Host: Chris Padgett
Chris Padgett has been doing ministry for over 20 years. He is an author, musician, teacher, and motivational speaker. Padgett has been married to his high school sweetheart for over 25 years and has nine children. He has also appeared on television and radio and has been a regular speaker and entertainer at Steubenville youth conferences. For the last several years, Chris was an adjunct professor of theology at Franciscan University and currently teaches at Catholic Distance University. The Padgett family currently lives in Central New York. Check out chrispadgett.com for more.
Worship: Ben Walther
Ben Walther began writing songs while serving as a worship leader in college. His first album, Where I Want to Be, launched a season of traveling, giving band members a chance to share their story of hope in God’s abundant blessings. In 2008 he released a six-song EP in a collaborative effort with Robbie Seay of Sparrow Records and Matt Maher. Most recently, working with SpiritandSong.com, a division of OCP, and producer Tom Booth, Ben recorded Make Your Home In Me, a collection of seven new worship songs. A worship leader for St. Thomas More Catholic Church and Adore Ministries, Ben says his most profound blessings are his lovely wife, Maria, their four daughters, and their baby boy.
Team Priest: Fr. Christopher Martin
Father Christopher Martin is a priest in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Ordained in 2006, Father Martin now serves as the vocations director for the archdiocese. He lives in and runs a house of discernment for men and frequently travels, giving talks and retreats for young people and helping them discover the vocation to which God is calling them.
Speakers:
Sr. Miriam Heidland SOLT
Sister Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, is a member of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity. She graduated from the University of Nevada-Reno on a volleyball scholarship and after a radical conversion heard Jesus call her to be his bride. Sister Miriam speaks often on the topics of healing, forgiveness, authentic love (and sports!). She holds a master’s degree in theology, hosts a podcast called Abiding Together, and is the author of Loved As I Am.
Chris Mueller
Chris Mueller is a youth minister from Murrieta, California. He crafts dynamic talks that communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a way that resonates with teen and adult audiences alike. Chris is the president and founder of Everyday Catholic, a nonprofit organization that invites this generation to share in the devotion of the first generation of Christians—devoted to the teaching of the apostles, to the communal life, and to the breaking of the bread and prayer (Acts 2:42). Chris and his wife, Christina, live in California with their six children
Mary Bielski
As the founder of ALL4HIM Ministries, Mary Bielski has spoken to over 200,000 teens around the nation at high school and young adult retreats and conferences, including Steubenville Youth Conferences, Life Teen-Inspiration, L.A. Congress, and parish and diocesan rallies. Mary talks on a variety of topics including conversion, prayer, the Holy Spirit, sacraments, chastity, and the theology of the body. Using funny stories and engaging analogies, Mary draws her audience to the beauty of our Catholic faith, a deeper love for Christ, the Eucharist, and the call to holiness.
Conferences & Retreats
