Episode 1: Decompartmentalization
Cindy Black is the Director of Faith Formation for a parish in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.
Her life’s mission has become sharing God’s love for every person by affirming their human dignity and assuring them they are worth more than all the material wealth/possessions in the universe no matter their past or what they believe. Each person has a unique and unrepeatable role in contributing good to our world and we are all impoverished when the gifts of others are not encouraged and valued. She is deeply committed to living simply, fostering healing and health, growing in virtue, and encountering Jesus in the poor, forgotten and marginalized.
Cindy earned a Master’s of Theology from the University of Notre Dame in 2012 and has spent the last 25 years in Catholic ministry. She currently serves in pastoral ministry in her home parish, accompanying multitudes as they discern Catholicism and grow in faith.
Andrea Sarubbi is a distinguished communications leader with almost three decades of experience spanning journalism, international relations, and Catholic media production. As a former Member of the Italian Parliament recognized for his humanitarian contributions, Andrea brings exceptional insight to faith-based communications and social advocacy initiatives. His unparalleled expertise includes presenting papal events across three pontificates—John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis—while developing an extensive network within Vatican institutions. As Senior Advisor for The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, he has worked closely with Pope Francis to expand “The Pope Video” to reach over 247 million views in 23 languages across 114 countries. In his current role as Director for Outreach at the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers, Andrea has successfully elevated mental health awareness within Vatican circles, bringing this crucial topic to the forefront of the Church’s social agenda and fostering meaningful dialogue among key ecclesiastical stakeholders. Andrea’s multilingual capabilities (fluent in Italian, English, Spanish, French, with working knowledge of Portuguese) enable him to excel in cross-cultural communication for global audiences. His creative vision and innovative approach to Catholic content is exemplified through his acclaimed pandemic-era podcast, which reimagined Gospel narratives through contemporary scenarios featuring notable personalities and expert spiritual commentary. With significant experience at Italy’s public broadcaster RAI, Vatican Radio, and as Vatican correspondent for Swiss Radio/TV, Andrea has established himself as a trusted voice in Catholic media. At TV2000 (the Italian Bishops’ Conference television network), he conceptualized and hosted programs on international affairs and human rights, demonstrating his ability to communicate complex social and religious topics to diverse audiences. His parliamentary career focused on human rights, immigration, and poverty reduction, highlighting his commitment to social justice and humanitarian causes. Andrea’s creative multimedia projects include short films, video campaigns, and digital content for international organizations and nonprofit entities, showcasing his versatility in using different media formats for social impact. Andrea’s unique combination of political acumen, media expertise, creative content development, and deep Vatican connections positions him as an invaluable asset for Catholic media organizations and faith-based enterprises seeking strategic communications leadership. A Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (2007), his commitment to social justice and innovative storytelling continues to inspire audiences worldwide.
Episode 2: Prayer
Kathy Lorentz has served as a Theology Teacher, campus minister, counselor, and spiritual director for more than 35 years. She worked for ten years as a Pastoral Associate at St. Brendan’s Catholic Church in San Francisco, CA. Since 1996, she has been the Associate Director of Campus Ministry at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory High School in San Francisco, where she also coaches the speech team and moderates the TEDx program. Kathy is a curriculum team member and workshop facilitator for CALLED, an initiative that seeks to cultivate better preaching in the church by empowering lay persons to share their stories of God’s healing love. She has an MS in Counseling with specializations in both Marriage, Family, Child, and School Counseling from San Francisco State University. Kathy is certified by the Compassion Institute and Stanford University as a Compassion Teacher. She, her husband David, and their five sons regularly serve as liturgists and music ministers at various parishes in the Bay Area.
Monica Martinez is a native Ohioan and a Parish Success Lead with Hallow, the #1 Catholic prayer app. Monica has spent more than a decade helping parishes and dioceses across the country bring people deeper into prayer and community, from leading family life ministries to building national partnerships and events. She holds a Master’s in Theology of Marriage and Family, and she brings both depth and real-world experience to her work. Monica approaches her faith with curiosity and questions, always trusting in a loving Father who delights in that curious heart.
Fr. David Roman is a diocesan priest of the Diocese of Bridgeport, ordained in 2019. He currently serves as the Pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church and School in Fairfield, CT. He was formed at Theological College at The Catholic University of America, where he earned an M.Div. and an STB. Fr. Roman is also a trained spiritual director, having been formed at the Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality at Fairfield University. He is a certified secondary education social studies teacher, having worked in a catholic school prior to ordination. Fr. Roman has over 20 years of experience working in high school youth ministry.
