Standing Firm In Our Faith

Click here to read the AD Times article about the event!

Invocation:

Bishop Alfred A. Schlert

The Most Reverend Alfred A. Schlert was born to Alfred and Marylou Schlert in Easton on July 24, 1961, and was educated at St. Jane Frances de Chantal Elementary School, Easton and Notre Dame High School, Easton. He prepared for the Priesthood at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia, the Pontifical Roman Seminary, Rome and St. John Lateran University, Rome. He was ordained a priest at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown on September 19, 1987, by The Most Reverend Thomas J. Welsh, Second Bishop of Allentown.

He served as a Parochial Vicar at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Allentown, as a Professor at his alma mater, Notre Dame High School, Easton and as the Catholic Chaplain at Lehigh University, Bethlehem. During his years at Notre Dame High School, he resided at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Easton, St. Bernard Church, Easton and Sacred Heart Church, Bath. He completed graduate studies at the Pontifical North American College, Rome and the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome where he received a Licentiate in Canon Law in 1992.

He was named Vice Chancellor and Secretary to Bishop Welsh in 1997 before being named Vicar General of the Diocese by The Most Reverend Edward P. Cullen, Third Bishop of Allentown, in 1998. As Vicar General, he oversaw the coordination of all administrative offices of the Diocese. From 1998 to 2008 he was in residence at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown. While still serving as Vicar General, he was appointed Pastor of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Church, Hellertown in July 2008. Upon the Ordination and Installation of The Most Reverend John O. Barres, Fourth Bishop of Allentown, he was reappointed as the Vicar General of the Diocese and resumed full-time service as Vicar General in February 2010, with residence at St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Hellertown, until his Ordination as the Fifth Bishop of Allentown.

Pope St. John Paul II named him Chaplain to His Holiness with the title of Monsignor in 1999. Pope Benedict XVI named him a Prelate of Honor, the second highest rank of Monsignor, in 2005.

Bishop Schlert served as Vice President of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference and as a member of its Administrative Board. He also served on the Diocesan Council of Priests, the Diocesan Finance Council and the Diocesan College of Consultors. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of DeSales University, Center Valley, Pennsylvania.

He was appointed the Fifth Bishop of Allentown by Pope Francis on June 27, 2017. He was ordained a Bishop and installed as the Fifth Bishop of Allentown on August 31, 2017.

Speakers:

Rev. James Greenfield, O.S.F.S.

Rev. James J. Greenfield, O.S.F.S., became the fourth president of DeSales on January 1, 2018. He came to DeSales in 1979 - then Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales-as a freshman after graduating from Philadelphia's Father Judge High School, which was run by the same priests, brothers, and seminarians, the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, at the college.

He majored in Politics and quickly met new friends getting involved in student government, intramurals, and other campus activities.

He went on to study theology and psychology, earning masters’ degrees in both from DeSales School of Theology in 1990 and counseling psychology in 1992 from George Washington University, both in D.C. In 1998, he earned a doctorate in human development, also from George Washington University.

He taught at Salesianum School in Wilmington, DE and was the campus minister at George Washington University where he also taught. He also valued his teaching experience at Catholic University of America and Washington Theological Union.

He has been privileged to work for his Oblate community over the years as the director of recruitment of young Oblates, coordinator of spirituality programs, and provincial superior.

As provincial he had the opportunity to meet Pope Francis. Along with five other priests and brothers representing religious orders of men in the United States, they conversed for almost an hour; it was an incredible experience!

For almost 30 years, he has loved being an Oblate priest as he is welcomed into the lives of so many people through the sacraments, counseling, teaching, mentoring, and friendship. He enjoys playing the piano, running, and spending time with his family and friends, especially over a good meal.

Sam Guzman

Sam Guzman is the founder and editor of The Catholic Gentleman, a blog and social media community for Catholic men, as well as the author of the book The Catholic Gentleman: Living Authentic Manhood Today published by Ignatius Press.

The Catholic Gentleman blog has over 160,000 social media followers worldwide and reaches hundreds of thousands of unique individuals per week with its content. The blog has won Fisher’s Net Awards for Best Catholic Blog and Best Catholic Brand.

Sam’s writing has appeared in numerous faith-based publications, and he is a frequent guest on various radio programs and podcasts. He possesses a bachelor’s degree in English from Maranatha Baptist University and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Divine Mercy University.

Gus Lloyd

Gus Lloyd was raised in the Catholic faith, attending Catholic grade school and then public high school. In his teen years, Gus fell away from the practice of his faith. After attending International Broadcasting School, Gus began a career in radio. He married his wife, Michelle, in 1980. Gus and Michelle are the parents of four children and have been blessed with two grandsons.

After five years in radio, Gus and his family moved to Florida. In 1984, after a near-drowning incident with their daughter, Gus and Michelle realized that they needed God in their lives. They began attending a non-denominational Bible church and grew in their love for the Lord. Soon after, they began to look into the Catholic Church. After much searching and study, both Gus and Michelle came to realize that the Catholic Church is the one true Church founded by Christ Jesus.

Gus became active in the Catholic Charismatic movement, and attended the Catholic School of Lay Evangelization, feeling a call to ministry. He produced an album of original Christian music. In 1992, he was asked to join the staff of WBVM, the Catholic radio station in Tampa, FL. He hosted a popular morning show there for nearly 13 years. In 2006, the Archdiocese of New York contacted Gus to host the morning show for The Catholic Channel, a new venture on Sirius Satellite Radio. He has been the host of Seize the Day since then. You can listen to Gus every weekday morning on Sirius XM 129.

