Speakers
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Deacon Harold Burke-SiversKnowing our FaithDeacon Harold Burke-Sivers – known around the world as the “Dynamic Deacon” – is one of the most sought-after speakers in the Church today. He is a powerful and passionate evangelist and preacher, whose no-nonsense approach to living and proclaiming the Catholic faith will challenge and inspire those who hear him.
His areas of expertise include marriage and family life, discerning the will of God, the sacraments, male spirituality, evangelization, prayer, and many others.
Deacon Harold co-hosts the national weekly broadcast “Living Stones” on Mater Dei Radio. Deacon Harold has appeared in the major feature film Power in My Hands and is the creator of Walk by Faith Wednesday Webinars, a weekly hour of Catholic catechesis and teaching.
In addition, he is the host or co-host of several popular series on EWTN television and is featured on the renown Chosen faith formation program by Ascension Press. Deacon Harold is an award-winning author who has written six books, including Behold the Man: A Catholic Vision of Male Spirituality, Father Augustus Tolton: The Slave Who Became the First African-American Priest, and the acclaimed new book Building a Civilization of Love: A Catholic Response to Racism.
Retaining a deep love of Benedictine spirituality which he gained during his time discerning a call to that religious community, Deacon Harold is a Benedictine Oblate of Mount Angel Abbey. He is also a member of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars and the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy.
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James WahlbergThe Big Hustle... ConversionJames Wahlberg was born in Dorchester, MA in 1965. Member of a family of actors and producers, he himself is an Executive Producer.
When Jim went to prison the second time at 22 years old, he was sentenced to six to nine years for breaking and entering, bargained down from life for home invasion. He had staggered into a Boston cop’s apartment, helping himself to the sellable stuff and all the beer in the fridge. The cop came home, found Jim passed out at the kitchen table, beat the hell out of him, and arrested him.
Jim had learned some things from his life on the street and his first prison sentence. He knew how to survive. And he knew that if he wanted to avoid serving the full sentence, he would have to do something.
He did what he was best at: He hustled. He would create the illusion that he was trying to change, that he’d become the model prisoner, not a guy hell-bent on getting out while he was still young enough to drink more, steal more, and do more drugs.The Big Hustle is a story of Redemption.
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Monsignor Thomas SullivanReadiness for Reconciliation
Msgr. Thomas J. Sullivan was born in San Francisco.
He attended schools in Pelham and White Plains, N.Y., North Andover (Mass.) High School, the College of the Holy Cross, Boston College and St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore. He was ordained a priest on June 18, 1977.
In his many roles of service to our Diocese, he was associate pastor of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish, Worcester, St. Luke the Evangelist Parish, Westborough, and St. Mary and Our Lady of the Rosary parishes in Spencer. From 1979 to 1984 he was the associate director of the diocesan Office of Religious Education, specializing in adult education. He was the diocesan director of the Emmaus Program for Priestly Spirituality. In June 1990, he was appointed headmaster of St. Bernard Central Catholic High School, Fitchburg.
In April 1995, he was appointed diocesan director of vocations, a post he held for 10 years. He was secretary to Bishop Daniel P. Reilly from April 1995 until June 1998. Diocesan chancellor from June 1998 until July 2013. During those years , he also served as administrator of St. Bernadette Parish, Northborough, for a year; the Office of Stewardship and Development; pastor of St. Columba Parish, Paxton; director of the diocesan Fiscal Affairs Office. His responsibilities in those financial posts ended in July 2011, when he was made pastor of Christ the King Parish, Worcester, where he still serves.
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Michael NicholsonCalled to Holiness
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Michael Nicholson was appointed Principal of Xaverian Brothers High School in November 2019, after serving as Xaverian's Assistant Principal for Student Life. He was previously at Saint John's High School, Shrewsbury. There, he served as a faculty member in the Religious Studies Department, coach, campus minister, Director of Campus Ministry, and ultimately as the Assistant Principal for Student Life.
Michael holds a bachelor's degree in Theology from St. Anselm College and a master's degree in Religious Education and Catholic School Leadership from Boston College. He earned his Doctorate of Education in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University, in addition to a certificate in Catholic School Leadership.
The call to serve is very alive in his family. His father - John Nicholson - is a deacon in the Archdiocese of Boston.
He himself is the joyful father of three children, and the spiritual father of many more! Youth ministry is without doubt one of his passions.
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Bishop Robert J. McManusConference Mass and Homilist
Bishop Robert J. McManus was born in Providence on July 5, 1951. The son of Edward W. and Helen F. (King) McManus of Narragansett, he is a graduate of Blessed Sacrament School in Providence and Our Lady of Providence Seminary High School.
He studied for the priesthood at Our Lady of Providence Seminary in Warwick, The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. (bachelor and master degrees), and the Toronto School of Theology (master of divinity degree). He has also earned licentiate and doctoral degrees in sacred theology from The Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
After performing a year's diaconal service at Our Lady of Mercy Parish in East Greenwich, Bishop McManus was ordained to the priesthood there by Bishop Kenneth A. Angell on May 27, 1978. Following ordination, he served as temporary assistant chaplain at St. Joseph Hospital (1978), associate pastor at St. Matthew Parish in Cranston (1978-81) and associate pastor at St. Anthony Parish in Providence (1981-82). From 1982 to 1984 he was the Catholic chaplain at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) in Warwick while continuing in residence at St. Anthony. He pursued advanced studies in theology in Rome from 1984 to 1987. While still in doctoral studies in Rome, he was named director of the diocesan Office of Ministerial Formation on July 1, 1986, and in July 1987 he returned to the diocese and took up residence at St. Luke Parish in Barrington.
Bishop McManus became diocesan Vicar for Education on November 9, 1987 while continuing as director of the Office of Ministerial Formation and in-residence at St. Luke. On October 4, 1990, he assumed the additional duty as theological consultant and editorial writer for The Providence Visitor newspaper. He was appointed a Prelate of Honor to His Holiness with the title of Monsignor on February 28, 1997. He was named rector of Our Lady of Providence Seminary on June 26, 1998 while continuing his duties as Vicar for Education and Director of Ministerial Formation. At the same time he left St. Luke for residence at the seminary and assumed responsibility for weekend assistance at St. Margaret Parish in Rumford. Bishop McManus was ordained as Titular Bishop of Allegheny and Auxiliary Bishop of Providence on February 22, 1999 and he continued to serve as Secretary for Ministerial Formation and Rector of Our Lady of Providence Seminary for some time.
Pope John Paul II named Bishop McManus as the Fifth Bishop of Worcester and he was installed on May 14, 2004.
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