suzanne Bohlson.

Suzie is currently Professor of Teaching, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. She earned her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at the University of Notre Dame in 2001. As Director of both the Master of Science in Biotechnology and Master of Science in Biotechnology Management programs at UC Irvine, her research interests include biotechnology education, innate immunity, complement, and macrophage activation.

Sounds intimidating? It's not! Suzie's talk on Faith and Academia is filled with stories of her own conversion journey as well as experiences from notable scholars who argue that faith is supernatural, it is borne by grace as proposed by Cardinal Avery Dulles, SJ. and that rational thought alone cannot lead to assent. Suzie interweaves the nature of conversion from noted academics with her own experience in a style that is both easily accessible by lay Catholics and intellectually stimulating. You won't want to miss her talk!

Our Friday, March 8th breakfast speaker, Lisa Hendey, last spoke to our club on May 13, 2011 (almost 13 years ago!) and has since moved from Fresno to Southern California. Besides that, Lisa has kept very busy and we are delighted she agreed to drive back up to Fresno to update us on all she's been doing!

Lisa is the founder of the award-winning CatholicMom.com and is the bestselling author of multiple books for adults and children, including The Handbook for Catholic Moms, A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms, The Grace of Yes, I’m a Saint in the Making, and the Chime Travelers fiction series.

She travels internationally, giving workshops for adults and children. Selected as an Egan Journalism Fellow with Catholic Relief Services, Lisa has traveled, written, and spoken on behalf of CRS, Unbound, Cross Catholic Outreach, and other non-profit organizations to support their humanitarian missions in Rwanda, the Philippines, India, Tanzania, Kenya, the Dominican Republic, and Columbia.

Visit her online at http://www.lisahendey.com/

Our February 9th breakfast speaker, Jonna Schuster, is Co-Founder and Director of Catholic Revival Ministries, which she launched in 2019 with her husband, Jim. Together, they serve the Church by equipping Catholics to bring supernatural impact to all areas of life by partnering with the Holy Spirit in power and love. They have served a variety of parishes, ministries, and audiences world-wide, including Endow, Metanoia Catholic, Pray More Novenas, TAM NOVA, Awaken Kingdom , the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, CA, the Diocese of Peoria, IL, and the Diocese of Austin, TX.

Jonna graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in graphic design, and completed a masterís degree in moral theology at Christendom Graduate School. She spent 10 years as a full-time Director of Youth Ministry in the diocese of Arlington, VA, before which she served for two years as the first Campus Minister of Western Illinois University. She and Jim moved to California in 2018 and currently reside in Santa Clarita. In addition to her work at CRM , Jonna is also an adjunct professor of theology at John Paul the Great Catholic University in Escondido, CA. She believes everyone is called to greatness, and has a heart to see people come into the fullness of their identity and calling.

Jonna will be speaking about navigating important decisions and innovating new projects to problem-solving and caring for our loved ones, and how we do not have to rely on our human strength alone. As Catholics, she explains, we have received ìthe mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16)î and can turn to Him for insight and strategies regarding the issues we face today. In this presentation, Jonna will share stories and methods of how we can invite the Lord into our thought process, provide practical tools for discerning His guidance, and suggest ways of collaborating with Him in our everyday pursuits.

Back by popular demand, the Our Lady of Perpetual Help School Choir, under the direction of Melita Mudri-Zubacz, will perform traditional and sacred carols for us at our December 8th Christmas breakfast. Mrs. Zubacz earned dual master's degrees in Eastern Christian Studies and in Music from the University of Manitoba.

In addition to participating in school-related masses and concerts, this is the performing group that travels in order to represent OLPH’s school in the wider community, including the Blue Mass at St. John’s Cathedral, Right to Life Fundraising Dinners, as well as Disney Performing Arts Workshops.

This auditioned ensemble consists of students from the 4th through the 8th grades, who work exceptionally hard at their once-per-week rehearsals to prepare their advanced repertoire.

Come share the Joy of the Season with time planned for networking, humorous holiday icebreakers, and music by the wonderful young performers from Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Clovis - all designed to put us in the right frame of mind for this blessed time of year.

Invite your Catholic as well as non-Catholic co-workers to join us at the party as it is the ideal "meeting" to introduce them to what CP&BC is all about.

We wish everyone a very blessed Christmas!

The second oldest of twelve children, our November 10th breakfast speaker, Robert Renzi, believes in story and storytelling and that beauty can change the world whether it be on the big screen or in a room full of people.

Robert's passion grew as he found himself making his way to Hollywood and at the same time (after a short detour in his faith) experiencing a complete reversion back to the church. This love for acting and newfound love of Catholicism came to a head when he was cast as Jesus Christ in the upcoming feature film about Eucharistic miracles called 'The New Manna'.

Several years ago, Robert moved to LA to pursue his dream of being an actor with the grandiose confidence that many actors have…the dream of “making it big”.

As the years progressed and his career did not, his faith was exploding. He couldn't get enough of learning about it, studying it, and reading scripture. His heart was on fire, and his priorities began to shift from Saturday night fun with the boys to waking up early for Sunday Mass.

When COVID struck and everything was shutting down, his faith and trust in Jesus was growing. It was during this time that he was in search of a parish he could call home. After many prayers, God led him to a small church in the town of San Fernando called St. Vitus.

The story of how all this led to him being cast in the role of Jesus is a story about how God brings out the best in us - so much so that others see something within us that we often don't see in ourselves.

We hope you will join us to hear Robert's uplifting story about how everything in life, all the goodness and all the beauty that anyone sees is a direct result of the greatest love story known to man: Christ’s life, suffering, pain, and glorious resurrection.

Our October 13th breakfast speaker, Valerie Staples, is a cradle Catholic and native Southern Californian who felt very close to God in her childhood. But as a teen she began to take her faith for granted like so many of us do. At one point she was even a self-professed "cafeteria catholic".

This would all change when Valerie had her Catholic Faith challenged by a friend who was a self-proclaimed "fundamentalist" and "bible scholar". Not just Valerie, but she and her two sisters were each challenged by well-meaning friends who wanted them to leave the Catholic Church of their youth. It was during this time their father introduced them to the science of apologetics. It was then that Valerie fell in love with her Catholic faith all over again. And it would only be a few years later when Valerie would meet and marry one of the most famous modern catholic apologists in the United States, Tim Staples. The rest, as they say, is history!

Valerie has been a guest speaker with Magnificat, is a regular speaker with MOM's ministries in Southern California and is a full-time homeschooling mother of 7, one of whom is autistic! Valerie has a degree in Liberal Arts but is a student of philosophy and theology. She has been a facilitator with ENDOW (Education on the Nature and Dignity of Women) study groups and was the Director of Goretti Girls for six years (a San Diego based catholic fellowship ministry for teens). She is also a Director of Marketing with Legal Shield Services, and was Ambassador Secretary with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Orange County.

As anyone who knows Valerie would tell you, she has a passion for sharing her Catholic Faith. And when you join us on October 13th, you'll discover just how inspiring and contagious Valerie's passion truly is!

Our exciting September 8th breakfast speaker, John Johnson, is coming to us from Sacramento. John is a lay Catholic businessman and educator with a philosophy degree from St. Mary's College and a Master's degree in Theology from the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology where his work focused on the beatific epistemology of St. Thomas Aquinas.

John is a generalist. He serves on the executive boards of thriving companies he helped to found in four distinct sectors: education, technology, real estate, and food. Each serves to renew the culture through beauty.

John has been featured on EWTN, the History Channel, and the DIY Network (For completely different reasons). While running businesses he has concurrently served the church as a director of propaedeutic formation for seminarians, the director of youth and young adult ministry, and a catechist.

He is the Executive Director of the Albertus Magnus Institute, a nonprofit foundation offering online coursework in the great books, and the host of the Magnus Podcast.

Known for his treatment of St. John's Gospel, John has spoken at Catholic colleges, retreats, and events across the United States and internationally. He is happily married and father to six children.

Christopher Check is president of Catholic Answers - the largest lay-run Catholic apologetics and evangelization organization in the English-speaking world. He holds a degree in English Literature from Rice University.

Chris served as vice president of The Rockford Institute, a think-tank based in Rockford, Illinois, for nearly two decades. Before that, he served for seven years as a field artillery officer in the Marine Corps, attaining the rank of Captain while serving in deployments and expeditions in the Far East and the Persian Gulf.

He lectures on Church and military history and his writings have appeared in *Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture, Catholic Answers Magazine, Touchstone, The Wanderer, Angelus, New Oxford Review, Culture Wars,* and T*he Chicago Tribune.* Thomas Roeser, Program Chairman for Chicago Legatus says, "When you combine the magnificent historical research done by Chris Check together with his passion for the Church, you have a combination of excellence that is hard to match, much less surpass."

Chris and his wife, Jacqueline, have four sons. The Checks show and breed Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, famed companions of the Stuart kings, under the kennel name Top Meadow Cavaliers, named for G.K. Chesterton’s Beaconsfield estate.

From falling off of bridges and piers as a stunt actor in Hollywood to building bridges as a Catholic broadcaster, our May 12th breakfast speaker, Brenda Garcia, is most passionate about emphasizing the need of truly living out the commandments - especially by fulfilling the first two. Part of her mission includes living the Corporal Works of Mercy, in which instruction is one of her favorites as an orator. Brenda realizes that a lot of our problems today consist not only because of a lack of belief in Jesus, but also because people "bottle in" their emotions and sufferings all too often.

As a philanthropist with a Counselor/Psychologist background, Brenda focuses on the healing of the whole individual human being by emphasizing the importance of the Sacraments, God's Great Divine Mercy and the Salvific Grace of our Faith within the realms and dimensions that make us human and children of God.

Brenda's passion for "building bridges" (as opposed to falling off of them!) extends to mending relationships. She is fascinated by the idea of reviving the art of seeking and knowing as a means for transforming mainstream culture to The Way, The Truth and The Life through Truth, Goodness and Beauty.

Her love for storytelling and her experience as a professional Host and Emcee make her a dynamic speaker with a desire to inspire others to utilize (and discover) their own unique gifts for the glorification of God.

Our April 14th speaker, Chéri Ballinger, began her career in film after being discovered as a young girl and cast in the 1998 remake of the iconic Walt Disney classic "The Parent Trap:"

After suffering a severe traumatic brain injury that stopped everything and resulted in four+ years of recovery, she is now back to work in the industry as a film producer.

Cheri's story reminds us that every day of life is a beautiful gift, and that we all have the ability to overcome all odds against us with God's help. She is one of the executive producers of the recently released feature film "Roe v Wade;' starring Jon Voight, which has enjoyed tremendous press and critical acclaim.

She is currently working on several upcoming high-profile productions with the desire to have her name and talent associated with films that reflect her passion for life and storytelling. Her motto is: "Be the Light."

Our March 10th speaker will John Gerardi, who is an attorney, the Executive Director of Right to Life of Central California, and co-founder and CEO of the Obria Medical Clinics of Central California. He is the host of “The John Gerardi Show” and “Right to Life Radio,” both on Powertalk 96.7 KALZ in Fresno, and available on Apple Podcasts. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and Notre Dame Law School. John and his wife Holly live in Clovis with their five children, Madeleine, Sophia, John, Elizabeth, and James.

Many of you will remember John as our CP&BC president from September 2018 to October 2020. John’s faith makes him powerful “warrior” for unborn.

Please Note: Due to the scheduled remodeling of Pardini’s Banquet facility, CP&BC's March, and April breakfasts in 2023 will be held across the street at the Hotel Piccadilly’s Crown Room. Thank you for your understanding!

After winning election last June, John Zanoni was sworn in as Fresno County Sheriff on January 3rd, 2023, succeeding Margaret Mims, who had served as sheriff for 16 years.

