John Allen Jr. is the Vatican correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter and a Vatican analyst for CNN. He lectures widely on Vatican affairs and has written a soon-to-be-released book entitled "All the Pope’s Men: A Guide to the Psychology and Culture of the Vatican."

Since 1970 Bob Bartlett has been working with young people as a youth minister, retreat director, teacher and counselor. Author of "Growing Toward Intimacy," he has spoken nationally to schools, youth rallies and parishes. He is married and has three grown children; the youngest, at age 19, works with adolescent issues such as sexuality and chemical dependency.

Dr. Tom Beaudoin is Visiting Assistant Professor of Theology at Boston College. He is author of "Consuming Faith" and "Virtual Faith: The Irreverent Spiritual Quest of Generation X," as well as many articles on theology and culture. Beginning in fall 2004, he will be Assistant Professor in the Religious Studies Department at Santa Clara University in California.

Jalonda Robertson, also from New Orleans and a former member of the Moses Hogan Singers, holds a bachelor of music degree from Xavier University. She teaches at Lawless High School in New Orleans. Robertson is minister of music at St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church in New Orleans and is also involved with the New Orleans Archdiocese Gospel Choir.

Kenneth Louis is the first U.S. graduate with a bachelor of music degree in Ethnic (Gospel) Music Studies from the University of the District of Columbia. He is an accomplished pianist, composer and arranger, and has contributed to the Catholic hymnal, "Lead Me, Guide Me." Originally from Louisville, Ky., Kenneth is the minister of music at Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian Catholic Church in Washington, D.C.

A native of New Orleans, Jennifer Broyard Bonam is a graduate of Xavier University and the Louisiana State University Medical Center. She serves as an audiologist and speech therapist for the New Orleans Public School System. She is also the music minister at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in New Orleans and the co-coordinating director of the New Orleans archdiocesan Gospel Choir.

Timothy Jones Jr. is a graduate of Southern University in New Orleans. Vocalist and organist, he brings Gospel music alive, not only in his home church of St. Mary’s Baptist in Marrero, La., but in many Catholic churches in the New Orleans metropolitan area.

Kathy Coffey is an editor for Living the Good News. Author of a number of books, she continues a collaboration with Paul Colloton begun at Congress 2003. For the past 15 years she has taught at Regis Jesuit University and the University of Colorado. She is a leader of retreats and days of prayer, and for the last eight years has spoken at national conferences and presented keynotes and workshops for numerous dioceses across the country.

Author Paul Colloton is a Presbyter of the Central Province (Domincans). He serves as Director of Continuing Education for the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM). He has over 35 years of pastoral experience as a preacher, presider, liturgist, musician, educator, spiritual director and catechist. He is a workshop presenter for NPM, as well as conducting various retreats and workshops on liturgy, music and AIDS ministry.

Fr. Michael Crosby gives retreats and parish missions around the United States and Canada. He also advises Catholic investors on how they can bring their moral principles into the marketplace. He is author of "Rethinking Celibacy, Reclaiming the Church" and "The Prayer that Jesus Taught Us." Fr. Crosby continues to lecture throughout North America and around the English-speaking world.

With more than 25 years of experience in liturgy, bereavement and religious education, Amy Florian is widely skilled in parish ministry. Currently a liturgy and bereavement consultant in the Chicago Archdiocese, she conducts workshops, missions and training sessions on parish, diocesan and national levels. She has published several articles and authored a book on celebrating ritual with children.

Capuchin Edward Foley is Professor of Liturgy and Music, Chair of the Department of Word and Worship, and Director of the Ecumenical Doctorate Ministry Program at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. He has served as Professor for Notre Dame summer school since 1985. Fr. Foley has given presentations in over 50 dioceses throughout the English-speaking world. He presides and preaches at St. Mary’s in Riverside, Ill.

An international authority on the life and writings of C.S. Lewis, Dr. Paul Ford has served since 1988 as Professor of Theology and Liturgy at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, Calif. He has taught at the graduate level at California’s Fuller Seminary, Loyola Marymount University, and Mount St. Mary’s College. A workshop and retreat director throughout California, he has made repeated appearances at our Congress and other local events.

Mike Hagarty has been involved in youth ministry since 1980 as a parish and diocesan youth minister, high school teacher and coach. He has been a lecturer for Washington Theological Union and a former staff member at the Center for Ministry Development, where he teaches the evangelization and catechesis courses in the Certificate in Youth Ministry Studies Program. He is currently Youth Ministry Consultant for the Diocese of Raleigh, N.C.

