Speakers
Learn more about the speakers for the Archdiocese of Boston Eucharistic Congress 2010.
Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, CFR
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.
Previously Father Benedict was chaplain of the Children’s Village in Dobbs Ferry, New York, for fourteen years.
Father Benedict obtained his doctorate in psychology from Columbia University in 1971 and is professor of pastoral psychology at St. Joseph’s Seminary of the Archdiocese of New York and a visiting professor at the Institute for Psychological Sciences, Arlington, Va. He has taught at Fordham University, Iona College, and Maryknoll Seminary. He is also chairman of the Good Counsel Homes and the St. Francis House, which provide residence and programs for the homeless young mothers and homeless youth.
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, Yonkers, Newark, Patterson, Fort Worth, Albuquerque, London, Ireland, Honduras and Nicaragua.
Father Benedict has published a number of books and tapes on spirituality and pastoral counseling and is familiar to television audiences on EWTN Sunday Night Live Program. He is still recovering from a serious accident in 2004.
His most recent books are: After This Life ((Our Sunday Visitor, 2009) Tears of God (Ignatius Press,2009), Everyday Encounters With God (The Word Among Us Press 2008), Question & Answers About Your Journey To God (Our Sunday Visitor 2007) Praying With The Creed -Mediations from the Oratory (Our Sunday Visitor 2007) The Virtue Driven Life (Our Sunday Visitor, 2006) A Drama of Reform (Ignatius Press, 2005) Why Do We Believe (Our Sunday Visitor, 2005) When Did We See You Lord (Our Sunday Visitor, 2005), Arise From Darkness (Ignatius Press)
Sr. Sarah Burdick, S.G.L.
Sister Sarah Burdick is an evangelist who has ministered to many people at missionary rallies in Eastern Europe and Africa. She is the Director of Formation for the Servants of God’s Love, a new religious community canonically established in the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan. She is also a co-host for a radio program called Notes from Above on Ave Maria Radio. Sister Sarah has a B.S. in Education from The University of Michigan and an M.A. in Theology from Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit.
Sister Sarah has worked with youth in many different capacities over the last fifteen years. She taught middle school for ten years; she has helped direct youth camps; and has done college campus ministry at The University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University. She is presently teaching theology at Fr. Gabriel Richard High School. Sister Sarah has also been a guest speaker at the Youth Conferences and Leaders' Conference at Franciscan University in Steubenville.
Katie Dardis
Katie Dardis was born and raised in New Orleans as the youngest of 10 children. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy Pre-law with a minor in Theology from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC and a Licentiate in Bioethics from the Pontifical University of the Regina Apostolorum in Rome, Italy. She is currently the Assistant Director of the Archdiocese of Boston Respect Life Education Office. She has spoken to thousands of teens, young adults, parents, and religious educators around the Archdiocese of Boston on topics ranging from bioethics to sexual morality to John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.
Katie is the author of the Created for Love Parish Religious Education Religious Education curriculum, which has been mandated for all parishes in the Archdiocese of Boston by Cardinal Sean O’Malley. She holds training seminars on Theology of the Body and chastity education every fall and spring for religious educators around the Archdiocese of Boston and teaches an elective class on Teaching Catholic Sexual Ethics at the Catechetical Certification Program offered through St. John Seminary.
Amanda Graf
FOCUS Missionary
Amanda Graf is from Moline, Illinois and graduated from the University of Illinois in 2008 with a degree in journalism. Now she serves as a missionary at MIT with FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students. FOCUS sends teams of missionaries to campuses across the country where they share the Gospel through small group Bible studies, large group events, and one-on-one mentoring.
Fr. Len Plazewski
Fr. Len Plazewski is a native of San Antonio, Florida where he attended catholic parochial school. After graduating from Jesuit High School in 1983, he entered the seminary for the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Fr. Len holds a B.A. in Philosophy from St. John Vianney College Seminary, and from St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, a Masters of Arts in Church History and a Masters of Divinity. Fr. Len served as parochial vicar at St. Anthony’s, Brooksville from 1991 to 1993 and then at Corpus Christi, Temple Terrace from 1993 to 1998.
In July, 1998 he was appointed as Director of Vocations for the Diocese of St. Petersburg. He has served on the Diocesan Liturgical Commission and at present is a member of the Presbyterial Council and the Priestly Growth and Enrichment Commission. He has also served as a Regional Coordinator for the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors and from 2003-2005 he served on the NCDVD Executive Board as Vice-President. In September 2005, he was elected President of the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors and was re-elected in 2007.