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Ave Maria University

Marian eucharistic conference

May 10 - 12, 2024

“My Soul Proclaims the Greatness of Our Lord”

- Luke 1:46

 

 

 Meet the speakers


Raymond Arroyo

An internationally known, award-winning journalist, producer, and New York Times Bestselling author.  As a Fox News Contributor and Editorial Advisor to the top-rated, The Ingraham Angle, he has created the popular “Seen and Unseen” and “Friday Follies” segments that have become audience favorites.  He regularly files reports for Fox News and co-hosts Fox Nation’s “Laura and Raymond” with Laura Ingraham each week. 

As founding News Director, Managing Editor and Lead Anchor for EWTN News, he is seen in more than 350 million homes on six continents each week and heard on more than 500 AM/FM affiliates and a stand alone Sirius channel throughout the US.  Mr. Arroyo established EWTN News and The World Over Live in 1996, which he hosts from Washington DC each week.  

Five of his adult books, including his biography of Mother Angelica, were all New York Times Bestsellers.  His first picture book, “The Spider Who Saved Christmas” was also a New York Times Bestseller.  Additionally, he is the author of the bestselling Will Wilder series (Random House) for young readers.  In 2015, Mr. Arroyo founded Storyented.com, a literacy initiative to inspire reading by connecting the world’s great authors and their readers.  Mr. Arroyo resides in New Orleans and Washington DC with his wife Rebecca and their three children.


sister maria socias, sctm

Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Sister Maria Jose Socias, SCTJM (Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary) was born in Santurce Puerto Rico and raised in Dominican Republic. Sister Maria Jose entered religious life in 1990 with the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary when the Mother Foundress of the community travelled to Dominican Republic for a mission. At that time, she was finishing Medical School. A month after meeting the community, she came to Miami and entered into the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary. The Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary is a religious community located in the Archdiocese of Miami, Florida.  Sister Maria Jose professed her vows in 1991. Sr. Maria Jose is also a member of the preaching team of the religious Institute and she has participated in Marian, Eucharistic Conferences and retreats and Parish Missions in the USA and abroad.


Johnnette B Williams

Johnnette B Williams is Founder and President of Women of Grace®, a Catholic apostolate for women featuring a number of outreaches including conferences, media, study groups and more. She is also Founder and President of Living His Life Abundantly® International, Inc. a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit corporation. After years of being a non-practicing Catholic, in 1981 Johnnette experienced a deep conversion back to her Catholic faith. Her conversion sparked a new vocation: that is, one of sharing the Gospel message through the utilization of media. She has been an inspiring and consistent presence on Catholic radio (1987) and in Catholic television (1988) ever since.

In addition, Johnnette is a popular conference speaker, published author, retreat director, and seminar presenter. She is the author of several books including:

  • Full of Grace: Women and the Abundant Life.

  • Grace-Filled Moments.

  • Living Life Abundantly: Stories of People Who Have Encountered God.

  • Experience Grace in Abundance: Ten Strategies For Your Spiritual Life.

  • The New Age Counterfeit.


Kathleen Beckman

Co-Founder and President of Foundation of Prayer for Priests, a ministry of Eucharistic Adoration and spiritual motherhood of priests (www.foundationforpriests.org). An international evangelist, and retreat director, she has spoken and prayed with clergy, nuns, and laity in thirteen countries and is often featured on Catholic TV and radio. A best-selling author of eight books on prayer, sacraments, and saints, Kathleen writes for several Catholic apostolates. 

For sixteen years, Kathleen has served as the diocesan administrator of healing and deliverance ministry and is a member of the exorcist’s team. For six years Kathleen was on faculty of the Pope Leo XIII Institute, the formation school for exorcists. In 2017, she completed the Association of International Exorcist’s course “Liberation from Evil Spirits” at the Pontifical Regina Apostolorum University, Rome. She witnesses and proclaims Christ’s victory over sin and evil.

Her book, “Beautiful Holiness: A Spiritual Journey with Blessed Conchita to the Heart of Jesus”, published in 2023, by Sophia Institute Press highlights Blessed Conchita Cabrera, wife, mother of nine children, a widow and mystic who proclaimed Christ to her family.

Kathleen is a Dame of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher, a wife, mother of two grown sons, and a grandmother. She lives in the diocese of Orange, CA.


Father Robert A. Sirico

A native of Brooklyn, New York and was ordained a priest in 1989 receiving his Master of Divinity degree from the Catholic University of America, following undergraduate study at the University of Southern California and the University of London. During his studies and early ministry, he experienced a growing concern over the lack of training religious studies students receive in fundamental economic principles, leaving them poorly equipped to understand and address today's social problems.

As a result of these concerns, Fr. Sirico co-founded the Acton Institute in 1990. His writings on religious, political, economic, and social matters are published in a variety of journals, including: the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the London Financial Times, the Washington Times, the Detroit News, and National Review.

Fr. Sirico is often called upon by members of the broadcast media for statements regarding economics, civil rights, and issues of religious concern, and has provided commentary for CNN, ABC, the BBC, NPR, and CBS' 60 Minutes, among others. In April of 1999, Fr. Sirico was awarded an honorary doctorate in Christian Ethics from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, and in May of 2001. 


Fr. RafAel Capó

Fr. Rafael Capó, the Vice President for Mission and Ministry, and Dean of the School of Theology at St. Thomas University, is a priest of the Archdiocese of Miami, a Pontifical Missionary of Mercy by appointment of Pope Francis, and a National Eucharistic Preacher by appointment of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. He formerly served as executive director of the US Catholic Bishops Southeast Office and Institute for Hispanic Ministry (SEPI). 

 

Fr. Capó has served as school president, campus minister, teacher, and vocations director, holding degrees in Educational Leadership and Biology. While doing his theological studies in Mexico and Rome he ministered to street children and immigrant youth. Rev. Capó has a Licentiate degree in Systematic Theology and a Doctorate in Practical Liturgical Theology. He is a member of the Academy of Hispanic Theologians and participates in all major organizations of Hispanic Ministry. 

 

Fr. Capó is a member of the USCCB’s National Hispanic Ministry Leadership Team and the World Youth Day National Advisory Team and serves as Advisor to the Board of Directors of the national organization of Hispanic youth and young adult ministry (La Red). He is actively present in social media with an emphasis in ministry to young people and a calling to fitness of body, mind, and spirit.


Rev. David M. Vidal, Ph.D.

Pastor of Ave Maria Parish

Father David Mariano Vidal was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on August 13, 1973, the fifth of seven siblings. His parents, Alicia and Julio, live in Buenos Aires. He attended public primary schools and a private Catholic secondary school. In 1993, he began studies for the priesthood, and he was ordained in La Plata, Buenos Aires, on August 9, 2001. Father Vidal’s two brothers are missionary priests, and three of his sisters are nuns. After some years of missionary work in the United States, Fr. Vidal entered the graduate program in the School of Philosophy of the Catholic University of America in the fall 2009. He received the Licentiate degree in Philosophy in 2012, with a thesis on “Nature and Suppositum in the Metaphysics of Thomas Aquinas” under the direction of Msgr. John F. Wippel. He received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in 2020, with a dissertation on “Res as Transcendental in the Metaphysics of Thomas Aquinas” under the direction of Gregory T. Doolan. He has been a lecturer at Saint John Vianney College Seminary, in Miami. In the Diocese of Venice, Father Vidal was assigned as Parochial Vicar of Ave Maria Parish, Ave Maria, in August 2017, Administrator of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Parish, LaBelle, in May 2018, and Pastor of Ave Maria Parish in February 2021.