For the past 25 years composer Marty Haugen has presented workshops and concerts across North America, Europe, Polynesia, Asia and Central America. His range of musical compositions continue to appear in numerous hymnals for Canadian and Australian Catholics, U.S. Evangelical Lutherans, as well as countless Catholic and Protestant denominations.

Dr. Pat McCormack is an Associate of the Center for Catholic Education at The Catholic University in Washington, D.C. She is currently Director of Formative Parenting Support Services in Delaware and a consultant in formation education issues. She is an experienced public speaker and author; her latest book is titled "Mary’s Beads of Transformation."

Bob McCarty is Executive Director for the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry. He has been in professional youth ministry since 1973, serving in diocesan, parish, school and community programs. McCarty presents workshops on ministry issues and skills internationally. He is also a volunteer in his parish youth ministry and catechetical program at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fulton, Md.

Megan McKenna is a theologian, storyteller and writer. She teaches in Singapore, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Boliva, Peru, Dublin and at St. John’s in Collegeville, Minn., the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago,and other universities. She is an Ambassador of Peace for Pax Christi USA.

Sheila O’Dea is Associate Director of The North American Forum on the Catechumenate. A member of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland, Canada, she is a team member for the Forum’s Institutes and teaches courses on initiation at St. Paul University in Ottawa. She has 20 years experience teaching liturgy, initiation and catechetics, and continues to give workshops in both Canada and the United States.

Bob Pavlik’s career as a teacher, professor, administrator and author spans 37 years. He renewed his K-12 teaching experiences during a recent sabbatical, experimenting with Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Today, he coordinates a team to help existing schools transform their programs and to help various groups design and open new schools.

Dr. John Platt has worked for 45 years with parents and teachers. He has made over 3,000 presentations to groups in the United States, Europe and New Zealand. A former marriage and family child counselor, high school teacher and coach, he is currently a seminar presenter and Extension Professor for the University of San Diego. He is author of "Life in the Family Zoo" and "Life in the Classroom Zoo."

Jane Regan is Associate Professor at Boston College’s Institute for Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry. She has worked in parish religious education and teaching for a number of years; her research focuses on adult faith formation at the parish level. Dr. Regan has written eight articles and has co-authored a book.

Theologian and author Fr. Erik Riechers, a member of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallottine Fathers), is Director of the Pallottine Faith Enrichment Centre in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. He is also a member of the Pallottine General Secretariat on Apostolate in Rome. He has presented lectures, workshops, seminars, retreats and parish missions internationally.

Patt Saso has been self-employed as a marriage and family therapist for more than 15 years. She is co-owner of Saso Seminars & Counseling Services in Milpitas, Calif., where she has her psychotherapy practice, and she has been a popular seminar leader for more than 15 years. She and her husband have authored an award-winning book and a set of parenting cassette tapes.

Steve Saso has 30 years of experience in the field of education as a high school teacher, administrator and pastoral counselor. As a media personality and professional speaker for more than a decade, he travels extensively giving seminars. He and his wife are co-owners of Saso Seminars & Counseling Services and authors of the award-winning book, "10 Best Gifts For Your Teen."

Joyce Rupp, international speaker and retreat director, describes herself as a "spiritual mid-wife." She is a member of the Servants of Mary community and a volunteer for Hospice in Des Moines, Iowa. Sr. Rupp is author of numerous books; her latest is "Rest Your Dreams on a Little Twig."

Formerly a practicing attorney, David Tlapek is now a writer and filmmaker whose credits include "The Hidden Gift: War and Faith in Sudan" and his most recent film, "Divining the Human: The Cathedral Tapestries of John Nava." He has taught at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. As owner and President of BrookWood Enterprises production company he has presented numerous seminars on spirituality in film.

Austin Ruse is President of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute (C-Fam), based in New York. He is also founder and President of the John Paul II Center for the Study of International Organizations. Ruse regularly briefs the White House, and his U.N. expertise has him traveling and lecturing throughout North America, Latin America, the Far East and Europe.

Mike Yaconelli has been working with young people for 40 years. He is owner and co-founded of Youth Specialities, an international organization that trains and provides resources for over 100,000 youth workers worldwide, founded back in 1968. He lives in the rural northern California town of Yreka, Calif., where he is lay pastor of Grace Community Church.