Born and raised Catholic in Fresno, John attended San Joaquin Memorial High School and after graduation, Fresno State where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminology with a minor in Agricultural Business.

John began his career with the Fresno Sheriff’s Office as a 108 Reserve Deputy Sheriff in May of 1996. He was hired as a full time Deputy Sheriff in November of 1998.

During his career as a Deputy Sheriff he has worked in the Boating Enforcement Unit, Court Services, Detention Custody, Patrol, Uniformed Tactical Assignment, M.A.G.E.C (Multi Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium)

Detective, and the Search and Rescue Team.

John was promoted to Sheriff’s Sergeant in April of 2005 and worked Patrol, Supervised the Patrol Training Program and Civil Unit and also coordinated the Sheriff’s Explorer Program.

He was promoted to Sheriff’s Lieutenant in 2012 and worked Operations Support Services as a Watch Commander, and was Commander of the Human Resources Unit, Internal Affairs Unit, Concealed Weapons Permit and Background Units and was also involved with the Sheriff’s Office Recruitment Team.

John was promoted to Sheriff’s Captain on February 2, 2016. He served as the Operations Support Bureau Captain and as the Patrol Bureau Captain.

He was promoted to Assistant Sheriff in May of 2018 and was in charge of the Field Services Division.

John is married to Jennifer, and they have three children; Rose, John and Joseph.

Our Friday, December 9th breakfast will be our annual Christmas Party!! Once again, we'll welcome Our Lady of Perpetual Help School choir members under the direction of Melita Mudri-Zubacz and we'll also hear about Catholic Education in our Diocese from Superintendent for Catholic Education, Joan Bouchard. We invite all CP&BC members to bring your checkbooks for direct donations to both the OLPH student choir and the Office of Catholic Education.

Prior to becoming Superintendent, Joan served the Diocese of Fresno for the past 18 years as an educator, Elementary School Principal, High School Dean of Students, High School Vice-Principal and Assistant Superintendent.

She holds a Clear Multi Subject Credential with a Business Addendum, Master of Business Administration and Master of Arts in Education. When not at work, she enjoys taking long walks with her dog Callie, reading, and spending time hiking and kayaking with her three boys.

We look forward to seeing everyone for our last breakfast of 2022 - a celebration of the Christmas season with a focus on the children who will be entrusted with our families, faith and future.

Our exciting November 11th breakfast speaker, Joe Heschmeyer, is traveling to Fresno from Kansas City. (Thanks be to God for Southwest Airlines service to Fresno!)

Joe’s first foray into the world of public speaking came as a high school and college debater, skills which he honed as a law student and eventually, a litigator. His introduction to Catholic apologetics came with his blog Shameless Popery which he launched in 2009 to share the truth of Jesus Christ and his Catholic Church. In 2021, Joe joined *Catholic Answers* as a regular contributor.

Joe has a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., a philosophy degree from Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, and a theology degree from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome. He enjoys speaking (and debating) on a wide range of issues, including the papacy, the beliefs of the earliest Christians, the Eucharist and sacramental theology, and pro-life issues.

Based on his book, *Pope Peter*, Joe’s talk explores the biblical basis for the idea that St. Peter really was chosen by Jesus Christ as the first pope and why that truth means that everyone should be Catholic!

Joe lives in a suburb of Kansas City with his wife Anna and their children.

Our Friday, October 14th breakfast speaker will be Patricia Santy, M.D., O.P., who our members may recall served as the flight doctor for the crew of the ill-fated U.S. Space Shuttle Challenger mission.

Pat is now a lay Dominican who works in a healing prayer ministry and has written a wonderful book, *Prodigal Daughter: A Journey with Mary, in which she details how, through a series of dreams, she found her way back to God and Mary. She will have copies of her book available for purchase at our breakfast.

In her own words, Pat admits she was raised in a severely dysfunctional family and had swallowed the culture's lies about womanhood and motherhood. After she angrily rejected God and Mary, she set out to become a self-directed, self-made woman - an "anti-Mary."

Her marriage crumbled, she struggled with the burden of having an abortion, and she began to wonder if the God she had rejected might actually exist.

Eventually, Pat found healing, love and deep joy by passing through the "garden" of the rosary. In her book and in her talks, she speaks from her own experience about her amazing journey. She shares powerful arguments for the existence of God and for the rightful place of Mary in the believer's journey toward Him.

We look forward to you joining us for our October breakfast to hear from Pat, who but for the grace of God and through the intercession of Mary, would never have found either.

Our kick-off speaker for CP&BC Fresno's fall season is the dynamic Orlando Javien, Jr. coming to us from San Diego.

Orlando operates a bookkeeping business by day and is known as a storyteller who believes everyone has a story. In business, that story is your financial picture. The story tells if your company is making money or losing money and why. The problem with many small businesses is that they neglect to examine or actually write out their story.

When Orlando began his faith journey, his goal was actually not to be Catholic. Although born, raised and married in the Catholic Church his faith walk would begin at a Protestant Church.

Desiring to lead his family in the right path Orlando constantly prayed that God would open his wife’s eyes to the errors of the Catholic Church. What God did instead was open his eyes to what was right in the Catholic Church.

It was Orlando’s fervent prayer that God would light a fire upon his wife’s heart. What God did was tell him to stop blowing out her flames.

It was Orlando’s passionate desire to be used in the building of God’s Kingdom and God told him that would be done if he allowed it to be done in the Catholic Church.

Perplexed with that call upon his life, he took it to prayer and gained the wisdom to accept the call. Orlando is now an inspiring voice for the Catholic Church sharing his passion as an inspirational speaker.

Orlando talks openly about issues of faith and also shares his beautiful journey back to the Catholic Church. Orlando believes that by sharing his struggles and successes others can find freedom and faith beyond ordinary.

Tim Staples is Director of Apologetics and Evangelization at Catholic Answers, but he was not always Catholic. Tim was raised a Southern Baptist.

Although he fell away from the faith of his childhood, Tim came back to faith in Christ during his late teen years through the witness of Christian televangelists. Soon after, Tim joined the Marine Corps.

During his four-year tour, he became involved in ministry with various Assemblies of God communities. Immediately after his tour of duty, Tim enrolled in Jimmy Swaggart’s Bible College and became a youth minister in an Assembly of God community. During his final year in the Marines, however, Tim met a Marine who really knew his faith and challenged Tim to study Catholicism from Catholic and historical sources. That encounter sparked a two-year search for the truth. Tim was determined to prove Catholicism wrong, but he ended up studying his way to the last place he thought he would ever end up: the Catholic Church!

This much sought-after speaker is one you won’t want to miss!

Our May 13, 2022 speaker is Fr. Alex Chavez, pastor of Visalia's Good Shepherd Parish and called by Bishop Joseph V. Brennan to lead the parish in the completion of construction of the parish's new, 3,100 seat St. Charles Borromeo Church. The massive church is being built in a mission style architecture with the familiar cross-shaped floor plan, but utilizing modern design and building techniques necessary to build at a significantly larger scale.

Fortunately, before being ordained a priest, Fr. Alex studied Civil Engineering at Fresno State and worked nearly eight years as a Civil Engineer for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). During his career at Caltrans, he worked in three of their units: Construction, Project Management, and Design. Providentially, the last project he worked on before becoming a priest was the preliminary design work of the 6-mile stretch of Highway 101 in the City of Prunedale, where Highways 156 and 101 merge. This highway, as many of you know, roughly follows the same route as the El Camino Real, the original road traveled by Fr. Junipero Serra over 250 years ago between the original 9, then ultimately all 21 California missions.

Even as Fr. Alex was working as an engineer, he responded to our Lord’s call to follow Him as a priest and entered priestly formation in 2006. He attended St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, CA and was ordained a priest in 2012. and since then he has continued to be extremely honored, grateful, and joyful to have received and responded to our Lord’s invitation to serve him as an ordained priest.

His first priestly assignment was in Merced at Sacred Heart parish, which he refers to as his first love. Ten months after a need arose in Huron at Saint Francis Cabrini parish, he was sent there by Bishop Armando X. Ochoa. He served there for a year and three months until Bishop Armando assigned him to the beautiful City of Visalia.

In Visalia, Fr. Alex worked as associate pastor with Fr. Eric for two years at Good Shepherd Catholic Parish and then was asked by Bishop Armando to be rector of St. John’s Cathedral. He served there for three years. He was then asked by Bishop Brennan to return to Visalia as pastor of Good Shepherd Parish. Upon his return to Visalia, he said, "I've only been ordained for 8 yrs and my experiences have been beyond all my expectations. I praise God our Father for that. I return to you as your pastor with great enthusiasm and joy. I know the challenges ahead are monumental, but with God not insurmountable."

We look forward to seeing a great turn-out at our breakfast on May 13th when we'll hear so much more from this inspiring priest in our own diocese and all about the exciting progress toward opening the largest Catholic parish church in the United States. Bring a friend to hear all about this new mission church where, as the architect states, "the power of over three thousand Catholics coming together can give testimony to Christ’s love for us and emotionally move us as we share our Catholic faith."

John Martignoni, our April 8th speaker, is traveling to Fresno from Birmingham, Alabama. Born Catholic, but never learning the Faith growing up, John left the Church when he went off to college.

He earned a B.S. in Finance and then an M.B.A. from the University of Alabama and went to work in the defense industry as a cost analyst for several years before returning to school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - to get a Ph.D. in Finance.

He did not get that Ph.D., but came back to the Church at the end of his year in North Carolina. He was a “Cafeteria Catholic” for a couple of years until he heard Scott Hahn’s “Conversion Story” talk and starting delving deeply into apologetics.

John became Founder and President of Bible Christian Society- an apologetics and evangelization apostolate that reaches tens of thousands in all 50 states and more than 70 countries around the world with the truths of the Catholic Faith.

John’s methodology is so easy to learn and to apply, that people started calling what he does blue collar apologetics, and so he adopted that term. Which is why he called his recent book from EWTN Publishing: Blue Collar Apologetics: How to Explain and Defend Catholic Teaching Using Common Sense, Simple Logic, and the Bible.

Over the last 20+ years, John has given hundreds of talks at parishes and conferences throughout the United States and Canada.

Our March 11th, 2022 speaker is traveling to Fresno from Belleville, Illinois, just outside of St. Louis, Missouri. David L. Gray is a Catholic Theologian, Author, Speaker, Radio Host, and President and Publisher of Saint Dominic's Media. He is best known for his uncompromising proclamation of the Catholic Church's prohibition against Freemasonry, his passionate defense of life in the womb, and his inspiring lessons on how to live our lives in continuity with the Catholic liturgy of the Mass.

David spent his early adult years being comfortably Agnostic and conveniently Diest and progressing fast up the ranks of Freemasonry until 2004 when the suffering of losing it all became the consequence of a life without God. In the pit of that suffering he chose to commit suicide, and in the process of that despair, he heard an audible voice speak to him, saying, "I love you. I am here". The fact that he somehow knew it was the voice of Christ Jesus, whom he had believed was just the main protagonist and fictional character in a failed religion, is still a point of awe in his life today.

Since then, David has been on a path to draw nearer to the Lord who had mercy on him that day. That path has led him to the Catholic Church, a discernment of the priesthood that resulted in earning a Master of Arts Degree in Theology at Ohio Dominican University, teaching Catholic theology to high school students, the establishing of Saint Dominic's Media to produce books and media for the crusade of peace through truth, and speaking throughout the country in reparation of the harm done before his life in Christ - boldly calling men out of Freemasonry and out of sexual habits that lead to the destruction of life through abortion.

David and his wife Felicia are active in the Queen of Peace Catholic community on Scott Air Force Base. David's David L. Gray - Off Code and Unscripted is on YouTube and other platforms, and he is also an on-air radio personality for the Guadalupe Radio Network on The David L. Gray Show: Voicing Truth and Reason, which airs every Wednesday at 4 PM Central Time on 39 stations and at grnonline.com

Kicking off CP&BC's spring 2022 speaker lineup on Friday, February 11th is “The Candid Cajun," Billy Arcement, traveling to us all the way from Prairieville, Louisiana!