For the past 20 years, Gus has been a popular speaker at conferences, retreats and parish missions. He speaks on apologetics, evangelization, men's issues, marriage issues and being a Catholic in the world today. Along with his daily radio show, which can be heard weekday mornings on Sirius XM 129. Gus published his first book in 2010, A Minute in the Church, a collection of one-minute Catholic apologetics teachings. His second book, Magnetic Christianity: Using Your God-given Gifts to Build the Kingdom, was released in February 2012. In 2013, Gus released A Minute in the Church Volume II One Minute Answers to Questions About the Catholic Faith, in September of 2015, A Minute in the Church: The Mass and A Minute in the Church: Life in Christ in January 2017. Nearly a million copies of the books in the A Minute in the Church series have been distributed around the world. He also writes his 60-Second Reflection, a daily meditation on the Scriptures. His Catholic Apologetics teachings, are available on CD or for download at www.guslloyd.com, have been heard all around the world.

Dr. Ralph Martin is the president of Renewal Ministries (www.renewalministries.net), an organization devoted to Catholic renewal and evangelization. Renewal Ministries is the sponsor of “The Choices We Face” a widely viewed weekly Catholic television and radio program distributed throughout the world and engages in a wide variety of mission work in more than 30 countries.
He is also the Director of Graduate Theology Programs in Evangelization and a professor of theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in the Archdiocese of Detroit (www.shms.edu). He holds a doctorate in theology from the Angelicum University in Rome.
Pope Benedict XVI appointed Ralph as a Consultor to the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization where he currently serves. He was also appointed as a theological expert for the Synod on the New Evangelization.
He is the author of the widely read The Fulfillment of All Desire: A Guidebook for the Journey to God Based on the Wisdom of the Saints, and many books on spirituality and evangelization, such as Will Many Be Saved? What Vatican II Actually Teaches and Its Implications for the New Evangelization, and The Urgency of the New Evangelization, as well as many articles in scholarly and popular publications.
He and his wife Anne reside in Ann Arbor, Michigan and are the parents of six and grandparents of seventeen.

Spanish Track Speakers:

Diácono Isidro González es nativo de Bayamón, Puerto Rico. En su infancia recibió educación religiosa por parte de sus padres quienes lo guiaron por el catolisismo experimentando de esta forma la vida sacramental desde muy temprana edad.Cursó estudios post-secundarios en Programacion de Computadoras. Más adelante se une en matrimonio a su inseparable esposa Zylkia Colón y se establecen en Pensilvania en 1993 donde criaron a sus dos hijos. Años más tarde e inspirado por el Espíritu Santo y bajo la sabia dirección espiritual del Reverendo Andy Gheringer, inicia estudios de diaconado con la Diócesis de Allentown.

Fué ordenado en el 2015 y recibió su primera responsabilidad pastoral en la Catedral de Santa Catalina de Siena en Allentown seguido por la Parroquia Nuestra Señora de la Merced en Easton. Fue nombrado Director Asociado de Enlace Hispano de la Oficina de Diaconado para la Diócesis de Allentown por el Reverendo Obispo John O. Barres. Ha servido como director espiritual para varios grupos parroquiales como los ministerios de música para la Parroquia Nuestra Señora de la Merced, el movimiento Juan XXIII, Cursillo y ministros de la Eucaristía y lectores. Ha dirigido el retiro para matrimonios Encuentro Matrimonial y los talleres para las clases bautismales en la Catedral Santa Catalina de Siena en Allentown. Diácono González está Consagrado a Jesús por medio de María a través del Ministerio Lazos de Amor Mariano en donde ocupa gran parte de su tiempo impartiendo enseñanzas Marianas a varios grupos de feligreses.

El Dr. Ricardo Luzondo es un Pediatra Neurólogo. Es un Conferencista internacional, cantautor, y es fundador junto a su esposa la Licenciada Lucia Baez Luzondo del Ministerio Renovación Familiar, institución dedicada al servicio de matrimonios y familias en los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica, América Latina y Europa a través de retiros, talleres, conciertos y conferencias en las áreas de matrimonio y vida familiar, evangelización y formación de líderes. Ricardo conduce junto a su esposa Lucía el programa de Radio En el Día a Día con Ricardo y Lucía a través de Radio Católica Mundial que está al aire en vivo los miércoles a las 5:00 pm, igualmente el programa Parejas a Prueba de Fuego en la radio de El Sembrador Nueva Evangelización (Los Angeles, Ca), los días jueves a las 8:00 pm. También junto a Lucía son anfitriones del programa de TV “Creados para Amar” por EWTN en las señales de Estados Unidos y Latinoamérica. Ricardo ha sido también consultor de www.portumatrimonio.org, que es la iniciativa de los Obispos de los Estados Unidos para el matrimonio en español y consultor para el Secretariado de Laicado, Matrimonio, Vida Familiar y Juventud y para el Comité de Promoción y Defensa del Matrimonio de la Conferencia de Obispos de los Estados Unidos en sus iniciativas para el matrimonio en español. Actualmente se desempeña como Director de la Oficina de Vida Parroquial bajo el Departamento de Ministerios Pastorales de la Arquidiócesis de San Antonio, Texas.