Category: Bosco Team R-Z

Dr. Amy Roberts taught high school for 13 years and served as chair of the religion department for 10 years before accepting a teaching position with the catechetics faculty of Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2011. She assisted Aquinas College with catechist training and taught adult faith formation classes for the Diocese of Knoxville. Dr. Roberts earned her doctoral degree from the University of Notre Dame Australia, writing her dissertation on forming Catholic school teachers as witnesses.

Scott Sollom is an associate professor of theology at Franciscan University. He has been blessed to engage in catechetical workshops in many and varied settings. His recent publications include “Trinity and Unity in Every Catechesis” in The Catechetical Review and co-editing the academic volume Speaking the Truth in Love: The Catechism and the New Evangelization. Scott previously served as a DRE in Stillwater, Minnesota, and College Station, Texas, as well as a youth minister in Hudson, Wisconsin. Scott and his wife, Mary, have five children.

Lori Smith  has served in Catechumenal Ministry (RCIA) since 2000 at St. John the Baptist Parish in Chico, California, where she successfully transitioned from a school year model to a year-round process in 2011. Since then, she has added RCIA adapted for children and teens. As formation chair of the RCIA Committee for the Diocese of Sacramento, she presents at workshops and develops formation for RCIA teams. A graduate of the Bosco Conference RCIA Track, Lori is also a mentor and task writer for the Catechetical Institute at Franciscan University. Her passions are accompanying people into a relationship with Christ and His Church and assisting RCIA coordinators to develop the best possible RCIA process for their parishes.

Father Jonathan St. André, TOR, is the vice president of Franciscan Life at Franciscan University of Steubenville. He is a 1996 graduate of the University where he studied mental health, theology, and philosophy. Father Jonathan professed his vows in 2000 and received his MDiv degree in 2005 in preparation for the priesthood. He was ordained in 2006. Father Jonathan also has a master of arts in Franciscan Studies from St. Bonaventure University and is currently pursuing an education doctorate in leadership and organizations from the University of Dayton.

Fr. Jonathan has been blessed to serve in various ministries within his community including vocation formation, university campus ministry, and the formation of men in the novitiate. His interests include cycling and reading. He grew up in Northern Virginia and is the oldest of four children.

Bishop Joseph Strickland attended Holy Trinity Seminary and the University of Dallas and earned his bachelor of philosophy degree in May 1981. He received his master of divinity degree in May 1985 and was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Dallas on June 1, 1985. Upon the elevation of the Diocese of Tyler in February 1987, he became a member of its newly formed presbyterate. He received his licentiate in canon law in May of 1994 and was named rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Tyler, Texas, a month later. He was ordained as the fourth bishop of Tyler on November 28, 2012.

Sister Mary Madeline Todd, OP, a Dominican Sister of Saint Cecilia, has spent over two decades joyfully sharing the teaching ministry of Christ. After completing a master’s in theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville, she pursued her doctorate in sacred theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. She writes and speaks on spiritual and moral theology, and she serves as a member of the Catholic Women’s Forum and on the Board of Directors for the GIVEN Institute. Sister Mary Madeline currently teaches philosophy at Mount de Sales Academy in Baltimore, Maryland, where she finds joy in helping young women discover the beauty of who they are in Christ.

Dr. Eric J. Westby is an assistant professor of theology and catechetics at Franciscan University of Steubenville. He completed his doctoral studies at the Maryvale Institute of Birmingham, England, offering a critique of seminary formation in light of priestly catechetical ministry. He holds a master of arts degree in theology and Christian ministry from Franciscan University, from where he was the first student to complete the certification in catechetics. He has been involved in parish catechetics since 1988 and is the founder of ymcentral.com and rciacentral.com. More importantly, he is husband to Nikki and father of five girls.

Dr. Joseph White is a child and family psychologist and director of Catechetical Resources for Our Sunday Visitor Publishing and Curriculum. He formerly worked as a parish catechetical leader and spent seven years as director of Family Counseling and Family Life in the Diocese of Austin. A frequent guest on Catholic television and radio, Dr. White is the author of 12 books and numerous articles on catechesis and ministry and co-authored the Allelu and Alive in Christ catechetical series.

Dr. Petroc Willey is a professor of theology (catechetics) at Franciscan University. Before coming to Franciscan, he worked in Catholic higher education in Oxford and Birmingham for about 30 years. Dr. Willey gained his first degree in theology from King’s College London and an STL from Maynooth, Ireland. He also has doctorates in philosophy from Liverpool University and the Lateran Pontifical University. He was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as a consultor to the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization. Dr. Willey and his wife, Katherine, have four children.

Gloria (“Gigi”) Zapiain has served in catechetics on the parish and diocesan levels for over 30 years, serving as a parish DRE and catechetical consultant for the Archdiocese of Washington and diocesan director of Faith Formation for the dioceses of Fargo, North Dakota, and Bridgeport, Connecticut. She holds an MA in religious studies and a Pontifical Catechetical Diploma from the Notre Dame Institute. She is currently director of the Secretariat for Catechesis and Faith Formation for the Archdiocese of San Antonio, a board member for the Association for Catechumenal Ministry, and a board advisor for My Catholic Faith Delivered, an online catechetical platform.