A cradle Catholic, Billy served as an Altar Boy from age five (Yes FIVE) through age thirteen. This fostered a love of the mass and his faith that is still burning brightly in his soul today.

A teacher by training, he taught and coached at a high school level for six years. Leaving the profession, he started a career as a chemist for a new chemical manufacturing facility. Within five years, he was promoted to a management position. For 28 years, he had oversight of product quality, global customer service, and safety and environmental regulatory compliance.

Since retiring from his former employer, he began his current speaking and consulting business.

Billy is the author of six books: “Searching for Success,” “The Journey,” “Leading Yourself, Leading Others,” “Leadership Skills and Strategies that Win,” “Become the Best Version of Yourself,” and “Creating a Climate of Respect and Building Relationships in Today’s Workplace Culture.”

We hope you will join us for this very special breakfast speaker in-person at Pardini’s on February 11th.

It’s time for our annual Christmas Party breakfast!

Now that we’re meeting again in-person, we can’t believe it was “way back” in 2018 when we last had the children’s choir from OLPH perform for us.

Under the direction of Melita Mudri-Zubacz, The Concert Choir at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School is an auditioned ensemble that prepares more advanced repertoire.

In addition to participating in school-related masses and concerts, this is the performing group that travels in order to represent OLPH’s school in the wider community, including the Blue Mass at St. John’s Cathedral, Right to Life Fundraising Dinners, as well as Disney Performing Arts Workshops.

The choir consists of students from the 4th through the 8th grades who work exceptionally hard at their once-per-week rehearsals.

We look forward to seeing everyone at Pardini’s on December 10th for this wonderful celebration of the blessed season of Christmas!

CP&BC's November 12th, 2021 in-person speaker is the dynamic Joelle Maryn. Joelle is an Actress, Speaker, and TV Host. With over 20 years of experience in public speaking and performing arts, Joelle shares her message of God's healing love, which has radiated hope and purpose in life to many around the world.

After losing her sister in a house fire as a child, Joelle Maryn experienced spiritual amnesia, losing her identity in the aftermath of the tragedy that shook her family to the core. Joelle went on to find worldly success, modeling for well-known brands such as Jergens, having a billboard in Times Square, appearing in independent films, and hosting ABC-5’s “Trend TV." She also developed a luxury line of anti-aging makeup that was featured on NBC and in Vanity fair. Despite all this, she realized her life was spiritually empty and joyless.

In 2012, Joelle had a miraculous encounter with Jesus and in His mercy, was given another chance to love and lead others to Him. The fire of God illuminated her true identity and enabled her to walk in the newfound power of knowing that she had a deeper purpose.

Joelle now shares her message of healing around the world, empowering others to walk with God to rediscover joy and purpose in their lives. Harnessing the power of media to evangelize, Joelle engages in faith-based, inspirational, and family-friendly films, TV shows, and other on-camera projects to lead others closer to Christ.

Joelle has appeared on several international podcasts, radio, and TV shows, including "Life on The Rock" on EWTN. She is the host of the TV show "Beyond the Vision," which features faith-based films. Joelle also recently produced, co-wrote, and starred in the film "Fully Known," which is about identity in Christ, and is currently nominated for several awards.

In 2012, Joelle had a miraculous encounter with Jesus and in His mercy, was given another chance to love and lead others to Him. The fire of God illuminated her true identity and enabled her to walk in the newfound power of knowing that she had a deeper purpose.

Joelle now shares her message of healing around the world, empowering others to walk with God to rediscover joy and purpose in their lives. Harnessing the power of media to evangelize, Joelle engages in faith-based, inspirational, and family-friendly films, TV shows, and other on-camera projects to lead others closer to Christ.

Joelle has appeared on several international podcasts, radio, and TV shows, including "Life on The Rock" on EWTN. She is the host of the TV show "Beyond the Vision," which features faith-based films. Joelle also recently produced, co-wrote, and starred in the film "Fully Known," which is about identity in Christ, and is currently nominated for several awards.

Lisa A. Smittcamp was elected Fresno County District Attorney in June 2014 with the overwhelming support of local law enforcement and the prosecutors and investigators in her office. She was sworn into office in January 2015, after being a respected fixture in the Central Valley’s legal community for over twenty years.

She is the second female elected as District Attorney in Fresno County. She joined the office as a Deputy DA in 2001 after a successful four-year tenure in Madera County and one year in civil practice.

Because of the passion she has for bringing justice to victims, Lisa is known for being a strong advocate against the violence of women and children and has been a leader in educating the community about the importance of awareness to prevent these crimes.

During her tenure as District Attorney, Lisa has brought new structure, increased productivity and renewed morale to the office. Under her leadership, the District Attorney’s Office was able to add staffing to support the Court in beginning a Veteran’s Treatment Court to better assist justice that involves Veterans in their rehabilitation.

Many additional units have been added since 2015, including Major Fraud, Animal Cruelty, Post – Prop 47 drug court and a Violent Crime Unit.

Additionally, Lisa developed the Public Integrity Unit and assigned a full-time prosecutor and one full time DA Investigator to ensure that Fresno County is free from political corruption.

She also serves her community as a member of the Board of Directors of the Marjaree Mason Center, member of the Board of Trustees of San Joaquin College of Law, member of Valley Children’s Medical Group Board of Trustees and a member of the Rotary Club of Fresno.

Mrs. Smittcamp is married with two children and resides in Fresno County.

To kick-off our exciting 2021/22 in-person Catholic Speaker line-up, Hugh will be traveling to Fresno from Seattle, Washington to join us for breakfast at Pardini’s on Friday, September 10th at 7:15am.

Love Deeply, Learn Daily, and Live In Holy Boldness

Embedded in the Catholic faith is the promise of an extravagant love, unconditional mercy, and an intimacy with Jesus that creates a new heaven on earth.

Most Catholics know of these promises, but all too often live their lives based on fear. Not because the promises are untrue, but because the audacity of the promises leave them feeling unworthy of a love of such magnitude.

Hugh is a serial entrepreneur and doesn’t shy away from reinventing himself. After eleven years as the CEO of his own financial consulting firm, Hugh reinvented himself when he was recruited to join renowned business author Tom Peters as a senior level consultant with The Tom Peters Company. After traveling to three continents, working in seven countries and forty-three states, Hugh left to become the youngest partner and consultant in the venerable consulting firm, the Effectiveness Institute. After seven years, Hugh recognized that it was time to reinvent himself again and started Claris Consulting.

Hugh left the church at age 23 and replaced his Catholic faith with a devotion to eastern mysticism and business success.

Through Ignatian Spirituality, Hugh found his way back not only to the church, but also to the reality that his greatest fears were the jumping off point for God’s promises and that fear had reduced his experience of love and joy as well as his business success by millions of dollars.

Hugh is the author of 7 Principles of Transformational Leadership: Create a Mindset of Passion, Innovation and Growth, and Mastering The Leadership Mindset. He has published over 425 articles and videos on leadership, influence and leadership communication. He is a Leadership Challenge Master Certified Facilitator, an Advanced Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coach, and a graduate of the Million Dollar Consulting College.

He is happily married to Alyson and they are parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Burien Washington. They are members of the Seattle Chapter of Legatus, and Hugh has facilitated Ignatian Spirituality classes at his parish for five years.

Our final speaker before our summer break will be Zooming in to our June 11th breakfast meeting from his home in Toledo, Ohio. At the age of eight, Bug Hall went from living in a one room duplex with his mother, step-father, and three siblings to starring as Alfalfa in Steven Spielberg's THE LITTLE RASCALS. From a rundown Fort Worth suburb to the neon lights of Hollywood. From a school playground to A-list parties and fame, where who you are is what you are, truth is relative, and the only rule is "don't let the paparazzi find out". A chance meeting with an exorcist would begin Bug's long road to the Truth... Incarnate.

Beginning with the idea that hitting his mark was Bug’s main job for nearly 30 years and how that relates to the classical definition of sin as “missing the mark”, Bug makes the point that God uses the events of our lives to prepare our hearts for Himself. 

For his talk with CP&BC, he will touch briefly on his experience growing up in Hollywood, his initial conversion to the Catholic faith and how he spent years trying to reconcile his new faith with his career. Unable to do that in the current climate within the entertainment industry, Bug finally decided to give up his success and leave Hollywood to pursue a life of simplicity, because the only real success in this life is a life well lived with Christ at its absolute center.

Bug spent his childhood making movies and T.V. shows for every major studio and network. During that time, he experienced continued abuse by various predators in Hollywood. In his pre-teens he fell into the use of alcohol and drugs as a means of escape, but after the death of a close friend in his early twenties, Bug decided to get sober. After his sobriety he continued to work as an actor, while also focusing on writing. His scripts were picked up for development by major studios, but the development process on one particular project led to a chance encounter with a Catholic priest… who also happened to be an exorcist. A contentious conversation about human nature, objective truth, and the existence of God quickly became a moment of extraordinary grace. Bug converted to Catholicism that very night.

After nearly 30 years in the entertainment industry starring in more than 50 T.V. shows and films, Bug quit his company and asked to be released from his Netflix show. He saw clearly that running the Hollywood rat race was just another wide gate and crooked path. He left Hollywood to follow Christ's example of simplicity and live an authentically Catholic life, so as to run the only race that matters… and enter the narrow gate of salvation.

We hope you will join us live at this inspiring meeting! If you can't make it, send an email to [email protected] and we'll send you a link so you may watch the presentation at any time that works with your schedule. Please note: This is a benefit for current members only and the link will expire after 30 days.

Ms. Cheryl Sarkisian, was appointed Chancellor of the Diocese of Fresno on May 19, 2020. In addition to her duties as Chancellor, she will continue to serve as the Victim Assistance Coordinator, a position she has held since July 1, 2012. With a strong desire and commitment to serving in pastoral ministry, education has been a constant thread woven throughout her professional, personal and spiritual life for over 40 years. 

  Ms. Sarkisian, has over 25 years’ experience serving as a catechist to children, youth, and teens, leading over 10 years of adult bible study, and for the past 10 years journeying with adult inquirers seeking to learn more about the Roman Catholic Church faith. Upon graduation from the New Wine, an adult lay formation program in 2007, Cheryl was hired as Director of Religious Education at her parish and with certification as a Master Catechist she continued her commitment to accompanying others in their faith formation through religious education and training. 

Her employment at the Pastoral Center began in 2012 as the Safe Environment Coordinator and the Victim Assistant Coordinator. In 2014, Cheryl was asked to serve as the Executive Assistant to the Vicar General in addition to serving as the Victim Assistant Coordinator. 

  Ms. Sarkisian has a Bachelor of Science, Nursing degree from CSU, Fresno and worked for over 10 years in nursing and health education at Leon S. Peter’s Rehabilitation Center at Fresno Community Hospital, Fresno County Department of Public Health, Valley Children’s Hospital and Clovis Adult School. She is the mother of 5 adult children.  

We hope you will join us live at this inspiring meeting! If you can't make it, send an email to [email protected] and we'll send you a link so you may watch the presentation at any time that works with your schedule. Please note: This is a benefit for current members only and the link will expire after 30 days.

Our Friday, April 9th Zoom breakfast speaker, Chris Faddis, will be joining us from his home in Phoenix, Arizona.

Chris is co-founder and President of Solidarity HealthShare, a national not-for-profit ministry that provides an alternative way to fund health care costs while protecting and practicing Catholic beliefs. He is also the author of It is Well – Life in the Storm - a book that chronicles the inspirational journey he shared with his late wife, Angela as she battled cancer. Today, Chris is married to Jennifer and they have five children; Gianna, Augustine, Maximilian, Zelie, and Francesca.