Episode 3: Formation
Dr. Bill Keimig is the Director of the Catechetical Institute (CI) at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio. For 15 years, he served as the Director of Religious Education at St. Mary’s of Piscataway Catholic Church in Clinton, Maryland. Along with this work, Dr. Keimig served as a master catechist in the Hearts Aflame and Faith Foundations catechist formation programs for the Archdiocese of Washington, DC. Dr. Keimig has served as a speaker in many other settings, including at the annual St. John Bosco Conference in Steubenville for over two decades, and at major venues in over 90 dioceses. He served for nine years as the Director of the Association for Catechumenal Ministry (ACM), which assists dioceses in training clergy and laity to do RCIA ministry, and was the managing editor of ACM’s series of RCIA texts currently used in thousands of U.S. parishes and in many other countries. He also served for nine years as a volunteer counselor for a local crisis pregnancy center. Dr. Keimig holds a Doctorate in Ministry from the Catholic University of America, and a Master’s Degree in Theology and Christian Ministry with a Certification in Catechetics from Franciscan University. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Public Management from the University of Maryland in environmental policy. He and his wife, Heather, have six children, and one newly born grandson.
Cindy Black is the Director of Faith Formation for a parish in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.
Her life’s mission has become sharing God’s love for every person by affirming their human dignity and assuring them they are worth more than all the material wealth/possessions in the universe no matter their past or what they believe. Each person has a unique and unrepeatable role in contributing good to our world and we are all impoverished when the gifts of others are not encouraged and valued. She is deeply committed to living simply, fostering healing and health, growing in virtue, and encountering Jesus in the poor, forgotten and marginalized.
Cindy earned a Master’s of Theology from the University of Notre Dame in 2012 and has spent the last 25 years in Catholic ministry. She currently serves in pastoral ministry in her home parish, accompanying multitudes as they discern Catholicism and grow in faith.
Friar Richard Riccioli, OFM Conv. is a Franciscan friar and pastor of Most Holy Trinity–St. Mary Church in Williamsburg, Brooklyn—a multilingual parish in the heart of the borough’s creative and ever-changing scene. Originally from Montréal, he has served in the U.S. and Canada with a focus on young adult ministry and evangelization. At his current parish, he’s helping lead a shift from inward focus to outward mission, proclaiming the Gospel with joy and hospitality. Friar Rick also brings media experience and a background in pastoral counseling to his ministry and message.
Episode 4: Generational Differences
Michael St. Pierre, Ed.D. is the Superintendent of Catholic Education for the Diocese of Allentown, PA. He provides vision and support for 33 schools, 8,500 students, and over 600 educators.
He holds a B.A. in Philosophy (The Catholic University of America), an M.A. in Theology (Seton Hall University), an M.A. in Educational Leadership (Seton Hall University), and an Ed.D. in Education (College of St. Elizabeth).
His articles have appeared in Magnificat, Our Sunday Visitor, Busted Halo, Momentum, Give Us This Day, Catechist, and America, in addition to serving as a guest on numerous podcasts. He has been an adjunct professor at Seton Hall University, The College of St. Elizabeth, and Saint Joseph College of Maine. In 2017, he received the Seton Hall University Many Are One Alumni Award.
Dr. St. Pierre is the author of The Five Habits of Prayerful People (Ave Maria Press).
In 2021, he launched the first-ever global Nonprofit Productivity Summit. He currently serves as an Expert for Nozbe, one of the most popular project management apps in the world. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Mission Madera, a non-profit serving students in Uganda.
Dr. St. Pierre and his wife of 27 years, Cary, are the proud parents of four children. They live in Bethlehem, PA.
Paul Morisi is a product of Catholic Education here in the Diocese of Brooklyn. Holding a degree in History from St. Francis College, Theology from St. John’s University, and a Master’s of Education from Fordham University, he works to bring young people and their families closer to Christ. In the past, Paul Morisi has served as a Catholic School teacher, as well as the Diocesan Director for Youth, Young Adult, and College Campus Ministry for the Diocese of Brooklyn. Today, he is the principal of Bay Ridge Catholic Academy and lives in Queens with his wife Alison and their two boys, James and John Paul.
Friar Richard Riccioli, OFM Conv. is a Franciscan friar and pastor of Most Holy Trinity–St. Mary Church in Williamsburg, Brooklyn—a multilingual parish in the heart of the borough’s creative and ever-changing scene. Originally from Montréal, he has served in the U.S. and Canada with a focus on young adult ministry and evangelization. At his current parish, he’s helping lead a shift from inward focus to outward mission, proclaiming the Gospel with joy and hospitality. Friar Rick also brings media experience and a background in pastoral counseling to his ministry and message.
