Speakers & Entertainment

Matthew West

Sparrow Records recording artist, Matthew West, is known for his music that connects with the whole family. His new record Something To Say (2008) is a soundtrack for life, a powerful reminder that God is speaking every day out of the broken places and pieces of our lives. The album’s debut single “You Are Everything” spent four weeks in the #1 spot and was followed up with the single “The Motions” that spent 14 weeks at #1.

Matthew catapulted onto the Christian music scene in 2003 with his debut single, “More”—spending nine weeks in the number one spot and was the most played Christian AC song of 2004. Matthew is a mainstay at Christian radio with memorable hits like “Only Grace,” “History” and “Next Thing You Know”. In addition to Matthew’s artistry he has penned songs that have graced projects by Mandisa, Natalie Grant, Point of Grace, Mark Schultz, as well as Rascal Flatts’ multi-platinum release Feels Like Today.

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Tim Hawkins

The St. Louis native taught himself to play guitar and tested the waters at area comedy clubs. By 2002, Hawkins was ready to launch his full-time career as a professional comedian.

His art form was honed primarily in churches, with a brief 6-month stint performing in prisons as part of Chuck Colson’s Prison Fellowship. Since his shows ranged from little kids to youth groups to married adults, he had to develop material that would hit a wide age range.

With 4 kids of his own and a wife who is winning her battle with breast cancer, Hawkins gets new material daily from the perils of marriage and parenting. But it must be difficult to work clean all the time, right? “Clean comedy is easy. Funny comedy is hard.” So does Tim think he’s funny? “I’m not bragging, but one time I told a joke in front of a dead bird, and it flew away. And you can Google that.”

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Matthew Kelly

Matthew Kelly was born in Sydney, Australia, where he began his lay ministry in 1993. Since that time he has travelled in more than fifty countries and spoken to over three million people. He has written twelve books which have appeared on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestseller lists and been published in twenty-five languages. His titles include: The Rhythm of Life, The Seven Levels of Intimacy, The Dream Manager, Building Better Families, and Rediscovering Catholicism.

In addition to his spiritual ministry, which occupies 80% of his time, Kelly is also a partner at Floyd Consulting, a Chicago based management consulting firm. His clients include: Pepsi, Proctor and Gamble,, McDonalds, USBank, 3M, Ernst & Young, HSBC, the Department of Defense, the U.S Navy, the U.S. Air Force and more than 35 other Fortune 500 companies. Matthew’s message of becoming the-best-version-of-yourself, inspired by Vatican II’s universal call to holiness, allows Kelly to present the genius of Catholicism through his seminars and writings in a way that is disarmingly simple and yet, deeply profound.

Click here to visit Matthew Kelly’s official website.

Fr. Benedict Groeschel

Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, CFR, is the Director of the Office for Spiritual Development of the Archdiocese of New York. He founded and is on the staff of Trinity Retreat, a center for prayer and study for the clergy. John Cardinal O’Connor appointed him promoter of the cause of Canonization of the Servant of God Terence Cardinal Cooke in 1984.

In May 1987, along with eight other friars, Fr. Benedict formed the community of Franciscan Friars of the Renewal under the patronage of Cardinal O’Connor. This community, which now has over 140 friars and sisters, follows the Capuchin Tradition and is dedicated to preaching reform and providing care for the homeless in the South Bronx, Harlem, Newark, Fort Worth, London, Ireland, Honduras and Nicaragua.

Father Benedict is host of the EWTN television program Sunday Night Live with Father Benedict Groeschel and has published a number of books including – Arise From Darkness: What to Do When Life Doesn’t Make Sense, The Reform of Renewal, Rosary: The Chain of Hope, Still Small Voice: A Practical Guide on Reported Revelations, and The Drama of Reform.

Click here to visit the official website for the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

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