On Easter Sunday 2011, Chris’s late wife, Angela was admitted to the hospital after an emergency room visit revealed a large mass in her colon and multiple masses in her liver. The diagnosis was stage IV metastatic colon cancer, with no chance at a cure.

Upon doctors informing the couple of the news, Angela’s words to Chris were, “Jesus still rose, so we will trust.” This statement became the couple’s mission as they strived to trust in Christ and prayed for healing. A friend set up a support page on Facebook, and the couple shared their journey with thousands.

Chris remarked early on that he felt God would use this journey for His glory. Angela also knew God sought to purify her through this journey. Both of those things happened as thousands watched online as they walked this painful road. Angela was indeed purified and she “surrendered with joy” to God’s will, even though that meant death. God was glorified as many were drawn closer to Christ through the couple’s journey.

During their journey, the couple realized that they were meant to write a book to tell their story - a story of trust. After Angela passed away, Chris continued writing and the self-published book, It is Well – Life in the Storm was released on October 1, 2013. To date, nearly 10,000 copies have been sold and audiences around the country have been inspired by Angela’s faithful journey.

Solidarity HealthShare was born out of Chris's frustration with the healthcare system and has experienced tremendous growth since opening to the public in 2016. Solidarity’s goal is to help its members pay for affordable healthcare by sharing each other’s eligible medical expenses while staying true to the moral teaching of the Catholic Church and protecting the sanctity of all human life.

We hope you will join us live at this inspiring meeting! If you can't make it, send an email to [email protected] and we'll send you a link so you may watch the presentation at any time that works with your schedule. Please note: This is a benefit for current members only and the link will expire after 30 days.

Nuns4Fun Entertainment was created by Chicago playwright and producer Vicki Quade, who has performed live for us before at CP&BC. Vicki will be our Friday, March 12th Zoom Breakfast speaker and will present an original Easter-themed morning of fun. 

Nuns4Fun specializes in producing one woman religious comedies, including: Late Nite Catechism, Put the Nuns in Charge!, Sunday School Cinema, Saints & Sinners and Mother Superior’s Ho-Ho-Holy Night! The company also produces a hilarious Bingo-themed series and Christmas-themed interactive performances.

Even though they have been sadly shuttered during COVID-19, Nuns4Fun comedies have a home in Chicago at the Royal George Theatre. Vicki is looking forward to the day when the theater will re-open to audiences and the company will be able to resume their tours, school and church fundraising, and corporate events. 

It’s important to note that Nuns4Fun gives back to real sisters who did so much for all of us and wants to encourage us to support the various religious orders with our own donations. Many of these women do not receive diocesan, social security or any other governmental support.

We look forward to a great CP&BC turn-out for this outstanding Zoom program and some much-needed comic relief! 

We hope you will join us live at this inspiring meeting! If you can't make it, send an email to [email protected] and we'll send you a link so you may watch the presentation at any time that works with your schedule. Please note: This is a benefit for current members only and the link will expire after 30 days.

Our Friday, February 12th speaker, Joseph Warren, will be Zooming into our 8am meeting from Tampa, Florida. Members who RSVP will be sent a unique Zoom Meeting ID and Password prior to the event.

People see Christians as hypocrites”, says the host of the Broken Catholic podcast (which rose to #1 on iTunes for Protestants AND Catholics!) and now Your First $100k Show.

Joseph Warren has interviewed the country's Top Christian influencers about what God is doing in their lives and brings clarity to practical topics that millions of business people struggle with. Listeners in over 100 countries have been inspired by Joseph's uncommon enthusiasm and joy for life, and are shocked by his unique ability to build bridges (not walls) across all Christian denominations and businesses.

19 year old “broken catholic” makes $2M and then loses it all…

Raised by a single mother on welfare, Joseph Warren dreaded their weekly trips to the supermarket and hung his head in shame as they paid for the family's groceries with Food Stamps. He made a commitment to himself that when he became a man, his life would be different...he would be happy, healthy & wealthy.

Joseph Warren started his first multi-million dollar business at age 19 and wasted away his 20's trying to find happiness through money, success and pleasure. HE MADE MILLIONS --- but then lost it all, and considered taking his own life.

The pursuit of society's definition of success and happiness led to a moment of surrender and conversion in Joseph's life. Today, having triumphed through multiple failed businesses and broken relationships, he shows Little Control Freaks™ (like himself) how to finally rely on God, not SELF.

We hope you will join us live at this inspiring meeting! If you can't make it, send an email to [email protected] and we'll send you a link so you may watch the presentation at any time that works with your schedule. Please note: This is a benefit for current members only and the link will expire after 30 days.

CP&BC’s December 11, 2020 member breakfast meeting via Zoom will be our annual Christmas Party!

Please feel free to invite a friend to attend by sharing their email address with us so we may send them our secure meeting ID and password just prior to the meeting.

Bill Thornbury, retired musical director for St. Helen’s Catholic school will return to us with a solo musical treat from his home in Shaver Lake. Spared from the ravages of the Creek Fire, Bill’s home stands as a symbol of survival in the midst of a raging inferno. What an inspiration as a tumultuous 2020 draws to a close!

Bill will share his vocal and instrumental talents with a selection of sacred and uplifting renditions of familiar holiday tunes - setting the stage for our celebration of the birth of our Savior.

Also at our virtual party, be prepared to play our Christmas trivia game where you'll have a chance to win some generously-donated prizes.

CP&BC's charity of choice this Christmas season is Poverello House, which is especially in need of our support at this time of year.

Our Friday, November 13th meeting speaker, Duane Roberts, will be joining us on Zoom from Irving, Texas.

Have you ever wondered about Catholic investing? Did you know there is such a thing? If you own stock through your retirement, savings or other plan, do you really know what you own? Duane will be speaking to us about how we are called to practice our values through our investments.

Duane, a devout Catholic, joined Dana Investment Advisors in 1999 and is currently Director of Equities and Lead Portfolio Manager for the Catholic Values Strategy. The  Dana Catholic ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) Equity Strategy incorporates USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) guidelines in the ESG screening process and is made up of 50 to 55 high-quality ESG Companies.

Duane graduated from Rice University with a BS degree in Electrical Engineering and Mathematics in 1980. He earned an MS in Statistics from Stanford University in 1981 and an MBA in Finance from Southern Methodist University in 1999.

Duane is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) charter-holder and a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Dallas-Fort Worth. He is a member of Social Venture Partners Dallas and serves on the investment committees for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas, Cistercian Abbey and Preparatory School.

Our October 9th speaker, Kendra Von Esh, will be Zooming into our 8am meeting from Chicago, Illinois.

Kendra is a former Corporate Executive who thought she had it all —money, prestige, power, and was caught up in the "me" culture. She devoured all the pleasures this world had to offer but nothing satisfied her desire to "Find Something More." Her life was filled with stress, anxiety and thoughts of never being good enough. She had bought into the lie that life is not supposed to be peaceful and loving, but stressful and difficult. Her attitude was to party hard because life is short.

Kendra was a confirmed Catholic – but learned nothing about the Faith. She only went to Mass on Christmas and Easter as a child. Her family never spoke about religion or God and the world raised her. When she moved out on her own she wasn’t going to church of any kind for decades. 

Then God found her on Easter in 2013, flipped her reality upside down and transformed her life.

Kendra's transformation was so miraculous that she left her Executive Career to inspire others deepen their relationship with God as a Catholic Speaker, Radio Host, Author, Podcaster, Social Media personality and YouTuber.

Today, she speaks about how her relationship with God, the supernatural sacramental graces of the Faith and gifts of the Holy Spirit have changed everything in her life. She brings people hope as she speaks about her entire journey and the miracles from God that impact Priests/Clergy, Women, Men, Young Adults and Business Leaders alike.

Kendra has been featured on Shalom World TV, Radio Maria, EWTN, Relevant Radio, Living Bread Network, Catholic Vitamins, Breadbox Media, Young Catholics Respond, Catholic Marketing Network and Bear Wozniak Adventures - just to name a few.

Thanks to you, our generous renewing members, CP&BC’s kick-off speaker for our 2020/2021 online Zoom breakfast meetings is Elvis Grbac!

Football fans will remember Elvis as an NFL quarterback who won recognition starting with a record-setting college career playing for the University of Michigan where he won four Big Ten titles and led the Wolverines to a Gator Bowl victory in 1991 and three Rose Bowls. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers and went on to play 9 seasons in the NFL.

Throughout his career, he has received many accolades including an AFC West title, Pro Bowl appearance and Super Bowl XXIX Championship.

Now, as a Catholic motivational speaker, Elvis is excited to share his life story and continue “coaching” beyond football. He has become very involved in the Catholic community in Northeast Ohio, where he serves on the pastoral council at the Church of the Holy Angels in Chagrin Falls and is involved in teaching Youth Catechesis.

Elvis speaks openly about his American dream, the challenges he’s faced along the way and how he overcame them through faith, hard work and perseverance. Elvis is also currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Theology at St. Mary’s Seminary.

He will be speaking via Zoom exclusively to our club on Faith, Family and Football in addition to the Power of Discipline. Current CP&BC Fresno members will be emailed the Zoom meeting ID and password once we receive your RSVP.

We look forward to “seeing” you on Friday morning, September 11th, at 8am. Please note that our Zoom meetings are currently limited to 100 participants without CP&BC incurring additional cost. Please RSVP early to ensure your “seat.”

Our Friday, June 12th speaker, Rebecca Kiessling, will be connecting to our Zoom meeting from her home in Detroit, Michigan. Rebecca has been a pro-life speaker since 1995 and has shared her powerful testimony throughout the world.

Having been conceived in rape, nearly aborted, then placed for adoption, Rebecca became an attorney and has dedicated her life to defending others who are also at risk of being aborted.

Raised in a Jewish home, Rebecca first came to know Christ while in high school, fell away, then was called back while in law school, completing the RCIA. She was baptized, received her first Holy Communion and Confirmation at Easter Vigil in 1994.

Heritage House '76 published Rebecca's story in their popular pamphlet Conceived n Rape: A Story of Hope. She has appeared on EWTN and has been interviewed on Relevant Radio numerous times. She appeared in The 40 Film, the Citizens United film The Gift of Life With Governor Mike Huckabee and several other pro-life documentaries.

Rebecca changed the heart of Gov. Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich during their presidential campaigns and has been politically influential both nationally and internationally.

Her speaking experience includes Pregnancy Resource Center fundraisers, Right to Life events, Respect Life events, Catholic High Schools, universities, attorney conferences and women's events. Rebecca is also the president and founder of Save The 1 - a global pro-life network of nearly 1000 mothers who became pregnant by rape and other women who have faced challenging pre-natal diagnoses.

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Luke began writing songs at the age of sixteen and composed all of the music on his debut album, “Be Still,” before he graduated from high school. He continued to write music throughout his college years, and in 2010 he recorded and released “Be Still,” followed by his second album, ”No Other Way,” in 2011.

In 2012 Luke’s intricate guitar style and warm captivating vocals attracted three-time Grammy Award-winning artist, Ben Harper. Luke then opened for Harper’s first ever solo acoustic tour in both the U.S. and Canada, playing in such storied venues as Chicago’s Cadillac Palace, Toronto’s Massey Hall, and Philadelphia’s Merriam Theatre.

Harper went on to produce Spehar’s third album, “All Is Gift” in 2015. Following the release Luke married his wife, Elizabeth, and together as newlyweds they toured the country with the new album. This adventure was the catalyst of Spehar’s latest release, “The Pilgrim” (2018). Produced by Matt Patrick at the Library Recording Studio in Minneapolis, “The Pilgrim” celebrates the beauty and adventure of music, marriage, and fatherhood. Together with their three young daughters, Luke and Elizabeth live in St. Paul, MN.

