Unique Among Catholic Speakers
There are hundreds of Catholic speakers available these days. Many among them are friends and colleagues of mine who are excellent speakers. I know how challenging it can be to select the best presenter for a particular event.
My goal on this page is to provide you with all the information I can to help you decide if I am the best fit for your audience.
Thanks for visiting and for considering me. I’m honored!
What you can Expect
Here’s what you can expect from me and my team:
Dr. Italy as a Catholic Speaker
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Growing up in a very ethnic, Catholic environment in Providence RI, I began my working life as a professional rock musician before a deeper encounter with Christ changed my course (just a bit!). I found myself pursuing a Ph.D. from the Catholic University of America at the same time I was doing evangelization on college campuses in nearby Baltimore. Out of both of these experiences of profound learning and creative preaching, the Crossroads Initiative was born in 1981. Years of university teaching and over 300 published articles give me a wealth of material to draw from as a popular Catholic speaker. And regular appearances on television and radio since the eighties have given me the chance to literally share my message with millions. I’ve also managed to write five books over the years. Two have been Amazon best-sellers and one even hit #6 on the New York Times Bestseller list. Still, my most important work has been that of husband and father. Susan and I have been happily married for 35 years and we are immensely proud of our five adult children, their spouses and, of course, our grandchildren. I’m grateful that most of them live near Dallas Texas, our home base for the last 25 years, and that the others visit often. Because traveling, cooking, gardening, working out, laughing and singing together with them are among my favorite things in the world. For a bit more about my background, click here.
Unique Approach among Catholic Speakers
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Some speakers specialize in one particular subject–the Theology of the Body for example. Other Catholic speakers specialize in only one talk which is usually their testimony. My uniqueness is really in combining profound content with engaging delivery. I’ve had an extraordinary deep and broad education in theology and ministry. But I began as a performer, I’ve helped raise five children, and I’ve run an international for-profit enterprise and another non-profit corporation. All these experiences cause me to deliver my substantial content in words anyone can understand with a view towards practical application. As a Catholic speaker, I present in a way that is at the same time energetic yet relaxed and conversational. My talks are peppered with humor, stories, and real-life examples that keep the audience engaged and inspired. My goal is that participants walk out with a practical plan for change and continued growth.
My Audience Types as a Catholic Speaker
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In the course of the 35 years I’ve been speaking publicly, I’ve given thousands of talks in the USA, Canada, Mexico (I’m fluent in Spanish), and Europe. My audience size as a Catholic speaker has ranged from an intimate few to over twenty thousand. I’ve spoken to all ages including teens and middle-schoolers and to people of a wide variety of backgrounds – CEO’s and business leaders, clergy and catechetical leaders, academics, men’s conferences and the Sunday mass-goers who don’t often attend special events. My speaking content is always tailored to the audience and the objectives of the event organizers. You can look over some of my past and future events by viewing my calendar. And you can view some of the events I most love to do and audiences I most enjoy serving:
Parish Missions | Clergy Formation and Retreats | Catechists & Teachers | Conferences | Legatus and Business Leaders
My Topics
Topics have ranged from Marriage and Family to prayer and sacraments to why the history of the Church is relevant to the many challenges of conversion, discipleship, and evangelization people experience today. My years of University teaching at Loyola, the University of Dallas and now, at the Catholic Distance University plus my work in youth, Hispanic, and evangelization ministy have stretched me to be able to address many a wide variety of issues. But really, it all comes down to the call to ongoing discipleship– to help move each person down the road of living more passionately as a follower of Jesus Christ and sharing his gospel of mercy more effectively. For some of my most frequently requested talks, view here.
Next Step
Thanks again for considering me for your event. If you’d like to take the next step, let’s get the conversation started. Someone on our team will get back with you right away.
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From a colorful and varied background as a professor of theology, a father of five, business owner, and professional performer Marcellino D’Ambrosio crafts talks, blog posts, books, and videos that are always fascinating, practical, and easy to understand. He is a TV and radio personality, New York Times best-selling author, speaker who has been leading people on a journey of discovery for over thirty years.
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Dr. Italy’s new series, What We Believe: The Beauty of the Catholic Faith, is available now!
Buy the book