2026 Lineup
Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv.
Host and Principal Mass Celebrant
Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., was ordained the fifth bishop of the Charlotte diocese in May 2024. With an extensive background in education and ministry – including as a teacher, coach and principal – he has held a number of leadership positions in the Church, particularly in Catholic secondary education, youth ministry and campus ministry.
His episcopal motto is “Duc In Altum” (“Put Out Into the Deep”), a call for all people, and especially young people, to become disciples of Jesus and help build His Kingdom here in our own communities.
More about Bishop Martin
Ana Munley
7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11
Ana Munley is a Catholic speaker, digital creator and host of the AfterMass podcast, where she encourages people to move beyond lukewarm faith and embrace a deeper life of discipleship.
Born in Venezuela and now living in Florida with her husband Joe and their two children, Munley shares engaging online content that helps Christians better understand Scripture, Church teaching, the sacraments, and the universal call to holiness.
Through social media, podcasts and speaking engagements, she is passionate about evangelization and inspiring others to live boldly and authentically as Catholics, guided by her mission to remain “rooted in Christ and built on truth.”
More about Ana Munley
Katie Prejean McGrady
1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12
Katie Prejean McGrady is an award-winning author, international speaker, podcaster and host of “The Katie McGrady Show” on SiriusXM’s The Catholic Channel. A frequent commentator on faith and current events, she serves as a Vatican analyst for CNN and collaborates with the Vatican Dicastery for Communications on digital media initiatives.
She has consulted for the USCCB working group on youth and young adult ministry. Katie is the author of several books and hosts several popular Catholic programs, including the Ave Explores podcast, Like a Mother, and Family Mass Prep on Hallow.
After years of service in youth ministry and Catholic education, she transitioned to full-time speaking in 2017 and now travels extensively to address parishes, conferences, schools and ministry events. A former U.S. delegate to the Vatican’s pre-synod gathering on young people, Katie lives in Lake Charles, Louisiana, with her husband Tommy and their two daughters.
More about Katie Prejean McGrady
Jason Simon
2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12
Jason Simon is the president of The Evangelical Catholic. After working briefly in engineering, he began working in the Church as a director of parish religious education and youth ministry. Through this work, he saw the power of evangelization in the Church and his passion to see more lives impacted by the Holy Spirit.
In 2007, Simon graduated from the master of divinity program at the University of Notre Dame and began his work at The Evangelical Catholic. Under his leadership, it has experienced consistent expansion by equipping local Catholic leaders to be not only disciples but disciple makers.
He is the author of Mission-Ready Friendship: A Blueprint for Deeper Relationships and Life-Changing Faith. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with his wife and six children.
More about Jason Simon
Marieth Quintero
12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12
Marieth Quintero is a Colombian soprano, liturgical musician and Catholic music director with more than 24 years of experience in sacred music and liturgical formation. Having served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago, she has dedicated her ministry to forming parish musicians in music theory, vocal performance, liturgy and spirituality.
Founder of Proyecto Salmista, Quintero has also developed pastoral initiatives including a Mariachi School, a Latin Choir, and a Schola Cantorum. Through her performances, workshops, social media and pastoral formation programs, she seeks to inspire musicians to cultivate music that reflects the beauty and mystery of the Catholic faith.
About Schola Cantorum
Founded by Marieth Quintero, Schola Cantorum is a technical and pastoral formation program for parish music ministers. It equips lay musicians with a deeper understanding of music theory, liturgy and Catholic teaching to help them choose and lead sacred music in harmony with the Church’s liturgical norms.
Through accessible, faith-centered formation, the program prepares musicians to serve their parishes more effectively and proclaim the Gospel through sacred music.
More about Schola Cantorum
Father Marcos Galvis
11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12
En Español
Father Marcos Galvis is a Venezuelan Catholic priest, preacher and evangelist whose dynamic ministry has reached millions throughout the Spanish-speaking world.
Ordained to the priesthood in 2016 for the Diocese of Barinas, he is dedicated to helping people encounter Christ through Scripture, the sacraments, and a deeper life of prayer. Through parish missions, retreats, conferences, and a thriving digital ministry that includes more than one million YouTube subscribers, Father Galvis shares daily Gospel reflections and practical catechesis rooted in Catholic teaching.
Inspired by the strong faith of his family and a lifelong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, he encourages Catholics to deepen their relationship with Christ and boldly live the Gospel in everyday life.
More about Padre Marcos Galvis
Father Kevin Martinez
Holy Hour homilist - 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12
Father Kevin Martinez is a priest of the Diocese of Charlotte and parochial vicar at St. Mark Catholic Church in Huntersville. A native of Asheboro who grew up on his family’s farm in Franklinville, he is a first-generation American whose parents immigrated from Nayarit, Mexico. Ordained in 2024 after studying at St. Joseph College Seminary, Father Martinez credits his family with instilling in him a deep love for the Catholic faith and the Church. He is especially passionate about the Eucharist and the Mass as the center of Catholic worship, and about helping people grow in their relationship with God and bring others to Christ.
Erich Kerekes, Mariana Lacouture and Nathan Crankfield
11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 12
Erich Kerekes
Erich Kerekes is the co-founder and chief technology officer of Hallow, the world’s leading Catholic prayer app, which offers resources for prayer, meditation, Scripture, music and sleep. A 2015 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a degree in computer science summa cum laude, Kerekes leads Hallow’s engineering, product, design and analytics teams.
Since its launch, the app has grown to more than 30 million downloads and has helped millions of people deepen their faith through contemplative prayer and meditation. In 2022, Kerekes and his co-founders were named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list.
More about Erich Kerekes
Mariana Lacouture
Mariana Lacouture is a Senior Partnership Executive at Hallow, the #1 Catholic prayer app, where she works with dioceses, parishes, and ministries to bring resources like Pray40 and the Bible in a Year to their communities. She brings a strategic, relationship-first approach to helping Catholic leaders reach more people with prayer.
Known for her collaborative spirit and servant leadership, Mariana is passionate about using technology to draw souls closer to Christ, and she's excited to connect with fellow Catholics at the Charlotte Eucharistic Congress about how Hallow can support their parish or ministry's mission of evangelization.
Nathan Crankfield
Nathan Crankfield is a speaker, executive coach, author and host of the podcast Seeking Excellence with Nathan Crankfield. Raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, he overcame a difficult and unstable childhood to forge a life centered on leadership, faith and personal growth.
After earning an Army ROTC scholarship to Mount St. Mary’s University, Nathan was commissioned as an infantry officer. Drawing on his military experience, he now speaks nationwide on leadership, resilience and organizational excellence. He serves as senior sales manager at Hallow.
More about Nathan Crankfield
Vincentian Father Paul Phuong Pham
Featuring Vincentian Father Paul Phuong Pham, parochial vicar at St. Mary’s Parish in Greensboro.
Middle School + High School
Middle School/High School Program
Featuring The Scally Brothers , Katie Prejean McGrady , and the Belmont Abbey College Hintemeyer Scholars.