The meeting will be via Zoom; for security reasons we are not sharing the Zoom link. Watch for an email with the Zoom link, Meeting ID, and password.

Great News! Our Good Friday (April 10th) speaker, Matthew Leonard, has graciously agreed to present his talk to CP&BC Fresno and Visalia chapters via Zoom. We will start the virtual meeting at 8AM.

Simply download the free Zoom app for your phone or go to https://Zoom.us on your computer.

As long as you’re a current member, check your email for our Zoom Meeting ID number so you may join the meeting a few minutes prior to 8AM on April 10th.

Matthew is an international speaker, author, podcaster and founder of Next Level Catholic Academy, an online membership community focused on teaching Catholic spirituality. An accomplished filmmaker, he has written, produced, directed, and hosted multiple best-selling Catholic video series such as The Bible and the Virgin Mary and Genesis to Jesus, which have been translated into almost a dozen languages.

A convert to Catholicism and former missionary to Latin America, Matthew is a frequent guest on radio and television programs across the country. His podcast, The Art of Catholic, is heard in more than 170 countries around the world.

Matthew holds a Masters in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville and is the author of two books, Louder Than Words: The Art of Living as a Catholic and Prayer Works! Getting A Grip On Catholic Spirituality. He lives in Ohio with his wife Veronica and their six children.

How does a Protestant pastor’s kid and former missionary to Latin America preaching to Catholics end up Catholic himself? Matthew describes his road into the arms of Mother Church, including many of the issues he had to deal with. It’s a journey filled with study, a few tears, and some big laughs.

We look forward to seeing you at this all-new, inspiring beginning to our Easter weekend!

Our March 13th breakfast speaker is Cy Kellett, host of *Catholic Answers Live*. He formerly hosted *The Bright Side with Cy Kellett* on the Immaculate Heart Radio network.

For more than a decade, Cy was editor of San Diego’s diocesan newspaper, *The Southern Cross*. Prior to that, he taught high school and spent several years working with mentally ill homeless people in Massachusetts while living in a Catholic Worker house.

Cy talks about how the modern era, which was supposed to be all about progress and reason, has gotten itself into serious trouble. In many ways the modern world has become unfit for real people, and as it progresses, it becomes even less so. We cannot make a society fit for humans until we admit that the modern world, though it has gained many things, has also been a time of losses for humanity. The most serious of these losses is the loss of Christ. And knowing how that happened can help us recover a modern world fit for people.

Cy and his wife, Missy, reside in San Diego and have three children.

Our February 14th breakfast speaker is Rev. Dr. Gregory Zubacz, J.D., Ph.D., Associate Provost of Fresno Pacific University and Professor of Business Law. He served previously as Director for Center of Peacemaking and Conflict Studies and the program director of the Criminology. He has taught in the areas of Criminology, Criminal Justice Administration, Restorative Justice, Evidence, Criminal Law, Corrections, Church Conflict, and Mediation and Conflict Management. He has published two books, and is currently writing a chapter for an international law book regarding recent legal developments on the seal of confession in the United States.

Fr. Greg, a priest of the Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church, serves as pastor of the Apostolate of the Archangel Michael in Clovis, located at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School Chapel. The Apostolate is a part of the St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Chicago, under the jurisdiction of His Excellency Bishop Benedict. Prior to going to seminary, he was an attorney both in private practice and government, and is a member of two provincial bars. Fr. Greg received Holy Orders through the laying on of hands by Metropolitan Michael Bzdel + on December 18, 2004. Before coming to Fresno, Fr. Greg served in the Archeparchy of Winnipeg for ten years, including three as Chancellor and five as prison chaplain. He received his Ph.D. & J.C.D. at Saint Paul University / University of Ottawa in 2008.

The Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church is the largest Eastern Catholic denomination of the 24 churches that make up the universal Church, and one of 14 which follow the Byzantine Rite in worship and spirituality. The UGCC includes about seven million members world-wide and is in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, Pope Francis.

Fr. Greg's wife, Melita, teaches music and is director of the wonderful OLPH school choir we enjoyed at our Christmas Party. They have three daughters.

CP&BC's fun annual Christmas Party is coming up on Friday, December 13th.

Come share the Joy of the Season with time planned for networking, humorous holiday icebreakers and music by the wonderful school choir from Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Clovis all designed to put us in the right frame of mind for this blessed time of year.

Invite your Catholic as well as non-Catholic co-workers to join us at the party as it is the ideal "meeting" to introduce them to what CP&BC is all about.

Reserve your seats early - Santa needs time to plan.

Our November 8th speaker is Patrick Coffin, whose mission is to inspire and support people of faith—and of reason—who are tired of the increasingly aggressive secularism and political correctness that surrounds them. For nearly eight years he hosted the top-rated Catholic radio show in America, Catholic Answers Live, and the podcast, Catholic Answers Focus.

Now, as host of The Patrick Coffin Show, Patrick interviews the influencers, comments on the secular as well as Catholic culture and highlights heroes who have stood up to the bullying elites.

Patrick holds graduate degrees in philosophy and theology from McGill University in Montreal and Franciscan University of Steubenville, and has conducted many hundreds of interviews with top leaders from around the world. In Catholicism, this means Vatican cardinals like Raymond Cardinal Burke, George Cardinal Pell, and Francis Cardinal Arinze along with bishops from Africa, Canada, the US, and France.

But according to Patrick, his greatest assets and blessings are his wife and kids. Oh, and their grey tabby, Boy King.

Raised in beautiful Nova Scotia, Patrick lives in Orange County, CA, where he travels the beaches in vain for a Tim Horton’s coffee. He love ironing, Frank Capra movies, racquetball, coming up with new nicknames for his daughters, and making his wife smile.

Our October 11th breakfast will feature full-time Catholic speaker and musician Chris Bray, who is coming to us all the way from London, Ontario.

JOY—this is the resounding message of Chris Bray’s brand new release. “Joy in my Heart”, the full length album from the multiple Gospel Music Association Covenant award winning artist, brings a fresh, yet familiar perspective, offering hope and inspiration to the world. Chris’s music hits home with relevant themes, recounting real life stories and circumstances, craftily leading people on a journey of excitement, inspiration, joy and even to tears.

Chris's new album has impacted Christian radio across Canada, with the first single (and music video), “King in His Kingdom”, hitting #27 on the Canadian Christian radio chart, and #4 on the More Radio CANCON chart, maintaining the top five status for three consecutive months. It also topped the iTunes Inspirational chart reaching the top 25, during release week.

“With this new record, I felt like God had placed real life stories and circumstances on my heart that others could relate to and be inspired by”, says Chris.

Chris’s refined songwriting extends from a catalogue of mostly praise and worship. While this project contains some of that as well, his skills as a songwriter and communicator illuminate the gifts God has bestowed on him.

Demand for his concerts and speaking presentations is high and Chris’s busy travel schedule leads him across Canada and the United States, speaking to tens of thousands each year. His largest audience included the March for Life on Parliament Hill, where he headlined for over 25,000 in attendance, as well as an Air Canada Centre Gospel concert following a Raptors game in Toronto.

Back by popular demand, the dynamic Catholic speaker Dan DeMatte will fly into Fresno from Columbus, Ohio to kick off our 2019 - 2020 line-up on Friday, September 13th.

You may remember that Dan witnessed to his radical Christian lifestyle when he starred on A&E’s hit reality TV show, God or the Girl. The show captured Dan’s intense discernment process between the priesthood and the married life along with three other men. After discerning his call for three years, he heard the Lord calling him to the married life – God *through* the Girl as he puts it. Dan is happily married to Amber Marie and together they have four beautiful children. He has a Masters degree in Evangelization from Pontifical College Josephinum.

As a speaker and evangelist, Dan is very engaging and gets his audience involved. His goal is to encourage all people to reject Sin and Satan and to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a fearless and radical way. He believes that every person is called to be a saint. He believes that this world is in need of an intense renewal. He believes that the renewal begins with you!

Dan’s presentation on this trip will be what he calls “*Prayer DARE*.” It has been said that prayer is a dangerous thing because it is an encounter with the living God. Why is it that people don’t pray? It is because they know that when they pray, God is going to call them to conversion – and they are afraid of conversion. The purpose of prayer is change – to change us, not to change God. Dan’s talk is aimed at motivating each of us to begin an active daily prayer life that will change our lives and change the world!

Our June 14th speaker, Karlo Broussard, is a native of Southern Louisiana who left a promising career in Cajun music to devote himself full-time to the work of Catholic apologetics. As a staff apologist for Catholic Answers, he travels the country giving talks on the Bible, theology, and philosophy.

Karlo holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in theology, and is working on his masters in philosophy.

He also worked for several years with nationally known author and philosopher Fr. Robert J. Spitzer at the Magis Center.

Karlo is a dynamic speaker and the clarity and precision of his presentations reflect his training in philosophy. The takeaway for his audiences is a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Faith. He engages people of all ages and levels of sophistication.

Karlo exposes the absurdities of the modern belief that truth is relative to what an individual or culture believes. He provides arguments to show that truth exists independently of what an individual or group of individuals might think.

This Cajun apologist will set our hearts on fire for our upcoming summer break with a renewed understanding of our Faith and a joyful desire to share it with others.

Our May 10th breakfast speaker is traveling to Fresno from Moreno Valley, California.

From living in sin and the enjoyment of wordly possesions to a devout Catholic life consecrated to Jesus through Mary, Diana Marie Wehbe has been through illness and human rejection following a world-class career in secular radio with fame and fortune. But she has left all that behind to follow Christ in the mission of the New Evangelization.

Featured in Women's Health Magazine, her testimony has been heard on Immaculate Heart Media, she has been interviewed by Terry Barber of Relevant Radio, and has appeared on countless other outlets and events.

Diana has changed the hearts and lives of thousands for Christ. Her God-given testimony and wisdom from the Lord helps others see what God is truly calling them to.

Her talks have been heard at Disneyland, on secular and Christian radio as well as by over 80,000 students at middle schools, high schools and colleges. A humble Evangelist with a heart after Christ, Diana will light a fire under everyone who hears her!

Diana studied Theatre Arts at Cal State Los Angeles, has worked in Youth Ministry, Young Adult Ministry and runs a nonprofit organization called The Purpose Foundation, leading youth and young adults by example and by the foot of the cross.

Her story begins with an ovarian cyst, a health diagnosis that God would use to change her whole life. She began to fast and pray, losing 100lbs in the process, reversing a verbal diagnosis of Type II diabetes and all the while growing in her faith. Her time in secular radio taught her that fame and celebrity did not bring her true and lasting happiness. This could only come from Christ.

Her testimony proves that loss, pain, suffering and rejection can bring us into the Wounds of Christ.

Do you have a relationship that needs to be put back in order? Are you tired of being frustrated, angry, overly worried, or even depressed about your family or friends? Have you been emotionally abandoned by someone or suffered from divorce?

Our April 12th speaker Rose Sweet can help! She is traveling to Fresno from Palm Desert.

For over twenty-five years, Rose has accompanied people to an unexpected place of hope and the underpinning of all healing: The Interior Life. Join her on the journey, if you dare … because discovering the truth is truly an adventure!

Rose is a passionate, courageous, and humorous Catholic author of 12 books and has inspired people throughout the U.S. on how to "Put Your Religion in Your Relationships!" She draws on Scripture, John Paul II’s Theology of the Body and the timeless treasure of the Catholic faith to inspire singles, married, divorced, remarried, stepparents and just about anyone looking for authentic love and lasting happiness.

She is a frequent guest on Catholic radio and television and has been a presenter at the World Meeting of Families, Theology of the Body Congress, USCCB Convocation, and more.

Our March 8th speaker is Jon Leonetti, an international Catholic speaker, best-selling author and radio host who conveys a message of lasting fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Jon will be flying into Fresno from Des Moines, Iowa.

