The Most Reverend Daniel Cardinal DiNardoArchdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Cardinal Archbishop
His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo is the metropolitan archbishop of Galveston-Houston and pastor to its 1.7 million-plus Catholics. He is a member of the Pontifical Council for Culture, the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, the Pontifical Council for the Economy, and is on the Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
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Steve AngrisanoKeynote Speaker
Steve Angrisano is an internationally recognized Catholic composer, presenter and passionate music missionary. Always rooted in humility and faithfulness, Steve’s highly effective and authentic style of ministry springs from his deep love for Jesus Christ. He has traveled around the world for over two decades sharing his unique blend of humor, story and song. Whether it’s at parish missions, youth events, concerts, staff retreats or music workshops, Steve loves working with local ministry teams to bring new life and passion to their Catholic communities.
A veteran musician, composer and keynote speaker, Steve has been featured at 10 World Youth Days, emceed three National Catholic Youth Conferences (2005, 2007, 2009) and served as choir director for the youth scola at NCYC 2021. He has led the house band for the Christ Our Life conference in Des Moines, Iowa, since 2016. He served as a keynote speaker for the Australian Youth Festival in 2017 and 2019. He was honored to serve as emcee when Pope John Paul II visited St Louis in 1999. Steve has presented primary talks, music and workshops at the pro-life rally in Washington D.C., Franciscan University Conferences, National Pastoral Musicians Conference, National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry, Los Angeles Religious Education Conference and countless other events.
Beyond large-scale events, Steve’s passion, heart and daily work is dedicated to presenting parish missions, leading groups to the Holy Land and composing music for OCP (which he has been doing for 25 years). 2020 saw the release of Let Us All Rejoice, modern musical settings of the Entrance and Communion Antiphons written with Sarah Hart and Curtis Stephan. The project received an Association of Catholic Publishers 2021 Excellence in Publishing Award. Steve has received national awards in recognition for his work with youth from the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry in 2012 and for his work with the pro-life movement from the Archdiocese of Washington DC in 2011. Steve’s “Live, Songs from the Road” CD, one of his many recorded collections, was awarded the Unity Award for praise and worship recording of the year in 2008.
Steve holds an M.A. in theology as well as a graduate specialization certificate in sacramental and liturgical theology from Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology. He also holds a B.A. in marketing from the University of Texas at Austin.
Steve’s first love and vocation is his wife Jenni Angrisano, and their three children and four grandchildren.
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Oscar RiveraKeynote Speaker
Oscar Rivera, was raised in the inner city of Waterbury, Connecticut, and was taught at an early age how to be a survivor. His method of avoiding the streets and its promises, became the art of Hip Hop. Oscar's energy and passion for the faith makes his approach: inspirational and real-to-life.
Oscar is a Franciscan University Alumni (10'), and earned his Masters of Arts in Theology with Saint Leo University (15'). He takes his knowledge of the faith and inspires the youth, and young adults of today's culture through his music, talks, retreats, and personal testimony.
He brings a message of hope in times of despair, love during times of hate, and faithfully follow God, no matter the obstacles. His life has been devoted to the New Evangelization of the Gospel and his upbeat contemporary approach to the good news has made the message easy to understand, follow, and relate to.
Christianity is not boring, and Oscar does not intend to be either.
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Abraham SalasLife & Lens Media
Musician
For the past 6 years, Abraham has been serving the Church as a Worship Leader, Speaker, & Christian Pop Artis. His passion is to help create an experience where people can encounter God through prayer while having some fun along the way. He moved to Dallas, Texas, in 2021 where He now lives with his wife, pursuing a life of holiness. He also owns a media company called Life & Lens Media, which seeks to help Brands and Individuals share captivating stories with their audiences.
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Mari PabloAscension Press
Speaker
Mari Pablo grew up in a devout, always supportive, boisterous Hispanic family in South Florida. She graduated from Franciscan University with a double major in theology and psychology; she also holds a Master of Theology from the Augustine Institute. She has worked in youth ministry for over 15 years, including being a youth minister in New Orleans, and a high school theology teacher in Miami. She is currently serving parishes and universities across the country with The Evangelical Catholic.
