Dcn. James Keating is an award winning author and Director of Theological Formation in the Institute for Priestly Formation at Creighton University in Omaha Nebraska. In 1993 Dr. James Keating was appointed by the Papal Nuncio to be Associate Professor of Moral and Spiritual Theology in the School of Theology at the Pontifical College Josephinum, Columbus, Ohio. He served in this capacity for 13 years until 2006 when he joined the IPF at Creighton.

Deacon Keating received his Ph.D. in Roman Catholic Theology from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, his Master’s degree in Religious Studies from Fordham University in New York City, and his B.A in Religious Studies from Siena College.

He was invited by the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization to give a presentation in 2016 at the Vatican for their world- wide celebration of the Diaconate during the Holy Year of Mercy. He spoke on “The Diaconate and Family.”

He is a deacon of the Archdiocese of Omaha, where he serves as Director of the Office of the Diaconate

Married to Marianne, they have three sons, Kristoffer, Jonathan and Liam, and a daughter, Ina. He was ordained a deacon in 2001.

Fr. Florea is a priest of the Diocese of Phoenix.  He is currently living a contemplative life of prayer while serving as Director of the Merciful Heart Hermitage:  A House of Prayer for Priests in Black Canyon City, Arizona.  In addition to his ministry to priests, he also assists the Office of the Diaconate in the area of spiritual formation.  He received his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and Licentiate in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.) from the University of St. Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary.  After his ordination to the priesthood in June of 2007, he served as parochial vicar at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral and at St. Gregory Parish.  He also served as chaplain at Bourgade Catholic High School.  In addition to his ministry in the Diocese of Phoenix, Fr. Florea serves as a spiritual director with the Institute for Priestly Formation in Omaha, Nebraska.

Fr. Paul Sullivan was or ordained a priest of the Diocese of Phoenix in 2007. Since then he has served in as a parochial vicar, director of a retreat center, high school chaplain and pastor. He currently serves as Director of Vocations for the diocese and as Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Phoenix. Fr. Sullivan grew up in New York in a family of eight children. He attended SUNY Albany for college where he earned a degree in accounting. After 3 years of work as a CPA, he entered formation at Saint Meinrad Seminary in preparation for ordination. He also serves on the staff of the Institute for Priestly Formation in their spiritual formation certificate program for priests.

Barbara Lishko works full time as a Lay Catholic Marriage Minister. She and her husband Mark, an ordained Deacon, have been married for 38 years and are blessed with five young adult children, whose lives grow and expand through marriage and grandchildren. Through the inspiration of her family, work in the Catholic Church, and wacky life experiences, her dream of writing was born. She is a regular contributor at catholiclane.com and has been published in Shalom Tidings. She is the past recipient of the Diocese of Phoenix St. Therese of Lisieux award.

Lani Bogart – Nourished by daily prayer with her deacon husband, Lani Bogart oversees all things catechetical in a mostly Hispanic urban parish in Glendale, Arizona. She holds a Master of Theology and Christian Ministry Degree from Franciscan University of Steubenville, co-leads the Committee to Serve Wives and Widows of Deacons for the Diocese of Phoenix, and leads breakout sessions for women who are living the Sacrament of Matrimony with a man in diaconate formation. She has been published in Envoy Magazine and The Catechetical Review. Lani also delights in each encounter with her five children and seven grandchildren and enjoys knitting, calligraphy, and singing.