Cardinal Gerhard MĂźller
His Eminence Cardinal Gerhard MĂźller is a German cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He was ordained a priest in 1978 by Cardinal Volk, served in three parishes then took up the Chair of Dogmatic theology at the Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich. Nominated by Pope John Paul II to be Bishop of Regensburg on October 1, 2002, he was subsequently appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and served from 2012 until 2017. He was elevated to the rank of cardinal in 2014 and has also served as President of the Pontifical Commission âEcclesia Deiâ, the Pontifical Biblical Commission and the International Theological Commission. Cardinal MĂźller is a prolific writer and to date has authored more than 500 academic publications.
Bishop Robert F. Vasa
The Most Reverend Robert Vasa is a native of Lincoln, Nebraska and was ordained on May 22, 1976. He earned a Licentiate of Canon Law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and on November 19, 1999 was named the fifth Bishop of Baker, Oregon by Pope John Paul II. In 2011 he was appointed by Pope Benedict to his current position as Bishop of Santa Rosa.
Reverend Monsignor Arthur Calkins
We humbly seek your prayers for the peaceful repose of the soul of Msgr. Arthur Calkins, who passed into eternity on February 3, 2024, the first Saturday of the month. His remarkable contributions to the teachings of John Paul II on the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary are deeply cherished. Msgr. Calkins graced us with his presence and unwavering support at the 2023 Sacred Liturgy Conference. It was meant to be his second consecutive year as a conference speaker, and while we are deeply saddened by his loss, we are also profoundly grateful for the wisdom and enthusiastic encouragement he shared with us. Reflecting on the profound impact of his insightful talks from the previous year, we invite you to revisit and appreciate his invaluable contributions:
⢠Talk 1: Maryâs Presence in the Eucharist according to Pope St John Paul: Maryâs Mediating Presence in The Mystery of Christ
⢠Talk 2: Maryâs Involvement in the Offering of The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
⢠Msgr. Calkins publications.
May the angels lead you into paradise; may the martyrs receive you at your arrival and lead you to the holy city Jerusalem. May choirs of angels receive you and with Lazarus, once (a) poor (man), may you have eternal rest.
Reverend Monsignor Andrew Wadsworth
A native of England, Monsignor Andrew Wadsworth is founder and superior of the Oratorian Community of St Philip Neri in Washington DC. From 2009 until 2023 he was Executive Director of The International Commission for English in the Liturgy which is responsible for English translations of the Latin liturgical texts of the Roman Rite. During the time of his mandate, ICEL produced translations of almost the entire corpus of liturgical books beginning with the Roman Missal (2012). He holds graduate degrees in music, Italian and Theology together with a doctorate in New Testament and Early Church Studies from the University of South Africa. He is the founder of The Institute of St Gregory for the Study of Latin Liturgical Texts which is a collaborative project between ICEL and the Department of Greek and Latin of The Catholic University of America. He currently directs a research and publication project on the Latin hymnody of the Liturgy of the Hours, and teaches in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Georgetown University where he offers a course entitled âScripture as Song: the Cantillation of the Sacred Textâ.
Hegumen Damian Higgins
Abbot Damian is the Hegumen/Superior at Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Redwood Valley CA where he entered as a monk in 1988. The Monks of Mt. Tabor belong to the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Nicholas in Chicago. He was instructed in the art and spirituality of Byzantine Iconography eventually becoming an instructor in iconography providing retreats and workshops throughout the USA. The work of iconography is defined by Abbot Damian as the ideal prayer-practice for the monastic who seeks to express theology in artistic form but insists that this work is not limited to monastics and is enthusiastic to share the techniques and practices of this pray with all who might strive to connect their life of faith with artistic zeal.
Lynne Bissonnette-Pitre, MD, PhD, LGCHS
Dr. Lynne Bissonnette-Pitre is a psychiatrist, musician and iconographer. She has lectured nationally, led retreats and has been organizing the Sacred Liturgy Conferences since 2013. She currently serves on the Holy Alliance of the Catholic Medical Association. She teaches classes on sacred scripture, iconography, and Gregorian Chant and is a Dame Grand Cross of the Knights and Dames of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. She is also the co-founder and director of Schola Cantus Angelorum and is the Executive Director of the Sacred Liturgy Conference.
Fr. Ralph Weimann
Fr. Ralph Weimann was born in 1976. After studying in the USA, Italy, and Germany, he obtained a diploma in humanities and a bachelor in philosophy, followed by a licentiate in theology. After his ordination to the priesthood, he earned a doctorate in theology in 2010 on the thesis Dogma and Progress in the Theology of Joseph Ratzinger. He earned a second doctorate in 2013 on the thesis Bioethics in a Secularized Society. He has worked as a military chaplain since 2015. Rev. Weimann lectures at various colleges and universities in Rome, in particular the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) and the International Online University Domuni.
Fr. William Wagner, ORC
Fr. William Wagner, ORC was born in Santa Barbara, California in 1950, the third of seven children. He went to Rome in 1972 to study at the âAngelicumâ, the University of St. Thomas Aquinas, where he finished with his doctorate in theology in 1983. His doctoral dissertation was entitled: âThe Mission of the Angels in the Economy of Salvationâ. Fr. Wagner spent the first 43 years of his priesthood in Europe, mainly in Rome, Italy, at St. Petersberg near Innsbruck, Austria and in FĂĄtima, Portugal. He has preached retreats in Italy, Portugal, Austria, Switzerland and France. During the 1980âs and early 90âs he also preached extensively across the United States in over 45 states. In 2015 he was reassigned to the Orderâs St. Gabriel Monastery in Carrollton, Ohio, where he continues his peaching ministry.
Fr. Joseph Levine
Fr. Joseph Levine embarked on his journey to the priesthood following his graduation from Thomas Aquinas College. He was ordained on September 14, 2010, for the Diocese of Baker, Oregon and currently serves as the dedicated pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Burns, Oregon. Fr. Levine is the author of "The Stone Rejected by the Builders: Some Uncommon Reflections on Social Justice" a work that views social justice in respect to the fundamental relationships revealed in Genesis: man beneath God, the interior order of the soul, man and woman, and man's dominion over the earth. While the book is not about liturgy as such, the concern for the primacy of the right relation of man to God, which is achieved through right worship, puts the sacred liturgy at the heart of true social justice. A notable figure in the Sacred Liturgy Conference, Fr. Levine has played a key advisory role in this significant gathering. This involvement showcases his commitment to the liturgical aspects of Catholic worship, offering valuable contributions to the conference's mission.
Fr. Joseph Selinger, OP
Fr. Joseph Selinger O.P. is a member of the Order of Friars Preachers of the Western Dominican Province. He was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. He earned a Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Philosophy at the Collège Universitaire Dominicain in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and both a Master of Arts in Philosophy and Master of Divinity at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley, California, United States. Father Joseph entered the Dominicans in 2014 and made solemn profession in 2020. He was ordained to the priesthood on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart in 2022. He has been serving as a parochial vicar of Holy Rosary Parish in Portland, OR since July 2022.
Fr. Joshua Clifton
Fr. Joshua Clifton was born and raised in San Luis Obispo, CA. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and from Mount Angel Seminary. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Monterey in 2012. Father Clifton has ministered as a priest at several churches in California, including Madonna del Sasso Church in Salinas, Holy Trinity Parish in Greenfield, St. Patrick's Parish in Watsonville, Our Lady of Refuge Parish in Castroville, and Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish in Santa Cruz. He currently resides in the Archdiocese of Portland where he serves as the administrator of St. Birgitta Catholic Church in Portland and St. Mary Catholic Church in Vernonia.