Episode 5: Spiritual Direction
Mary Glowaski is a Spiritual Director and has ministered for 40 years in pastoral care in many capacities. She holds an undergraduate degree in Social Work and an MA in Pastoral Theology, which have complemented her ministry as a pastoral counselor, mediator, and advocate. She has served in parishes throughout the diocese, worked in schools and parishes supporting and advocating for children, and helped to support and form educators, parents, and diocesan clergy. For the last 25 years, Mary has worked for the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, assisting and guiding many in peaceful mediation to address serious individual and institutional conflicts, building resources of support for the many pastoral needs of the diocese. For 20 years, Mary was the Victim Assistance Coordinator for the diocese, walking with those who have been so grievously harmed by clergy abuse in the church. As a Spiritual Director, Mary has the privilege of walking with wonderful individuals who seek greater awareness and intention in their relationship with God. Mary and her now deceased husband, Gary built a wonderful life in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where they raised two equally wonderful sons. Mary has three grandchildren who are truly the greatest joy of her life.
Deacon Tom Whalen, Diocese of Charleston, received an MA in Theology from St. Leo University in 2015 and was ordained into the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina, in 2016. He received a graduate-level Certificate in Spiritual Direction in 2019 and completed the Directed Retreat Formation Program (including Ignatian 19th Annotation) in 2022. Both certificates are from Spring Hill College. He currently serves at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenville.
Deacon Tom has been married to Dorothy for over fifty years, and they have one married son and two grandchildren. He has designed and managed manufacturing facilities for international companies for over 40 years in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Mexico, and Japan, utilizing his BSME and MBA degrees. While working overseas, he confronted firsthand the social injustice of apartheid, poverty, and disregard for human life. Throughout his adult life, he has been committed to promoting Catholic social teaching.
Retirement from corporate life in 2020 has allowed him to serve in many ministries, including spiritual direction. He offers spiritual direction primarily in the Diocese of Charleston. He was appointed by the Bishop of Charleston to develop and serve as Coordinator of the Office of Spiritual Directors in 2023 for the Charleston Diocese.
For more information on spiritual direction in the Diocese of Charleston:
https://charlestondiocese.org/spiritual-directors/
Hans Plate, Founder & President Vinea Research, has over 25 years of experience providing professional market research to leading organizations such as Pfizer, Medtronic, and Genentech. More than a decade ago, he founded Vinea Research to bring that same level of strategic insight to Catholic organizations. Vinea has since supported mission-driven groups including FOCUS, the USCCB, Ascension, Exodus 90, OSV, and DeSales Media.
Hans is married, the father of five daughters, and soon to be a grandfather! He is a lifelong committed Catholic. His involvement at his local parish includes starting the Greeters Ministry and two different men’s groups (both are active), as well as serving as an RCIA team member, Confirmation catechist, and small group leader.
Episode 6: evangelization
Monica Martinez is a native Ohioan and a Parish Success Lead with Hallow, the #1 Catholic prayer app. Monica has spent more than a decade helping parishes and dioceses across the country bring people deeper into prayer and community, from leading family life ministries to building national partnerships and events. She holds a Master’s in Theology of Marriage and Family, and she brings both depth and real-world experience to her work. Monica approaches her faith with curiosity and questions, always trusting in a loving Father who delights in that curious heart.
Emily Ricci is the owner and founder of Gloriam Marketing, a Catholic marketing and creative agency dedicated to helping Catholic churches, businesses, and ministries market like Jesus. Combining her past work experience in parish work and higher education, as well as a Master’s Degree in Theology, she seeks to demystify marketing and help Catholic organizations spread the word about what they are doing so they can bring others closer to Christ. She, her husband, and their two children live in New York and enjoy being involved in their local parish.
Peter Andrastek has worked in adult formation in the Church since 2003. He holds a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Theology from Ave Maria University. His experience includes preaching retreats, priest convocations, teaching theology at the graduate level, instructing adult catechesis courses, being a guest lecturer at seminaries, and giving presentations and trainings for numerous parishes, dioceses, movements, and institutions in the Church. He also has articles published in Notre Dame’s Church Life Journal. Peter currently advises a team that serves over 175 ministries around the world, including dioceses, parishes, and military bases. He is married and has 8 children, and lives in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.