Through Jon's keynote presentations and parish missions, thousands of Catholics each year discover the freedom Christ offers by way of his life and love.

Jon's two books–– *Mission Of The Family*and *Your God Is Too Boring*–– have been published and featured in Matthew Kelly's Dynamic Catholic book program and been endorsed by leading Catholic speakers and authors today.

With this message Jon has been featured and interviewed by the nations top Catholic websites, blogs and radio shows, helping Catholics in all walks offers life to fall in love and stay in love with the living God.

At home, Jon enjoys reading, sports, exercising, coffee and, most of all, spending time with his wife Teresa and their children Joseph and Gianna. Jon is currently pursuing a masters degree in moral theology.

Our Friday, February 8th, breakfast speaker is Jim Cruise - the Spoon Man!

Jim is flying in to Fresno from Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is married with 5 kids and a mortgage and has been supporting his family for 20 years by playing the spoons. If that is not a testimony to Jesus Christ, then he doesn't know what is.

Jim is a renowned Catholic Evangelist, comedian, keynote speaker and author. He is a graduate of Aquinas College in Grand Rapids.

Jim's burning desire is to share his Catholic faith with adults, teens and families around the country. Every performance contains audience participation, music, comedy and a spoonful of Catholic doctrine.

He has a totally clean act - he never uses dirty silverware.

His performances have brought him all over the country including corporate clients such as GM, Ford, Chrysler, IBM, Steelcase and Herman Miller. He has also performed for former U.S. President Gerald R. Ford and Mikhail Gorbachev.

You will not want to miss this seasoned performer and a man of spirit and faith that really connects with his audiences. It doesn't matter how strange or unusual your gift or talent may be - It can make a difference in peoples lives and bring glory to God!

Back by popular demand, the Our Lady of Perpetual Help School choir, under the direction of Melita Mudri-Zubacz, will perform Christmas carols at our Friday, December 14th Christmas breakfast.

We'll also hear a special message from our club's Spiritual Advisor, Fr. Craig Plunkett, to keep us focused on the true meaning of Christmas.

There will also be some fun door prizes and even an appearance by Ol’ Saint Nick himself.

We hope you will join us for an uplifting morning and a joyous celebration of this most wonderful time of the year!

For the past 30 years, Robert J. Hutchinson has worked as a full-time professional writer. He has won numerous awards from the Catholic Press Association and Associated Church Press and has contributed essays and syndicated columns to such outlets as Fox News, The Blaze, Catholic Exchange, Christianity Today, Human Events, the National Catholic Register, Catholic Digest, Our Sunday Visitor and many more.

An avid traveler, Robert is also the former managing editor of Hawaii Magazine and the former Hawaii Bureau Chief for The Hollywood Reporter. He hasappeared on many Catholic and secular radio shows.

Raised in the Pacific Northwest, Robert attended a Jesuit high school and university, earned an undergraduate degree in philosophy, moved to Israel in his early 20s to learn Hebrew, and earned a graduate degree in New Testament Studies. He specializes in New Testament studies, current events and business.

In his recent talks and books, Robert demonstrates how recent discoveries in archaeology and New Testament studies are challenging many of the older ideas about Jesus of Nazareth and early Christianity that have dominated academic scholarship for more than a century.

At our breakfast, Robert will show how these older ideas – for example, that Jesus believed the world would end in his lifetime or that he was really a violent revolutionary – have been largely set aside by top secular scholars working in the world’s best universities. Instead, Hutchinson says, the evidence increasingly shows that the historical Jesus of Nazareth was very close to being just as the Gospels describe him: a fiery, courageous, charismatic populist who drew crowds by the tens of thousands and electrified all of Israel with his strange and exhilarating announcement of God’s kingdom in their midst.

CP&BC Fresno is proud to bring Mel Kennedy to our club for its October 12th breakfast meeting! Mel is a Catholic musicianary (musician and missionary) who focuses on creating an up-lifting experience at her presentations and uses her gifts of an extraordinary voice, dynamic presentation, and infectious spirituality to capture the hearts of all who hear her. She has shared her ministry at conferences, retreats, prayer services, and concerts across the country.

Mel is an NPM Certified Cantor. The former Mrs. Anaheim Hills shares sacred scripture, heart-warming songs, and personal and humorous stories to engage her audience. In addition to her live presentations and performances, Mel has released five contemporary Christian CDs: Mother, I Miss You (50% of the proceeds benefit MD Anderson Cancer Center,) Bienaventurados and Hope-N-Light, which was Mel's debut album.

Mel is an Artist Representative for Unbound Ministries. She also has several community outreach programs. Along with her ministry, Mel is the proud aunt of sixteen nieces, nephews and 6 great nieces, nephews. She resides in northern Nevada with her husband of over 30 years, Steve. Her ministry is dedicated in loving memory of her mom - ministry team member and best friend - Barbara Shields.

Mel's ministry is about empowering and encouraging men and women to share their faith and radiate God's love through liturgy, service, relationship, and the simple actions of day to day life.

Matthew Archbold will be flying into Fresno from Philadelphia to kick off CP&BC Fresno's 2018/2019 Breakfast Meetings. Matt is a father of five children, an author and a columnist for several prominent Catholic publications.

His comedic and inspiring tales of raising five children in *The Catholic Digest* have moved many to laughter and tears while his thoughtful take on current events, pro-life and religious liberty issues at The National Catholic Register has garnered him a large and faithful readership.

His own blog Creative Minority Report, whose tagline is “We laugh we believe,” has become one of the most popular Catholic blogs.

Matt’s book, Faith Under Fire – Dramatic Stories of Christian Courage,has received wide acclaim for its portrayals of Christians facing intolerance, oppression, and even violence with expressions of love and faith.

Deacon Greg Kandra, award-winning journalist and multimedia editor for the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, a papal agency established in 1926 dedicated to giving pastoral and humanitarian support to Northeast Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and India, called Archbold’s work “Superb.” He called the book “a bright beacon of hope” which will leave readers “uplifted, inspired, consoled, and enriched.”

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, said that Archbold “highlights the urgent need for a national conversation about - and defense of - religious liberty, the bedrock of our nation.”

Danielle Bean, author, editor of Catholic Digest magazine, called Archbold “a gifted reporter and storyteller,” who makes “stories come to life” and will “light a fire in your faith!”

Matthew will share with us "How My Children Rid Me of Sanity But Gave Me So Much More."

Do you have a sense that there is something wrong with the world? Even more, do you think that you should be able to do something about it? Are you are not sure where to begin? Do you feel a little lost?

Many of us have lost our sense of story. We have lost, not only the story of mankind but our individual story as well. We no longer see the stories we tell each other as anything other than entertainment. But the stories we tell each other have always had a spiritual element as well. Whether they are parables from the Bible, folktales, books, television or movies there is a structure to stories, a structure based on our spiritual journey. That is why they have the ability to resonate so deeply within us.

In his talk at our June 8th breakfast meeting, Deacon Lawrence will look at our most popular forms of storytelling, with particular attention on popular movies, connecting them to our spiritual journey. He’ll look at how screenwriters are trained to put a structure in their stories that reflects the journey of our lives. By examining this structure we can gain new insights into our lives and begin to see the world and the obstacles we encounter in a new and different way.

“Everyone should see themselves as the hero of their story, heroes who can change the world.”

Our Friday, May 11, 2018 breakfast speaker, Mark Price, is traveling to Fresno from San Diego.

Mark has been Catholic since 1956 and has been speaking professionally since 1978. His professional speaking was an extension of his theater background and corporate marketing and advertising experience. When a guest speaker did not "show" for a regional marketing event, Mark was asked to step in.

Mark blends his corporate and faith-based speaking and has been a favored and popular speaker at conferences for many years. He is a versatile presenter and often incorporates his extensive research on many of the Apostles - connecting their life's challenges with our own. Mark utilizes passion and humor to make important points and to inspire his audiences.

In light of all that is happening in our world today, has there ever been a better time in our history to refocus on things spiritual; to take time for a renewed look at discovering and growing in our faith?

Mark has been conducting missions and retreats since 1975 and presenting Biblical portrayals since 1984. His portrayals of biblical characters adds a personal dimension that arouses greater interest in scripture and brings to life the message of Christ and the church in a very unique way. Who better to encourage us to a closer walk and understanding of Jesus than those who knew Him best?

Donna Heckler jokes that God gave her a timeout when she injured her leg. However, because she didn’t fully learn to sit quietly with him, he gave her another, bigger time out - stage 3 cancer. She will be flying in from St. Louis, Missouri to speak at our April 13th breakfast meeting.

Donna has served as a global marketing executive for several multi-billion dollar organizations. A very accomplished and busy professional, this faith-filled Catholic missed God in her everyday life, and yet couldn’t figure out how to make time for him. No sooner had her leg started to heal and she started interviewing for a new job, she discovered her breast cancer.

Donna worked through her treatments but worked even more at trying to live radiantly every day. Sometimes it meant all she could do was smile. Other days it meant a lot more, even traveling for work. During her journey, she kept a journal, a blog. She has since converted the journal into a book entitled, *Living Like A Lady When You Have Cancer.* She interviewed many other patients and medical providers in an effort to provide countless insights, tips and tricks on how to live, and live radiantly through a cancer journey. The book has been recognized as an International Book Awards Finalist winner.

God now takes a front seat in her life as she shares her journey, her beliefs, and those tips and tricks she learned along the way. The tips and tricks in her book are very practical as Donna believes that if we can easily know about and take care of the little things of everyday life, it frees us up to live radiantly, with God shining through everyday.

Ms. Heckler shares her story, her path, with humor.

Chris Mueller is traveling to our March 9, 2018 breakfast meeting from San Diego, where he serves as Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry at Saint Martha Parish in Murrieta. His presentation will communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a way that resonates with teen and adult audiences alike.

As founder and president of the nonprofit 242Revolution Ministries, Chris invites young people to share in the devotion of the first generation of Christians—devoted to the teaching of the apostles, to the communal life, and to the breaking of the bread and prayer (Acts 2:42).

Chris has been a nationally sought-after Catholic speaker for more than 15 years and speaks to thousands of people all over North America.

Chris's writing has been featured on the Great Adventure Bible Study's *Bible Study for Catholics* blog and he has been a regular contributor to CatholicYouthMinistry.com Chris is Dad to five incredible children who he is immensely proud of, and the husband of “a saintly, strong, faithful, freaking beautiful” wife, Christina.

Matt Allner married his wife Jessica in 2000 and they have three amazing children. He has 17 years experience in public education as a science teacher and five years as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Graduate School level. He received his Master’s in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota in 2009 and has worked extensively as a research scientist from 2005-12 where he was also a finalist in the NASA Astronaut Selection Process three times (2004, 2008, and 2012).

Matt’s research emphasis was in the area of space psychology where he developed original research in the areas of Psychosocial Issues for Consideration for Long-Duration Space Flight, as well as STEM Education and Student Engagement programs. He has presented his research at five different international space science conferences from 2006-10, having published over 16 technical papers and abstracts, has been published in professional scientific journals, and his work was featured in an article review by the Smithsonian.

Today, Matt finds himself the owner of two small, and successfully growing businesses where he was the founder of Leadership and Legacy LLC in 2015, and now is also the owner of a small family-owned painting business in Monument, Colorado where he lives.

From the success and model of his businesses, he works tirelessly to improve the overall functioning of four primary pillars of society (businesses, church organizations, educational institutions, and youth sports organizations).

During his free time he still enjoys working out, hiking, camping, rock and snow climbing, mountain biking, surfing, SCUBA diving, hunting, and skiing/snowboarding. But most of all, he enjoys spending quality time with his family.

Our December 8th breakfast at Pardini's will be our annual Christmas Party! This year, we welcome back the talents of Mr. Bill Thornbury and the student choir from St. Helen’s School, who will perform Christmas carols to carry us through the holiday season.

