Speakers and Presenters
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Steve Agrisano
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. Connecting head to heart, renewing faith and inspiring young and old alike, Steve has traveled around the world for over two decades, sharing his unique blend of humor, story, and song. Parish Missions, Youth Events, Concerts, Staff Retreats, and Music Workshops...large or small...Steve loves joining his gifts with your team, working together to bring new life and passion to Catholic communities.
A veteran musician, composer, and keynote speaker, Steve has been featured at ten World Youth Days, Emceed 3 National Catholic Youth Conferences (NCYC 05,07,09) and in 2021 was part of the main stage general sessions, serving as the Choir Director for the Youth Scola. Steve has lead the house band for the “Christ Our Life” conference in Des Moines, IA since 2016. He has 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 Prolife Rally in Washington DC, Franciscan University Conferences, The National Pastoral Musicians Conference, National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry, Los Angeles Religious Education Conference and countless other events. Still, Steve’s passion, heart and daily work is dedicated to presenting Parish Missions, leading groups to the Holy Land, and 25 years composing music for Oregon Catholic Press.
2020 saw the release of Let Us All Rejoice, modern musical setting of the Entrance and Communion Antiphons. Steve’s collaboration with Sarah Hart and Curtis Stephan on this project received the ACP 2021 Excellence in Publishing Award. Steve has received National awards in recognition for his work with youth from the NFCYM 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 a Master of Arts 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 BA in Marketing from the University of Texas at Austin.
Steve’s first love and vocation is his wife Jenni, and their three children and four grandchildren. His desire for his family, and for each of us as well, is simply this; to live every day as a compelling case for Jesus.
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Ellen Miller
Ellen is a wife, mother of three and grandma of 13. She is a Christ Our Life Co-founder & a volunteer coordinator with Mary’s Meals. This summer she will be leading her 20th high school mission trip to Omaha, Nebraska.
During the past ten years Ellen traveled to Africa where her son Mike (and his family) lived. Mike met the founder of Mary’s Meals at the 2010 Christ Our Life Conference. Shortly after he felt called to help and In 2011 Mike moved to Liberia, Africa, then eventually to Malawi where he worked for the past 11 years as the Finance & Logistics Officer for Marys Meals. Experiencing varied cultures has provided Ellen countless opportunities to meet the children of Mary’s Meals and the communities who love and support them.
Ellen will share through stories, pictures and videos how her unqualified “YES’S” have graced her with some of her most spiritually fulfilling journeys with our Lord, His Mother and the children of Mary’s Meals. Our little acts of love truly do make a difference.
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The most ReverendGerardo J. Colacicco
Bishop Gerardo J. Colacicco was born on September 19, 1955 in Poughkeepsie.
After receiving a degree in history from Marist College, the bishop-elect entered Saint Joseph’s Seminary, and was ordained a priest in 1982 by Terence Cardinal Cooke. His pastoral assignments include Sacred Heart Parish in Newburgh as a deacon, and as parochial vicar at Good Shepherd Parish in Rhinebeck, Our Lady of Fatima in Scarsdale, and at Saint Denis-Saint Columba in Hopewell Junction before becoming priest-secretary to John Cardinal O’Connor.
Bishop Colacicco has been pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Newburgh, Saint Columba in Hopewell Junction, and at Saint Joseph – Immaculate Conception, Millbrook and is currently pastor of St. Mary’s, Wappingers Falls. He has also served on the Metropolitan Tribunal of the archdiocese, and for four years, as Director of Pastoral Formation at Saint Joseph’s Seminary. He was named a Prelate of Honor of His Holiness by Pope John Paul II in 1999.
On December 10, 2019, the feast of Our Lady of Loreto, Bishop Gerardo J. Colacicco was ordained to the episcopacy.
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Matt Jones
Matt Jones has served as the Farm Manager for Little Portion Farm, a ministry of the Franciscan Friars Conventual in Ellicott City, MD, since the farm's inception in 2019. Over the last four years, the farm has produced tens of thousands of pounds of food to be donated to those in need. Matt previously worked as an environmental policy consultant for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, DC. He has a masters in religion and ecology from Yale Divinity School and a bachelors in environmental engineering from Northwestern University. Matt enjoys hiking, camping and spending time with his wife, Anna, and three young children, who also love to frequent Little Portion Farm.
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Fr. Chris Argano
Father Chris was born in Brooklyn, NY and raised in Staten Island. His parents Frank and Catherine are snowbirds splitting their time between Staten Island and Bonita Springs, Florida. His older brother Matthew lives in Knoxville, Tennessee with his wife Alicia and son Mateo.
