The Catholic Channel

Cardinal Timothy Dolan is the oldest of five children born to Robert and Shirley Dolan in St. Louis in 1950. Ordained a priest of the archdiocese of St. Louis in 1976, he served as parish priest for eight years, as secretary to the Apostolic Nuncio in DC, as a professor at Kenrick Seminary and St. Louis University, and as rector of the North American College in Rome. In 2001, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of his home diocese by Pope St. John Paul II, who, a year later, made him archbishop of Milwaukee. Pope Benedict XVI transferred him to the archdiocese of New York in 2009, and named him a cardinal in 2012. He has served as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Relief Services chairman, and co-chair of the National Jewish-Catholic Dialogue. It was his honor as well to enter the conclave which elected Pope Francis in 2013, and to welcome Pope Francis to New York in 2015.

Dr. Jennifer Pascual is the first woman to hold the position of director of music at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in New York City, one of the most prestigious sacred music appointments in the United States. Pascual earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in organ performance from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, and she holds a Master of Music degree in piano performance from the Mannes College of Music in New York City. She received Bachelor of Music degrees in piano and organ performance, magna cum laude, and music education from Jacksonville University in Florida. She has served as an organist and choir director in the dioceses of St. Augustine, FL, and Rochester, NY, and the archdioceses of Newark, NJ, and New York City, NY, and has served at three Roman Catholic Cathedrals. She is also the conductor for the New York Archdiocesan Festival Chorale.

Father John Maria Devaney, OP, hosts the weekly program Word to Life. Ordained to the priesthood in 2015, Fr. John entered the Order of Preachers (commonly known as The Dominican Friars) in 2008. A member of the Province of St. Joseph, USA, he is currently assigned to the priory of St. Vincent Ferrer in New York City where he is a staff chaplain and ethicist for the Dominican Friars Health Care Ministry of New York, serving at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NYP/Weil Cornell Medical Center, and the Hospital for Special Surgery. During his years of theological study, Fr. John earned degrees from the pontifical faculty of The Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC. Prior to answering the call to priesthood and religious life, he earned a BA from Emerson College and worked for 15 years as a disc jockey in New Jersey, Boston, and Los Angeles in addition to his work in concert and music festival producing as well as artist management and promotion. On a special note, for the current Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, Fr. John Maria was selected by Pope Francis and the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization to be a Missionary of Mercy. Along with more than 1,000 priests from around the world, The Missionaries of Mercy are to be in special service to the Holy Father and the local bishops as a “living sign of the Father’s welcome to all those in search of his forgiveness…” (Misericordiae Vultus #18)

Monsignor Jim Vlaun is the President and CEO of Telecare Television (TelecareTV.org), the Catholic Television station of the diocese of Rockville Centre which broadcasts to more than seven million homes nationally. Msgr. Jim has hosted Religion and Rock on terrestrial radio for 25 years. In addition to his work on television and radio, he serves as the Catholic chaplain for the New York Jets. He has authored two books, Life, Love, and Laughter: The Spirituality of the Consciousness Examen and Feasts of Life. Proceeds from Msgr. Jim’s books go to the Life Love and Laughter Foundation, which helps provide Catholic educations for young people. Visit Religion and Rock on the web at ReligionandRock.com.

Sister Marie Pappas, CR, a Sister of the Resurrection of the New York Province, is the former associate superintendent for the Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of New York. She has an MA in religious education from Angelicum in Rome and a PD in religious education from Fordham University. She is also a certified spiritual director. Sister Marie has taught and lectured at St. Joseph’s Seminary in the Archdiocese of New York, the Notre Dame Pontifical Institute in Virginia, and the Catechetical Conference of Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio, as well as elementary and secondary schools in the dioceses of Albany, Newark, and New York. Currently, she serves as Director of Religious Education at St. Columba Parish in Hopewell Junction, New York. She describes her show, Pathways of Learning, as weekly exchanges that go beyond nursery school and graduate school—discussions and lessons about how the Catholic way of life has shaped history and culture, and continues to inform and shape our personal lives, as well as inspire new leadership for the ongoing renewal of the Church and our society.

Gus was raised Catholic but fell away from his faith in his teen years. After attending international broadcasting school, Lloyd began a career in radio, and met and married his wife Michelle. They are the parents of four children and have two grandchildren. After a near-drowning incident with their daughter in 1984, Gus and Michelle realized they needed God in their lives. Their journey led them back to the Catholic Church. Lloyd became active in the Catholic charismatic movement and attended the Catholic School of Lay Evangelization. In 1992, he joined the staff of WBVM, the Catholic radio station in Tampa, FL, and hosted a popular morning show there for nearly 13 years. In 2006, the archdiocese of New York contacted Lloyd to host the morning show for The Catholic Channel, a new venture on Sirius Satellite Radio. He’s been the host of Seize the Day ever since. In addition to hosting his daily radio show, Gus is a popular speaker at conferences, retreats, and parish missions.

The New York Times described Lino Rulli as “a radio host like Howard Stern, only guilt-ridden and confession-going.” Rulli has been part of The Catholic Channel since it began in 2006, offering a funny and often irreverent look at living the Catholic faith in today’s modern world.  He is also Personal Media Advisor to Cardinal Timothy Dolan. Rulli began his media career in television. He was host and executive producer of Generation Cross, a nationally syndicated Catholic comedy show for which he won back-to-back Emmy Awards. He was also co-executive producer on The Last Flagraiser, a World War II documentary airing on CBS that won several awards, including an Emmy and the RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award. Rulli has a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in theology. He has travelled the world, both for personal enjoyment as well as to lead thousands of people on pilgrimages.

Father Dave Dwyer, CSP, is a Paulist priest and Executive Director of Busted Halo Ministries, a media outreach that aims to help people grow in and share their Catholic faith. He is the publisher of BustedHalo.com, which has been honored with top awards from the Catholic Press Association and the Associated Church Press. He is also the co-host of the TV show, Conversation with Cardinal Dolan, along with New York Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan. Fr. Dave has been the recipient of The Catholic University of America’s Alumni Achievement Award for innovation in Catholic media, a Telly Award for television host, and The Daughters of St. Paul’s Cordero Award for uplifting the human spirit. Fr. Dave is popular with audiences young and old because of his dynamic, relevant preaching and enthusiasm for the faith (not to mention his infectious laugh). Every evening on The Busted Halo Show, he answers questions of faith and gives fresh, modern takes on the Church’s teachings. Father Dave has served in campus ministry at the University of Colorado and the University of Texas. Prior to his ordination to the priesthood, he produced and directed television programs for MTV, HBO, and Comedy Central, and as an on-air personality for a hit music radio station, he was known to listeners as “Happy Dave.” He holds a Master of Divinity from the Catholic University of America and a BS in communication from Syracuse University.

Katie Prejean McGrady is an international Catholic speaker and award-winning author of four books with Ave Maria Press. McGrady has traveled extensively since 2012 speaking on evangelization, youth and young adult ministry, education, family life, and discipleship. A former high school theology teacher and youth minister, she writes regularly for Blessed is She, Catholic News Service, and Our Sunday Visitor. She also hosts two podcasts for Ave Maria Press: Ave Explores and Ave Spotlight. McGrady lives in Louisiana with her husband, Tommy, and daughters Rose and Clare.