Speakers
Speaker’s Page
Alexander J. Basile
Alexander J. Basile joined the faculty of Kellenberg Memorial High School in 1996 as a member of the Religion Department. While teaching at Kellenberg, he earned an M.A. from the Religious Education and Religious Studies Program at Fordham University. He currently serves as an assistant to the Chaplain and as the Religion Department Chairman at Kellenberg. Alex has written three books, available at St. Paul’s/Alba House: Lessons from the Master: Living Like Jesus, Finding Faith in a Godless World: A Catholic Path to God, and The Gentle Road To Jesus: Bringing Christ to Every Classroom and Home. Alex formed the pop/Irish group The Irish Mist – www.theirishmist.net – and together they have performed on the New York music scene since 1990. Alex brought his music experience to Kellenberg and has produced sixteen CDs for Kellenberg’s Saint Cecilia Recording Studio. Alex is married and resides in Lynbrook, New York with his wife Allison and their two children. Visit his website at www.alexbasile.com.
Topics:
Teaching the Faith, Christian Living, Youth Ministry, Effective Music Ministry, Catechist Orientation, Curriculum Development, Teen Grief, Theology of The Body.
Contact: alexbasile21@gmail.com
Peggy Clores
Peggy Clores is a Catholic Educator at Our Lady of Mercy Parish, in the Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, as well as a B.A. in Theatre Arts. She has been co-coordinator of her parish RCIA/Adult Education Program since 1992, a program open to Catholics as well as those adults wishing to become Catholic. [All are welcome and invited to attend select sessions or the entire program.] In all her endeavors, her primary mission is to challenge each heart to the dynamism that is the Catholic Faith!
Topics:
1) Effective Evangelization for Adults
2) Building a Successful RCIA Program
3) Making Sense Out of Suffering
4) Dangers and Errors in New Age Spirituality
5) Jesus Christ: Not "One of Many Prophets or Spiritual Teachers"
6) What's Wrong With Being "Spiritual, Not Religious"
7) Our Catholic Rights in the Public Square: Getting Past the "Imposition of Morality" Argument
8) Daughter of a Holocaust Survivor Defends Pope Pius XII
9) Daughter of a Holocaust Survivor Speaks Out Against the Abortion Holocaust
10) Euthanasia is Here: Understanding the Present Danger
Contact: imcon630@aol.com.
Pat Gohn
Pat Gohn celebrates Catholic life as a married mother of three. A native New Yorker now living in New England, Pat has been active in Catholic ministries since her youth. Pat holds an MA in Theology and Christian Ministry from Franciscan University of Steubenville, plus certificates in theology of the body and youth ministry. No stranger to writing or public speaking, Pat has a BS in Communications from St. John’s University in New York. Pat’s favorite subject matter to teach and write about is the Catholic faith and applying it to daily life. Over the years, Pat has held church staff positions in areas of pastoral ministry and youth ministry. Her founding and nurturing leadership of prayer groups and fellowships for mothers-at-home, married couples, and cancer survivors, has spanned twenty years. Having enjoyed an on-air career in radio prior to many years as a stay-at-home-Mom, today you’ll find Pat in Catholic media with articles in print and on the internet. Pat’s latest media project is podcasting. "Among Women" is a program on women’s spirituality. Download it from iTunes, or you may listen to it at AmongWomenPodcast.com. Pat’s media company, Behold Communications, showcases Pat’s writing, voice-over, and audio production talents for commercial and non-profit organizations. Pat, and her husband, Bob, have enjoyed over 27 years of marriage. Together they have traveled throughout the USA and Europe with their three children. In their local church, they are guitarists playing in a music ministry, and hosts to small group studies. They are regular adorers of the Blessed Sacrament.