We will have plenty of time for networking, a fun raffle and even an appearance by ol’ St. Nick himself!

The club’s Spiritual Advisor, Fr. Craig Plunkett, will impart a special Christmas message to inspire us and remind us to always focus on Christ at home and in our vocations during this most wonderful time of the year.

For over 1,000 years pilgrims have been traveling from Europe, and today from all over the world, to retrace the traditional steps of the apostle James along the Camino de Santiago.

In 2016, our very own Deacon Bill Lucido journeyed on foot for 500 miles from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France in the Pyrenean foothills along The Way of St. James to the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela, consecrated in 1211, the legendary burial site of the apostle.

Why do people still do it today? Athletic adventure, stroll in the country side, penance or pilgrimage?

Deacon Bill’s presentation will allow us to experience with him his pilgrimage from France through Spain on The Way. Come and learn why he walked the distance. Hear how he walked, prayed, grew a beard, and lost 22 pounds!

Deacon Bill Lucido was born in Quantico, VA, and grew up in San Diego. He attended Catholic grammar school in Ocean Beach, CA, and graduated from University of San Diego High School.

After two years at the University of San Diego, he transferred to Fresno State College and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics in 1970. He earned his pilot’s wing from the United State Air Force and spent 30 years in the California Air National Guard, logging over seven thousand flying hours. After retiring from the Guard, he served for 11 years as Director of Development, Director of Communication and editor of the Central California Catholic Life for the Diocese of Fresno.

Bill met his wife, Betsy, while at the University of San Diego, and they were married on June 6th, 1964. He and Betsy have four daughters. He was ordained a deacon on January 15th, 2011.

Join us on Friday, November 10th to experience Deacon Bill’s fascinating and inspiring journey of faith.

We hope you will join us at our October 13th breakfast when our speaker will be Fresno State Athletic Director, Jim Bartko, who will share his moving story of holding firm in faith and the healing power of God's infinite mercy.

In a question and answer format with Pat Ogle, Jim will update the status of Bulldog athletics including the revitalization of the football program and the addition of two sports, women’s water polo and thereturn of wrestling.

Jim began his career at the University of Oregon in 1989 and went on to hold several athletic administration positions on the Eugene campus. After one season at Cal Berkeley, Jim returned to Oregon in 2008 where he caught the eye of Fresno State, which hired him as athletic director on November 21, 2014.

From personal experience Jim will also share on the importance in facing life hurdles that eventually lead to unwelcomed consequences if not supported through professional assistance and a strong faith walk. For Jim it was abuse by a priest while growing up in Pinole, CA. He never spoke about the abuse to anyone until this past December after an extended visit to a treatment facility. After leaving the facility, he finally opened up about the abuse to his mother, wife and children, and then to Fresno State and the community at large.

In the eight months since through interviews and community appearances, Jim has become even more of an encourager for business professionals and anyone to not live a life of concealing whether from abuse, dependence, lifestyle or addiction. Jim shares his self-treatment was coaching his children’s sports teams. He strove to be the role model and coach he wished he had had as a child. Seeing his players smiling and having fun was the greatest reward.

“I love what I do. I love people and kids and family. Now I’ve got to come to grips with my past, but it’s not going to stop me. It’s not going to rule who I am.” He welcomes speaking opportunities to reflect to others on how to work through the maze of negative life experiences with God as an anchor.

CP&BC members will not want to miss our kick-off breakfast for the new season featuring a topic that is a top issue in our country and for our businesses - health care.

Nancy Hollingsworth, RN, BSN, MSN, MBA has been Chief Executive Officer and President of Saint Agnes Medical Center since August 8, 2011. She began her tenure at Saint Agnes in the early ‘80s, working as an Oncology staff nurse from 1982-84, and then as Manager of Patient Resources from 1985-1988.

Wanting to advance her career, she left Fresno to pursue higher education at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she earned her Master of Science, Nursing, and her Master of Business Administration. From 2000-2007, Nancy worked as a Senior Manager of Strategy and Operations for Deloitte Consulting in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 2007, she returned to Saint Agnes as Chief Nursing Officer (CNO).

Nancy became Chief Operating Officer in January 2010 and then Interim Chief Executive Officer and Interim President of Saint Agnes Medical Center on February 4, 2011.

While serving as Saint Agnes’ interim leader, Nancy earned the respect and admiration of her colleagues, associates, physicians and donors. Rick O’Connell, Executive Vice President & COO, Hospital Networks, Trinity Health, said, “Her commitment to uphold the highest standards, for herself and those around her, is just one of the many leadership qualities that make Nancy the right choice to guide Saint Agnes Medical Center as it continues to provide the highest quality and compassionate care to the community.”

Our June 9, 2017 speaker is Kelly Wahlquist - a wife, mother of three, inspiring Catholic author and dynamic speaker. She is the founder of WINE: Women In the New Evangelization, Assistant Director for the Archbishop Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute, and has been a contributing writer for Catholicmom.com. She has a gift for weaving personal stories and Scripture together with practical advice that empowers men and women alike to be witnesses of our faith and part of the New Evangelization. She talks about how God said to St. Francis "Rebuild My Church" and how she, through her prayers, also takes that to mean: Heal My Body - the Body of Christ, which is all-too-often today battered, bruised and broken. When you are working in your gifts, she says, you are helping to heal the Body of Christ.

Kelly writes that one of her all-time favorite quotes is by the author of A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle: "We draw people to Christ by showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it."

"The question then follows, how do we do this? How can we be such a light to others?"

Kelly is the author of Created to Relate: God's Design for Peace & Joy, a book that encourages and inspires women to live fully their beautiful God-given gifts for building relationships. She is also the creator and editor of Walk in Her Sandals: Experiencing Christ's Passion through the Eyes of Women.

Kelly travels the country speaking to all on various topics that inspire us to live the New Evangelization. She resides in Minnesota with her husband, Andy, and their children, and is very active in their parish, Holy Name of Jesus.

"Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations..."

Cost for members is $17 and non-members is $22 (no cost for clergy). Attendance is limited to prepaid reservations only. For questions or reservations call (559) 999-9153 or email [email protected]!

Matthew Arnold has produced dozens of popular Catholic audio and video presentations including Our Catholic Faith and Fire & Sword: The Crusades. He has appeared often on EWTN Radio where he co-hosted Scripture Matters LIVE with Dr. Scott Hahn. His enlightening and popular CDs, DVDs and brochures on the Catholic Faith are currently available in over six thousand parishes around the United States through Lighthouse Catholic Media where he enjoys the distinction of having the most CD titles in their catalogue (after Scott Hahn).

Whether he's speaking at a Cathedral Church or a major Catholic Conference, leading a retreat for the folks at a humble small-town parish, or addressing a meeting of Catholic professionals, Matthew Arnold brings the same energy, passion, and humor to every enlightening and entertaining presentation.

Matthew holds a Certificate of Lay Ecclesial Ministry for the Diocese of Orange, a Certificate in Christian Counselling, and was a founding member of the Society for Christian Psychology. He currently resides in Southern California with his wife Betty and six children.

Cost for members is $17 and non-members is $22 (no cost for clergy). Attendance is limited to prepaid reservations only. For questions or reservations call (559) 999-9153 or email [email protected]!

John grew up in Clovis and is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (Class of 2010) and Notre Dame Law School (2013). At Notre Dame, John met his lovely wife Holly, and they were married in 2013. They have two daughters: Madeleine (21 months) and Sophia (3 months).

John's father, Dr. Joe Gerardi, is the head of orthopedics at Valley Children's Hospital, and his mother, Dr. Sharon Gerardi, is a dermatologist at Kaiser.

John has been involved with Right to Life of Central California since he was 14 years old, participating in Right to Life's educational youth group. Those experiences helped shaped his views about the central importance of the life issues, leading him to continue his involvement in the pro-life movement in college and beyond.

At Notre Dame, John studied Classics (Latin, Greek) and Philosophy, and served as the president of Notre Dame Right to Life, one of the largest pro-life student organizations in America. In law school, John focused his coursework on jurisprudence, bioethics, and religious liberty, and wrote his final paper on the history of abortion law in the United States.

After two years of practicing law at a civil litigation firm in Massachusetts, John took and passed the California Bar exam in July 2015, and began working as the legislative director for California Family Council in Fresno.

John was hired to serve as the executive director of Right to Life in September of 2016. He looks forward to many years of leading Right to Life in its mission of educating churches and youth, outreach to those considering or suffering from abortion, and engaging the broader culture.

Cost for members is $17 and non-members is $22 (no cost for clergy). Attendance is limited to prepaid reservations only. For questions or reservations call (559) 999-9153 or email [email protected]!

As co-authors of ANSWER YOUR CALL: RECLAIM GOD'S PURPOSE FOR FAITH, FAMILY AND WORK, Dick and Martha have positioned themselves at the forefront of the New Evangelization. Through this book and through Dick's efforts as host of THE CATHOLIC BUSINESS HOUR every Saturday morning and evening on EWTN's global Catholic Radio Network and Martha's inspirational columns on the religion page of The Huffington Post, they have touched millions of people in a spiritually uplifting way.

As CEO of Origin Entertainment in Hollywood, Dick is also working tirelessly to bring heroic stories of the good, the true and the beautiful to the big screen. He is a producer of COSMIC ORIGINS for Father Robert Spitzer and the Magis Institute, a co-executive producer of MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHRIST which is the prequel to Mel Gibson's PASSION OF THE CHRIST, and is currently involved in half a dozen other inspirational movie projects.

Martha and Dick inspire audiences with their message of renewal and optimism. They promise to touch your heart, introduce you to new ideas and inspire you to bring positive changes to your life and the world around you.

Come join us to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Catholic Professional & Business Club. Take a walk down Memory Lane with us. Pardini’s will provide a special steak and champagne breakfast. Cost for members is $17 and non-members is $22 (no cost for clergy). Attendance is limited to prepaid reservations only. A drawing will be held for fabulous prizes. Reservations for Tables of Ten are available now. For questions or reservations call (559) 999-9153 or email [email protected]!

Our December meeting will be our annual Christmas Party! Please bring an unwrapped toy as a Christmas present for a needy child for distribution though Catholic Charities.

This year, students of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help School choir will perform Christmas carols for us and we'll hear a special message about the Reason for the Season from our club's Spiritual Advisor, Fr. Craig Plunkett.

Fr. Robert Borges will also give us an update on Catholic Education in the Diocese of Fresno as well as information about how CP&BC members can help with the needs of Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in particular. We hope you can join us for an inspiring Christmas breakfast and a joyous celebration of this most wonderful time of the year!

It all began in 2005 when Sam Saladino sold his successful financial services business and started an independent investment management company intending that the Catholic faith would be an integral part of the business. He knew God was calling him to this. For Sam, that was a great leap of faith. "I went to church, but my faith was a Sunday thing," he recalls.

But it wasn't that easy. Clients didn't come and desperation started to set in. On top of it all, Sam had to have emergency open heart surgery. He felt like the whole world was against him. However, this medical crisis was a blessing in disguise: he felt the Virgin Mary's presence, and she restored peace to his heart.

Then clarity came to him. His firm's focus would be not only on the Church's social and moral teachings but would also include dynamic work to change society. He wanted to make sure the companies he invested in respected human dignity, were good stewards of the earth, and strove for the common good.

Sam really had taken a leap of faith with his business venture, but he wholeheartedly believes that through personal holiness and integrity in the workplace, Catholics can lead families, companies, and the country back to God. The greatest and hardest lesson Sam has learned is to trust God in all things. This will bring true happiness and true conversion to humanity even through the hardest of times. Our faith will see us through.

