Bishop Victor Galeone

Bishop Victor Galeone was installed as the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Saint Augustine on Aug. 21, 2001. He completed his theological studies at the North American College at the Gregorian University in Rome.

Bishop Galeone, son of Angelo and Rita Galeone, was born in Philadelphia on Sept. 13, 1935, the fifth of six children. His family moved to Baltimore in 1941. There he attended St. Elizabeth of Hungary School in Highlandtown, Md., before entering, in 1949, the minor seminary of St. Charles College in Catonsville, Md. He also attended St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore and the North American College at the Gregorian University in Rome.

He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Martin J. O’Connor in the chapel of North American College in Rome on Dec. 18, 1960. He received his S.T.L. (Sacrae Theologiae Licentiatus) from Gregorian University in 1961 and his Masters of Education degree from Loyola College in Baltimore in 1969. On his return to the United States in 1961, he served as an associate pastor, as a teacher and principal, as a pastor in several parishes in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and as a missionary in Peru.

While in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, he was archdiocesan director of the Propagation of the Faith, and a member of the Priests’ Council, the College of Consultors for the Archdiocese of Baltimore and the National Board of Directors of the Holy Childhood Association.
 

Michael Cumbie

From the heart of the Deep South, steeped in Southern Baptist tradition Michael Cumbie's call from God to preach the Gospel came at age 14. At age 19, while attending college and working on a degree in Music Education Michael experienced a life changing charismatic encounter with the Holy Spirit. Increasingly dissatisfied with fundamentalist, evangelical preaching of the Gospel, he began to understand just exactly how the early church had worshiped with its signs and symbols - and its focus on the Eucharist.

Although a Protestant Pastor for 23 years, Michael ultimately realized that to be truly in one accord with "ancient historic" Christian practice, means to be in union with Rome, where the chair of the successor of St. Peter is located, he continued his studies and research. Michael was even ordained to the sacred priesthood with an "old catholic" group in 1993. Eventually he realized that his denomination and the Roman Catholic Church would not become one any time soon, and he discovered that this quest for the fullness of Faith could only be realized in the Roman Catholic Church. In 2001, Michael and his three children were received into the Catholic Church. Michael's wife Sherry came back to the Catholic Church that day as well, after a 28-year absence. Michael Cumbie's conversion story is entitled "No Bread on the Table, No Crumbs on the Floor" because of his great love of, and respect for the Most Holy Eucharist.

Michael Cumbie is an experienced speaker, musician and worship leader and will inspire any audience with his knowledge, wit and incredible sense of humor.

 

Scott Hahn

Dr. Scott Hahn was born in 1957, has been married to Kimberly since 1979, and has six children. An exceptionally popular speaker and teacher, Dr. Hahn has delivered numerous talks nationally and internationally on a wide variety of topics related to Scripture and the Catholic faith. Hundreds of these talks have been produced on audio and videotapes by St. Joseph Communications. His talks have been effective in helping thousands of Protestants and fallen away Catholics to (re)embrace the Catholic faith.

He is currently a Professor of Theology and Scripture at Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since 1990, and is the founder and director of the Saint Paul Center for Biblical Theology. In 2005, he was appointed as the Pope Benedict XVI Chair of Biblical Theology and Liturgical Proclamation at St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace (Doubleday: New York, 2006) and Understanding the Scriptures (Midwest Theological Forum: Chicago, 2005) are the titles of his newest books. He is also the author of Letter and Spirit (Doubleday: New York, 2005), Swear to God (Doubleday: New York, 2004), Scripture Matters (Emmaus Road: Steubenville, 2003), Lord Have Mercy (Doubleday: New York, 2003), Understanding Our Father (Emmaus Road: Steubenville, OH, 2002); First Comes Love: Finding Your Family in the Church and the Trinity (Doubleday: New York, 2002); Hail Holy Queen: The Mother of God in the Word of God (Doubleday: New York, 2001), The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth (Doubleday: New York, 1999); A Father Who Keeps His Promises: God’s Covenant Love in Scripture (Servant Publications: Ann Arbor, MI 1998), co-author (along with his wife, Kimberly) of Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism (Ignatius Press: San Francisco, 1993), and co-editor of Catholic for a Reason I, II and III (Emmaus Road: Steubenville, OH 1998, 2000, 2004).  Dr. Hahn has also written numerous articles in lay and academic publications.

Scott received his Bachelor of Arts degree with a triple-major in Theology, Philosophy and Economics from Grove City College, Pennsylvania, in 1979, his Masters of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 1982, and his Ph.D. in Biblical Theology from Marquette University in 1995. Scott has ten years of youth and pastoral ministry experience in Protestant congregations (in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Massachusetts, Kansas and Virginia) and is a former Professor of Theology at Chesapeake Theological Seminary. He was ordained in 1982 at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Fairfax, Virginia. He entered the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil, 1986.
 

Tim Staples

Tim Staples was raised a Southern Baptist. Although he fell away from the faith of his childhood, Tim came back to faith in Christ during his late teen years through the witness of Christian televangelists. Soon after, Tim joined the Marine Corps. During his four-year tour, he became involved in ministry with various Assemblies of God communities. Immediately after his tour of duty, Tim enrolled in Jimmy Swaggart Bible College and became a youth minister in an Assembly of God community.

During his final year in the Marines, however, Tim met a Marine who really knew his faith and challenged Tim to study Catholicism from Catholic and historical sources. That encounter sparked a two-year search for the truth. Tim was determined to prove Catholicism wrong, but he ended up studying his way to the last place he thought he would ever end up: the Catholic Church!

He converted to Catholicism in 1988 and spent the following six years in formation for the priesthood, earning a degree in philosophy from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Overbrook, Pennsylvania. He then studied theology on a graduate level at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, for two years.

Realizing that his calling was not to the priesthood, Tim left the seminary in 1994 and has been working in Catholic apologetics and evangelization ever since.

Tim Staples has given hundreds of talks all over the country and has helped thousands of people find their way home to the Catholic Church. He brings his extensive knowledge of Scripture into his tapes, books, and talks, helping others to see the strong biblical evidences that support Catholic doctrines. Tim’s humorous enthusiasm captivates his audiences, and his unique style has brought him great renown as an engaging speaker.

Dr. Bill Thierfelder

Dr. Thierfelder received his masters and doctoral degrees in Sports Psychology and Human Movement from Boston University. He is a licensed psychologist, a Diplomat of the American Board of Psychological Specialties and certified by the American College of Sports Medicine. He is also a member of the United States Olympic Committee's Sport Psychology Registry.

He is a former NCAA Division I Coach, Olympian, National Champion and a two-time All-American from the University of Maryland. He participated in the 1980 United States Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, and was a medalist at the 1981 U.S. Track & Field Indoor National Championship.

Throughout his career, Dr. Thierfelder helped thousands of athletes including over a hundred at the Olympic and professional levels achieve dramatic improvements in their athletic performances. Dr. Thierfelder has delivered hundreds of presentations, both live, and on camera, regarding topics related to Catholicism, education, athletics, sports science and medicine, and business. Dr. Thierfelder currently lives just outside of Charlotte, NC with his wife, Mary, and their nine children.