Topics:
1. The Bible for Beginners
2. Introduction to the Catechism (Basic Outlines of the 4 Parts)
3. The Four Pillars of the CCC
4. Short Course on the Sacraments: Initiation, Vocation, Healing, And Eucharist
5. Selected Topics from the Catechism
6. 4 Steps For Christian Growth: Prayer, Study, Community, Action
7. The Family That Prays Together: Simple Practices for Raising Catholic Children (Infants to Middle School).
8. Finding the Sacred in the Every Day (A Talk for Mothers)
9. Appreciating the Meaning Behind the Art and Architecture of Your Local Church
10. Theology of the Body
11. Coping With Cancer Using the Sacraments and Prayer
12. Mary and Me: My Journey to Take Mary as My Mother
13. The Truth About Mary: Misunderstood Dogmas About Mary
14. What is the Rosary?
15. Introduction to Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
16. The Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist
17. You Are the Light of the World: Reflections on the Roles of Priest and Laity at Mass
18. The Lord’s Prayer - As Outlined by Benedict XVI and/or the Catechism
19. What is Prayer? (ACTS: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication)
20. What is the Rosary?
21. Total Consecration to Mary (According to St. Louis De Montfort)
Contact: pat.gohn@comcast.net
Ellen Hrkach
Ellen lives with her husband, James, and their five sons, in Pakenham, Ontario, Canada. She and her husband have been certified NFP teachers for the Couple to Couple League for 25 years and have worked for 26 years in marriage preparation and chastity education. Ellen is a freelance writer and author of "Emily's Hope," a Catholic novel. Her second novel, "In Name Only," was released in June 2009. She and her husband create the "Family Life" cartoons which regularly appear in Family Foundations magazine and www.amazingcatechists.com. Her website is www.fullquiverpublishing.com.
Topics: Holy Sexuality, Chastity Before Marriage, Natural Family Planning, Pregnancy Loss. “I do speaking engagements free of charge but do require reimbursement of travel fees.” Available for book readings and signings, and radio, print and television interviews.
Contact: info@fullquiverpublishing.com
Lisa Mladinich
Lisa is a Catholic wife and mom, writer and workshop teacher, and the founder of www.amazingcatechists.com. She will be guest-hosting the monthly “Amazing Catechists” podcast segment on “CatholicMoments” (www.catholicmoments.libsyn.com/) beginning in January 2010. Lisa is also the creator of the popular “Paradox Puppets,” a free on-line, catechetical puppet script ministry and the only Catholic ministry of its kind in the world, at www.catholicmom.com/puppet.htm, with Spanish translations by Maria M. Rivera. Her articles and fiction have appeared in Faith & Family, hearth (now Canticle), Rosebud, Thea News and www.catholicfire.blogspot.com/. She teaches a parish workshop called, “You Can Be An Amazing Catechist…Here’s How.” Lisa is available for speaking engagements and welcomes media inquiries.
Topics: Teaching the Faith Thrillingly and Memorably, My Conversion Story
Contact: lisamladinich@optonline.net
William O’Leary
William celebrates his Catholic Faith first through his vocation as a husband to his wife, Sarah and then as a father to his three children: Tobias, Mary-Elizabeth and Clare. He started working in Church ministry after earning his MA in Theology with a specialization in Catechetics from Franciscan University in 1997. William considers catechesis one of his passions and has spent over 10 years working in parish ministry as a Director of Religious Education and in Youth Ministry. He enjoys working with catechists and those in the field equipping them to pass on the Catholic Faith and a love of Christ to the next generation. William currently is the Director of Religious Formation at Church of the Ascension in Overland Park, KS. William can be reached via e-mail at woleary@kcascension.org and on his blog: catechesisinthethirdmillennium.wordpress.com.
Topics:
1. Helping catechists (and adults) use the Bible and the Catechism
2. Best Practices in Religious Education
3. Introductions to the Old and New Testament
4. Lesson Planning
5. Involving Parents
6. Communicating with your Catechists and volunteers
7. How to get the most out of your textbook
8. How to use media, art and music in the classroom
9. How to lead students in prayer
10. Types of Prayer
11. How to help prepare your students for Advent/Lent
Nolan Reynolds
Nolan Reynolds is the full-time Director of Youth Ministry at Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Hicksville, NY. He's also a part-time teacher of abstinence education with Long Island Teen Freedom and a grad-student at the Seminary of Immaculate Conception (Huntington, NY). He personally maintains the Rise of the TOB blog (www.riseofthetob.blogspot.com) which takes a look at life through the lens of Pope John Paul II's landmark teaching on human love and sexuality, Theology of the Body. An up and coming speaker, Nolan has a passion for leading teens closer to Christ and sharing with them the Catholic Church's unique insight on love, life, and sex. He lives with his wife Becky in Patchogue, NY.
