Defending the Faith Conference

Katie Prejean McGrady

Katie Prejean McGrady is an award-winning author of four books, international Catholic speaker, and host of The Katie McGrady Show on The Catholic Channel on Sirius XM.

John Paul Von Arx

John Paul Von Arx seeks to share his faith and love for country music in venues all across America and has been performing professionally for the last nine years.

Dr. Scott Hahn

Dr. Scott Hahn is the "Fr. Michael Scanlan Professor for Biblical Theology at Franciscan University". He is the founder and president of the St. Paul Center, an apostolate dedicated to teaching Catholics to read Scripture from the heart of the Church. Dr. Hahn has been married to Kimberly for 44 years. They have 6 children and 22 grandchildren. They also have one son ordained to the Diocese of Steubenville, Fr. Jeremiah Hahn. The author and editor of over 50 popular and academic books, Dr. Hahn's works include bestselling titles: Rome Sweet Home and The Lamb's Supper. His most recent title is Catholics in Exile; Biblical Wisdom for our Journey Home (Emmaus Road, 2023).

Kimberly Hahn

Kimberly Hahn wed Scott in 1979. They met at Grove City College, where she earned a B.A. in Communication Arts. While Scott studied to be a pastor, Kimberly earned an MA in Theological Studies in 1982. They have 6 children and 22 grandchildren. Kimberly became a Catholic in 1990 in Joliet, Illinois, after a difficult struggle during the four years following Scott’s entrance into the Catholic Church. Together they wrote Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism. Kimberly also wrote Life-Giving Love: Embracing God’s Beautiful Design for Marriage, and a four-volume series on marriage and family life: Chosen and Cherished, Graced and Gifted, Beloved and Blessed, and Legacy of Love. Her podcast “Beloved and Blessed” reaches tens of thousands weekly.

Dr. John Bergsma

Dr. John Bergsma is Professor of Theology at Franciscan University and served as a Protestant pastor for four years before entering the Catholic Church in 2001. Dr. Bergsma holds a PhD in theology from the University of Notre Dame, where he specialized in the Old Testament and the Dead Sea Scrolls. He has authored over twenty books on Scripture and the Catholic faith, including Bible Basics for Catholics, Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls, and A Catholic Introduction to the Bible . He speaks regularly on Catholic radio and at conferences and parishes nationally and internationally. He and his wife, Dawn, reside with their children in the Steubenville area.

Shane Owens

An alumnus of Franciscan University (MA Theology, 2013), Dr. Shane Owens returned to the Ohio Valley in 2023 as an assistant professor of theology. Owens has taught classes at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (Baton Rouge, LA), the Dominican House of Studies (Washington, DC), and the Catholic University of America, where he completed his doctorate in historical theology. The theological exegesis and ecclesiology of St. Augustine of Hippo is the primary focus of his scholarship. He has a forthcoming book with Emmaus Road Publishing on the spirituality of Augustine’s Confessions entitled, Return to the Heart. Owens met his wife, Esther (née Power, BA 2014, MA 2015) at Franciscan. Together, they raise two children in the Steubenville area.

Karlo Broussard

Karlo Broussard, a native of Southern Louisiana, left a promising musical career to devote himself full-time to the work of Catholic apologetics. As a staff apologist and speaker for Catholic Answers, he travels the country giving talks on apologetics, the Bible, theology, and philosophy. Karlo holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in theology, and is working on his PhD in philosophy. He also worked for several years with nationally known author and philosopher Fr. Robert J. Spitzer at the Magis Center. Karlo is one of the most dynamic and gifted Catholic speakers on the circuit today, communicating with precision of thought, a genuine love for God, and an enthusiasm that inspires.

Noelle Mering

Noelle Mering is a Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and a Scholar at the Institute for Human Ecology. She is the author of the book, Awake, Not Woke: A Christian Response to the Cult of Progressive Ideology, coauthor of the Theology of Home book series, and editor at TheologyofHome.com. Noelle has an MA in philosophy from Franciscan and is a wife and mother of six children in Southern California.

Nathan Crankfield

Nathan Crankfield was born and raised in Harrisburg, PA. He became the first Catholic in his entire family at the age of 13. After graduating from Mount St. Mary's University, Nathan went on to become an Infantry Officer in the US Army. During his four years of active duty service, Nathan graduated from Airborne School and Ranger School. He also served as a Platoon Leader on a combat deployment to Afghanistan. After the Army, Nathan began working in ministry for organizations like Dynamic Catholic, Benedictine College, and Hallow. He is now the host of the Seeking Excellence podcast and lives in Denver with his wife, Emily, and their son, Jordan.

Father Louis Merosne