Mari is a presenter for Ascension Press in numerous projects including the YOU-Theology of the Body program for teens, The 99- An evangelization mission series, Connected- Catholic Social Teaching for this generation, Bible Timeline, Chosen- Confirmation and Ascension presents. Mari is well known for her dynamic presentations at the annual Steubenville Youth Conferences, NCYC, NET, Life Teen events, FOCUS conference, diocesan events and more. Mari has a deep love for food but an even greater love for Christ and is dedicated to helping others encounter Him.
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Fr. J SerratoSacred Heart of Jesus -Manvel
Parochial Vicar
Fr. J was born in Mexico and at a young age moved to the states. He come from a prolific couple, to say the
least. At the age of 9, he became an alter server which sparked his “curiosity” for the priesthood. Oblivious the nature of the priesthood, he began to tell himself that one day he would be a priest. Eventually, the parish priest became his role model. Consequently, he began to attend retreats asking the Lord for guidance in his discernment.
Soon after that, by the grace of God, he reached the conclusion that God was calling him to the priesthood.
However, like every healthy young adult, he wanted to create and live in my own continent and began to repress God’s will. He attended public schools most of his life, where he played different sports. He told God many times what he wanted to do with his life. Right after High School, he moved around the state trying different hats and running away from God, until it was evident that priesthood was my “thing.” The watershed in my life was the moment he approached God with a different question: I already told you
what “I wanted to do” with my life, but it’s not working. Now, what “do you want me to do” with my life? Be a priest! That was His answer. As the saying goes: “Be careful what you pray for.” Once he was accepted as a seminarian by the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, he was sent to St. Joseph Seminary in Covington, Louisiana, where he studied philosophy. After graduating from St. Joseph’s, he moved back to St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston to finish his theological studies. By the grace of God, he was ordained a priest by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo on June 3rd of 2023. Currently, he is the Parochial Vicar at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Manvel, Texas.
Robert LuceroAssociate Director of Middle School Ministry
I was born and raised in California. While praying one evening, I heard a whisper in prayer to move to Texas, and did so about a year later. I’m a Clippers fan, a 90’s hip hop fanatic, and I’ve been a weightlifting and fitness enthusiast since 2016. The gym has been a place that has allowed me to encounter God regularly. One of those encounters led me to become friends with two brothers from the same gym I went to, and they would later make me an ambassador for their local supplement store, “the Supp Shop”. My goal with this workshop is to bring everyone around me closer to God through exercise, and to send them off feeling empowered. “We are body and spirit, and we experience the need to translate our feelings externally. We must pray with our whole being to give all power possible to our supplication.”-Catechism 2702
Sarah RomeroAssociate Director of Campus Ministry
Sarah is the Associate Director of Campus Ministry at Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory School of Houston. Her journey to ministry began in high school when a peer invited her to attend a Teen ACTS retreat. Her spirituality is markedly Ignatian and Marian. She loves dancing, painting, and playing volleyball. She is currently pursuing her Master of Pastoral Studies from Loyola University New Orleans. Sarah lives in Kemah, TX with her husband of 5 years, Eric, her almost 15 year old Chihuahua, Dulce, and her 4-month old Australian Shepherd-Lab mix, Mariela.
Alex GotayDr. Alex Gotay is a Christ follower, Husband of 24 years, Father of four Boys, National Teen and Young Adult Speaker, Retreat Leader, Evangelizer, Missioner, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Blackbelt and full-time Youth Minister, who has been there and is now living it REAL for Christ! His intense approach and real style captures audiences!
Dr. G's passion for Christ and his experiences in life allows him to address the culture’s many ailments from a unique perspective with all the answers being found in Christ! His childhood and teenage years consisted of many troubles. Growing up the way he did led him to despair. In his early twenties Alex met a youth minister who helped him form his relationship with Christ. He became heavily involved in multicultural youth ministry right after and has been involved and doing it ever since! His powerful messages help connect with teens and young adults, from all backgrounds, because his electric discussions are in a language that they understand and are made relevant!