Topics: Youth Ministry, Theology of the Body for Teens, Confirmation, and anything else regarding love/sexuality/relationships. Available for print, radio, or television interviews.
Contact: nreynolds@olmrcc.org
Mary Lou Rosien
Mary Lou is a Catholic wife, mother to seven and has been a Catechist off and on for 30 years. She is trained as a social worker and parent/family coach. She is also a literacy volunteer in the public school system and a substitute teacher. Several of her own children have disabilities including Asperger’s (a mild form of autism), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Learning Disorders, ADHD and Anxiety Issues. Her 18 year-old daughter had surgery four years ago for a Chiari I malformation of the brain and has recovered beautifully! She is a columnist for Our Sunday Visitor Online and is the author of, Managing Stress with the Help of Your Catholic Faith (OSV Publishing). She contributes frequently to Canticle Magazine, Take Out Magazine, and Catholic Exchange Online.
Her husband, Igor W. Rosien, M.D. is a physician with experience in emergency medicine, pain management, internal medicine, and anesthesiology. The couple often speaks together on marriage and may be available to discuss NFP and end of life issues from a Catholic/Medical perspective.
Topics: Managing Stress, Questions from Catechists, Catholic Marriage and Family Life, Teens, Tweens and In-betweens, Raising Catholic Kids with Disabilities (including tips on getting through CSE meetings and working with your school district). Open to all related topics (including NFP, family life and end of life issues with her husband).
Contact: mrosien@rochester.rr.com
Leticia Velasquez
Leticia Velasquez is a Catholic Educator from St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Baltic, CT in the Diocese of Norwich. She has worked as an educator in various settings for the past 20 years, has a BA in Psychology, an MA in Bilingual and English Language Education, and taught for nine years as an adjunct professor of English at Suffolk Community College. Leticia has been a catechist all her life, and for the last 6 years has been teaching a bilingual Spanish First Holy Communion class. Leticia is a freelance writer who blogs at Causa Nostrae Laetitiae, and Cause of Our Joy, and contributes to a group blog she founded, Catholic Media Review. This year, the American Life League awarded Causa Nostrae Laetitiae the Pro-life Blog Award. Leticia has published articles in "Faith and Family", “Canticle”, and "Celebrate Life" magazines as well as the National Catholic Register. She writes movie reviews at Mercatornet, Catholic Online. Catholic Exchange and Catholic.net. Her reviews have been reprinted on Reuters, USA Today and the Chicago Sun Times. Leticia has become an advocate for children with Down Syndrome, and has been interviewed on the Drew Mariani Show, was interviewed for an upcoming pro-life documentary film, "Silent Fall", and on "The Face of Pro-Life" television program. She recently coordinated Youth 4 Life, a pro-life youth conference at the Academy of the Holy Family, in Baltic, CT which had over 500 attendees through it's online webcast. She is available for media interviews, or to give presentations throughout the Northeast in English and Spanish. She can be reached at marysjoys@yahoo.com
Topics:
1.) Special Needs Children; a gift for the entire family
2.) Pro-life activism online: using the new media to reach the public
3.) Catholic Marriage is pro-life: how marriage is a witness to the sanctity of life
4.) What makes education Catholic?: Resources and approaches for authentic Catholic education.
5.) Catholic in the public square: how to bring the Gospel of Life into the political discusion
6.) Bilingual Catechesis: how to teach Latino immigrants in a meaningful way
7.) Feasts in a Family: how to live the Liturgical Year in your home
8.) Where do I educate my child?: homeschooling v Catholic schools?
9.) Youth encounter Pope Benedict XVI at Dunwoodie, NY
10.) How to get yourself in print: becoming a Catholic journalist
11.) Heaven from Hollywood: how independent filmakers are making films for Christian audiences