After graduating from Monsignor Farrell High School Father Chris went to Siena College earning his bachelor's degree in Political Science. He then attended St. Joseph's Seminary and was ordained a priest in 2009. He served at Sacred Heart in Monroe(2009-2012) and St. Columba in Hopewell Junction(2012-2016). During Pope Francis' 2015 apostolic visit to New York Father Chris served as one of the papal masters of ceremonies. Most recently from 2016-2021 he was the director of vocations for the archdiocese of New York. On July 1, 2021 he was appointed pastor of St. Columba in Chester and St. Mary's in Washingtonville. Since 2019 Father Chris has also been a member of the faculty at the seminary teaching moral theology. In his free time he enjoys being with his family and friends and during the baseball season cheering for his beloved New York Mets.
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Fr. Giuseppe Maria Siniscalchi, CFR
Born and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts of Italian immigrant parents, Fr Giuseppe Maria Siniscalchi graduated from Clark University and Boston College Law School. After practicing law for nine years in Miami and Massachusetts, he joined the Community of the Franciscan Friar of the Renewal in 2002. He professed final vows in 2007. In 2011 he graduated from St. Joseph Seminary summa cum laude and was awarded a M.Div., M.A, and S.T.L. He was ordained to the priesthood of Jesus Christ at St Patrick's Cathedral in New York on May 14, 2011. After serving at Most Blessed Sacrament Friary in Newark from 2011 to 2016, he is presently the Local Servant (superior) of Saint Mary of the Assumption Friary in Newburgh, NY where he works with the poor, gives retreats and is involved in administration. (You can find more information at www.franciscanfriars.com)
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The Sisters of Life
The Sisters of Life are a contemplative/active Roman Catholic community of women religious, who profess the three traditional vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and a fourth vow to protect and enhance the sacredness of human life. We were founded by Cardinal John O’Connor in New York in 1991, and received formal approbation as a religious institute in 2004, under Cardinal Edward Egan. We currently serve in the [Arch]dioceses of New York, Albany, Bridgeport, Philadelphia, Denver, Phoenix, Washington, D.C., and Toronto, Canada. Our missions include serving women who are vulnerable to abortion, giving them the support and resources to be able to choose life for themselves and their children; hosting weekend retreats; evangelization; outreach to college students; and helping women who have suffered after abortion to encounter the mercy and healing of Jesus Christ.
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Fr. Steve DeMaio
Fr. Steve lives in New Rochelle, New York and was ordained a priest with the Salesians of Don Bosco in 2021. It was an experience of mission during his junior year of college at James Madison University that sent him looking for more ways to serve those in need. He met the Salesians for the first time in 2009 when he was serving with an NGO in Lusaka, Zambia. It was actually the Salesian Sisters who welcomed him into their home and gave witness to a faithful life of joy and service. After that experience, he entered formation for the priesthood in 2010 and is now the Vocation Director for the Eastern United States and Canada.
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Fr. Kareem R. Smith
The Reverend Father Kareem R. Smith was Born on August 17,1989(33), He is the son of Yvonne and Rickford Smith, immigrants from British Guyana. On April 8, 1990, Father Smith was baptized at Holy Rosary Church in the Bronx, NY, his spiritual home. His education began at Saint Anthony's School, a Catholic Parochial School in the Archdiocese of New York. After graduating from St. Anthony's, he continued his education at Blessed Sacrament, Saint Gabriel High School in New Rochelle, NY. Desiring to follow the Lord more closely, Father Smith applied and was accepted to the minor seminary of the Archdiocese of New York. While attending minor seminary, Father Smith earned an undergraduate degree from St. John's University where he double majored in Philosophy and Theology, minoring in Classics with a focus in Latin. He then completed his priestly formation at Saint Joseph Seminary in Yonkers, NY.
Currently, Father Smith Serves as administrator of Saint Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church in the Co-op City section of the Bronx. In addition to his responsibilities at Saint Michael's, Father Smith is the Senior Chaplain to the Pierre Touissaint Scholarship Program of the Archdiocese of New York and the Office of Youth Ministry of the Archdiocese of New York.
Father Smith currently serves as Vice President of the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus.
Father Smith has served as president of the National Black Catholic Seminarians Association
U.S.A., He is a board member of the National Black Clergy Caucus and the National Black Congress, a Subcommittee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as well as on the board of directors for Iona Preparatory High School. Father Smith has made a number of academic contributions to several theological journals notable 'Diakonis' the academic bulletin of St. John's University, and other online and print publications. Father Smith continues to be a well sought-after speaker on topics of Liturgical Inculturation, and Racial Diversity throughout the United States and abroad. He was ordained a Roman Catholic Priest of the Archdiocese of New York on May 26, 2018, at Saint Patrick's Cathedral by His Eminence Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan.
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