The Latin phrase Ad Astra Per Aspera (to the stars through adversity) perfectly explains Kenneth Cramer's dedication to helping Catholics work though life's struggles and transitions in order to discover God's abiding presence and unfathomable love. Abused as a child, Kenn sank into drug addiction and a life of sin, ultimately facing a life-or-death decision. Following a profound experience of God's grace, he worked his way out of despondency and discovered the truth that he is deeply loved by our Father in heaven. In 2015, he and his wife Laura answered a call to serve as missionaries on the Ft. Belknap Indian Reservation in north central Montana, where he continues to help others become aware of that same Love in their lives.

Kenn holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Northern Colorado. Two years after college, Kenn discerned a call to the priesthood and spent one year at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver, CO. After his time at seminary, he completed a master's degree in counseling psychology from Regis Jesuit University and founded a Catholic psychotherapy practice called St. Raphael Counseling, which he led for seven years. He is currently working on his second master's degree in theology through the Augustine Institute. He is also in diaconate formation for the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings, with an expected ordination in 2018.

Kenn has been speaking publicly since 2006, beginning in parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Denver. Most notably, he was featured on the EWTN program "The Journey Home" and in the video series "One Billion Stories."

As we begin our new fall line-up of exciting Catholic speakers, CP&BC's kick-off is the dynamic Gary Zimak flying in all the way from New Jersey for our September 9th breakfast! In 2008, Gary was working as a project manager when he felt the call to form Following The Truth, an apostolate dedicated to teaching the truths of the Catholic Faith. Initially performing his work for the Lord on a part time basis, a job layoff in 2012 gave him the opportunity to make a bold move. After much prayer, Gary decided to "step out of the boat" and become a FULL TIME Catholic lay evangelist.

Gary is now a frequent speaker and retreat leader at parishes and conferences, has an international radio following and is recognized as the leading Catholic speaker on the topic of overcoming anxiety. Gary has appeared on several EWTN television programs including Women Of Grace, At Home With Jim And Joy,Bookmark and The Journey Home.

Gary is the host of The Gary Zimak Show on BlogTalkRadio and a regular guest on Catholic Answers Live, EWTN's The Son Rise Morning Show, Catholic Connection and numerous other radio programs.

His talk is entitled From Fear To Faith. Are you tired of worrying? After struggling to overcome anxiety for many years, Gary has learned that Jesus Christ is the ultimate answer to winning the battle. In this talk, based on his best-selling books, A Worrier's Guide To The Bible and From Fear To Faith, Gary will share his step by step approach for moving from anxiety to peace!

Our June speaker is John Abbate, a Catholic Pro-Life real estate developer and franchisee of twenty-three McDonalds restaurants in the Central Valley. He is a much sought-after speaker on numerous topics usually focused on his three passions: Faith, Family and Business.

For our final breakfast of the season, John will speak to us about how hope, happiness and legacy are all connected to the theology of self-gift.

Since men and women are created in the image and likeness of God, Vatican II taught us that "man, who is the only creature on earth which God willed for itself, cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself" (Gaudium et Spes 24).

Flipping the "I want to be first" attitude of many in the business world on its head, John will discuss how Christian anthropology shows us that God has invited us to participate in His Divine Life and how love for the purpose of self-gift is the true path to achieving our own highest purpose as human beings.

John resides in the San Joaquin Valley along with his wife Kaaren and their three children: Matthew, Kathryn, and Andrew.

He holds a BBA in Economics from the University of San Diego, an MBA with a concentration in finance from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza School of Business, and a Master of Arts in Catholic Theology from the Augustine Institute.

An American by birth, Robert Stackpole earned a B.A. in History from Williams College in Massachusetts in 1982, and a Masters degree in Theology from Oxford University in England in 1988. Robert was an ordained Anglican pastor before becoming a Catholic in 1994. After his conversion, he married a Catholic Canadian, and they went to Rome together, where Robert obtained a Doctorate in Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the "Angelicum") in 2000.

Upon returning to North America, in 1997 he began work as the Research Director, and later Director, of the John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy based in Stockbridge Massachusetts, a position he continues to hold. In that capacity, he has been a speaker at many conferences, and the author and editor of numerous journal articles and books on the Divine Mercy message and devotion, including Divine Mercy, A Guide From Genesis To Benedict XVI (Marian Press, 2009). He regularly contributes articles to the official Divine Mercy website.

Robert has a special academic interest in ecumenical dialogue with Evangelical Christians, an interest that grew during his 10-years of teaching Theology to undergraduates at Redeemer Pacific College (Trinity Western University) in Langley, BC. Robert also enjoys reading and writing about the works of CS Lewis, and describes himself as an incurable "Narniac."

Whenever possible, Robert often travels to Poland where his wife and teen-aged daughter, Katherine and Christina, presently live and care for Katherine's father.

Our April 8, 2016 speaker is Jay Fagnano. On July 27th, 2014, Jay and his wife Mary lost their only child Nick to a freak lightning strike at Venice Beach, California. Nick was an extraordinary young man, and was only a few weeks away from starting as a transfer student to his dream college, USC. Nick was a young man of deep faith and conviction, and he touched many lives in his short time on earth.

As Jay likes to say, "We could have gone home and closed the door." However, Mary and Jay chose to move forward with their lives and honor their son by forming the Thrive in Joy Nick Fagnano Foundation. The foundation's mission statement is, "Encouraging and rewarding character through education and recreation," and is focused on working with children both home and abroad. Jay and Mary will soon be making their sixth trip to the Dominican Republic, where they work with a school in the most depressed neighborhood in Santo Domingo as well as an orphanage that currently takes care of over 40 children, 17 of whom are HIV Positive.

This is more than a story of a child's loss and the charity work that comes from it. Jay will also speak about his own faith journey as he learned so much and continues to learn so much from Nick since he's gone to be with his Heavenly Father. Jay and Mary live in Los Angeles and invite you to join them on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. They guarantee it's a trip you'll never forget.

Our March 11th speaker is Mike Koelzer, the Catholic Pro-Life pharmacist who has been featured on ABC World News with Charles Gibson and in The Washington Post after stopping the sale of all contraceptives in his third-generation family-owned pharmacy.

After taking a year off from pharmacy studies to discern a potential calling to the priesthood at the Redemptorist seminary in St. Louis, MO, Mike returned to continue his pharmacy studies at Purdue University. He graduated from pharmacy school in 1991 and joined his father at their family-owned pharmacy. Mike married his college sweetheart that same year.

After nearly five years working in the pharmacy with his father, Mike was surprised to find out from a friend that birth control pills could act as abortifacients. After much scientific research, prayer and studying the Catholic Church's stance on the evils of contraception, Mike decided to approach his father with this information to see if his dad would agree to stop selling contraceptives. The response Mike received from his father was a disappointing "no". But that is only the beginning to his amazing story - one that would catch national attention and shake the country.

Today, Mike encourages people to make right choices when they are faced with challenges in their own careers and personal lives. He challenges us to become the person God is calling us to be, no matter the cost. Mike lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his wife, Margaret and ten children.

CP&BC Fresno's February 12th breakfast speaker is Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, who in twenty seven seconds, carved his name into history books as perhaps the most famous graduate of the University of Notre Dame. The son of an oil refinery worker and third of 14 children, Rudy rose from valleys of discouragement and despair to the pinnacles of success.

In 1993, TRISTAR Productions immortalized his life story with the blockbuster film, RUDY. The critically acclaimed RUDY received "Two Thumbs Up" from Siskel and Ebert and continues to inspire millions worldwide.

Today, Rudy speaks to international corporate audiences, school children, university students, and professional athletes with a unique, passionate, and heartfelt presentation style.

Rudy has appeared on various high profile, nationally televised talk shows and radio shows across the country. He received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Our Lady of Holy Cross College, the Distinguished American Award, A Proclamation from the Governor of Nevada granting an Official Rudy Award Day, was inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame, and spoke at the White House during the presidencies of George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

In addition to his motivational speaking, Rudy has co-authored several books and co-founded the RUDY FOUNDATION, whose mission is to strengthen communities by offering scholarships in education, sports, and the performing arts.

Rudy has two children; Jessica Noel Ruettiger and Daniel Joseph Ruettiger.

Our Friday, December 11, 2015 meeting will be our annual Christmas Party! This year the St. Helen's School choir, under the direction of Mr. Bill Thornbury, will perform Christmas Carols for us and we'll hear a special message from Bishop Armando Xavier Ochoa, D.D.

The educational program at St. Helen's Catholic School is grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Catholic Church. Students at St. Helen's Catholic School are called to love God, to treat others respectfully, to work to the best of their abilities, and to have reverence for all of God's creation. The faculty and staff members of St. Helen's Catholic School strive to teach as Jesus did and assist parents and guardians in their role as the primary educators of their children.

A lover of music and scenic arts since his childhood, Bill Thornbury graduated from the California State University at Fresno with a teaching degree in music. In 1978, at 26 years old, he portrayed the character of Jody Pearson, elder brother of Mike, the young protagonist of Phantasm (1979). He reprised this role in 1994 and 1998.

Bill is a professional singer/songwriter and has been a staff songwriter for 20th Century-Fox in Los Angeles and MTM Records in Nashville. In addition to recording albums, Mr. Thornbury also performs with the critically acclaimed band The Sons of the San Joaquin, but his passion is teaching music to the next generation of music lovers at St. Helen's.

Terry Barber is an international speaker and has been instrumental in founding three Catholic organizations - Saint Joseph Communications, Inc., The Catholic Resource Center and Lighthouse Catholic Media. St. Joseph Communications is the largest international lay Catholic audio and video reproduction and distribution company in the United States with offices in Covina, California and distributors in Canada, England, Australia and the Philippines.

Terry has recorded numerous podcasts on Saint Joseph Podcasts called *Culture Warriors for Christ* and *GodLoveYou*, addressing many of the social issues affecting our culture today. He has over 3 decades of experience in broadcasting and is considered a true pioneer of Catholic media evangelization.

He has been instrumental in helping promote Catholic radio since the 1980s, at which time there were only 5 Catholic stations across the country. He currently co-hosts *The Terry and Jesse Show,* a live apologetics program, on EWTN Radio, heard on over 170 Catholic radio stations and throughout the U.S. on SiriusXM satellite radio channel 130. Over the past 31 years, Terry has also distributed over 25 million inspirational Catholic audio CDs and DVDs.

Terry and his wife Danielle have 4 children, and before working full time to promote the Catholic Faith he was one of the top real estate producers in the state of California. Terry has come to share his enthusiasm and to encourage us to embrace our calling as Catholic men and women to share the Good News of Christ and the Catholic Faith with our family, friends and the whole world.

CP&BC Fresno's October 9th, 2015 speaker is actually a Catholic singer. Twin Cities native, Luke Spehar, crafts Catholic folk music with his intricate finger-picking guitar style and raw lyrics that draw the listener deeper into the dynamic journey of life lived in the light of God's love and create a unique space for prayer and reflection.

Luke grew up in a small rural community north of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, and began writing songs at the age of 16. He composed all of the music on his debut album, Be Still, before he graduated high school. Be Still chronicles his triumphs and struggles in his Catholic faith throughout high school. He continued to write music throughout his college years, a time he devoted to discerning a potential call to the Catholic priesthood. The songs from his second album, No Other Way, were born during this challenging time of growth and reflection through adoration and philosophical formation.

Following seminary, Luke felt drawn and inspired to use his gift of music to participate in the New Evangelization. Since then, he has performed for audiences in churches, cafes, and university auditoriums; for youth groups, colleges and for U.S. military events. In 2012, Luke was honored to open for Grammy Award-winning musician Ben Harper on tour in both the U.S. and Canada.

In September 2014, Luke released the much-anticipated third album, All Is Gift!, co-produced by Ben Harper and Sheldon Gomberg. In January 2015, he married Elizabeth Yetzer, and together, they are traveling the country sharing All Is Gift!