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Palomita FilmsPalomita Films
We love to capture and share stories that inspire.
In 2015, we experienced our first pilgrimage in Medjugorje, and it changed our lives. Since then, we've produced documentary films, recorded interviews with hundreds pilgrims from around the world, and created short videos that highlight our faith and current events in Medjugorje. We began leading groups of pilgrims to Mejdugorje in 2016 and are constantly inspired by the spiritual miracles and personal encounters of faith people experience in that holy place.
Gian GamboaGian Gamboa is a campus ministry director & Catholic speaker based in Austin, TX. Gian teaches young people
how to build a strong relationship with Christ through the Catholic faith. His mission is to help people follow
Jesus, dream big, & take action. He shows people how to go from doubting themselves and never taking
action, to confidently pursuing their big dream alongside Jesus, so that they can become who they were always
meant to be. He has given over 1,000 talks all over the country. Gian is a husband, father of 3, and the (selfproclaimed)
biggest fan of Taco Bell.
Jenny GayYouth Minister
Jenny Gay is a coordinator of youth ministry at Holy Family Parish in Galveston. About a year ago, God
called her to work for the Catholic church and move to Galveston. She recently completed a MA degree in
Catechetics and Evangelization from Franciscan University. Previously, she worked in the public school
system as a School Psychologist. Jenny worked closely with other mental health professionals providing
intensive inpatient care to teenagers in a residential mental health facility. She holds a Specialist degree in
School Psychology from Texas State University and a degree in Psychology from Sam Houston State
University. She is passionate about sharing the Gospel with the youth, helping families grow closer to
God, and helping people find hope in Jesus.
Doris BarrowDoris M. Barrow, III is a campus minister at Texas Southern University in the Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry (Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston). He received his BA in History from Grambling State University, an MBA fromWebster University, and an MA in Theology from the University of Notre Dame. Doris spent 13 years in direct-mail, digital marketing, and advertising before starting his own advertising consultancy company to assist small businesses. Doris has 18 years of experience as a catechist parish Catechetical leader and 12 years in youth ministry. His favorite prayer is the Holy Rosary and every Tuesday at 12 noon he leads the Sorrowful Mysteries dedicated to Combating the Sin of Racism.He was baptized on December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and his life is forever intertwined with Mother Mary (Our Lady).Spider-Man is his favorite Marvel character. Who doesn’t love Spider-Man?! He is married to an amazing woman, Stacy Monique and his personal mission statement is “I am called to serve and lead with humility and love”.
Aribella ArteagaI was born and raised in Chicago, IL, and moved to Houston. I have been involved in ministry within the Catholic Church since I was 14 years old. My love for music led me to start serving in youth group choir and in doing so I felt God’s presence in my life and His unconditional love for me! Being a catechist has been a calling for me since I was a teenager. I love to teach and share our Catholic faith with the youth. I hope to guide them into a relationship with God and not just to know about Him! Other than being in the choir and a catechist I have also served as a lector and being part of the Renovación Carismática Hispana.
Claire McMullinOffice of Vocations-Houston
Claire McMullin has been in the archdiocese as a youth minister, college campus minister, or spiritual guide for over 18 years. Walking with people in their faith journey and teaching people how to connect with Jesus through Scripture bring joy to her heart. Claire has been married for 21 years. Two weenie dogs run the house where you can also find a couple of young adults staying for any given period of time.
Katie VillarrealSt. Faustina Catholic Church
Coordinator of Youth Ministry
Katie is a sinner who is loved by Jesus. She has had the honor and blessing to serve as the Coordinator of Youth Ministry at St. Faustina for the past four years. Katie’s time at St. Faustina, and in ministry throughout her life, has continually revealed to her the reality of the Gospel today. Getting to watch Jesus feed teens that are unafraid to be hungry over and over again has been the greatest privilege of her life. She really likes her family, friends, music, running, and probably you. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science in 2018. Katie is currently completing a Masters in Clinical and Mental Health Counseling at Divine Mercy University.