DAMON OWENS
Founder of Joyful Ever After
Damon Owens, international speaker and evangelist, is executive director of Joyful Ever After (joyfuleverafter.org). The first executive director of the Theology of the Body Institute and chairman of the 2016 International Theology of the Body Congress, Damon founded Joyful Ever After as a non-profit ministry dedicated to encouraging and educating couples to understand and live marriage and family life together with joy through St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. A presenter at the 2015 World Meeting of Families, 2017 USCCB Convocation of Catholic Leaders, and 2019 Catholic Family Life Symposium, Damon keeps a full international speaking schedule at conferences, seminars, universities, high schools, seminaries, and parishes on the good news of marriage, sexuality, Theology of the Body, Theology of the Family, adoption, and NFP. In 2018, Pope Francis honored Damon with his Benemerenti Papal Medal in recognition for his work in support of marriage and family. Damon lives outside Philadelphia with his wife Melanie and their eight children. Damon has published numerous articles, appeared on many radio and television programs (EWTN, Catholic Answers, Ave Maria, Relevant Radio, Immaculate Heart Radio, ABC World News Tonight, CBS News, NPR), taught in many major Catholic faith programs, and has hosted and produced three 13-part television series for EWTN. He is also an accomplished gospel singer honored with a solo during the 1995 NJ Papal Mass at Giants Stadium presided by Pope St. John Paul II.
ELISA MAZZAROLO
Program Coordinator, St. John Paul II Foundation
Elisa Mazzarolo is a Program Coordinator for the St. John Paul II Foundation where she serves to expand the Together in Holiness Formation series to parishes and schools across the country. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Carleton University. Prior to joining the St. John Paul II Foundation, Elisa spent five years actively involved with a Catholic ministry in Canada where her passion for sharing the gospel and journeying with others through life’s highs and lows was ignited. She also spent four years working in the healthcare sector in both Procurement and HR. Elisa is thrilled to be with a Catholic apostolate, supporting couples and families.
MOST REV. GREGORY L. PARKES
Bishop of St. Petersburg
Bishop Gregory Parkes was born on April 2, 1964, to Ronald and Joan Parkes. He grew up in Massapequa, a town on Long Island, NY, and attended St. Rose of Lima Catholic School. He and his two brothers were altar servers, and their parents were active in parish ministries. He moved to Tampa after graduating from Florida State University and worked in banking until God called him to the priesthood. In addition to a B.A. in Finance, he earned a Sacred Theology degree and an advanced graduate degree in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Orlando on June 26, 1999 and was appointed to serve as bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee in 2012. Pope Francis appointed Bishop Parkes to be shepherd of the Diocese of Saint Petersburg on November 28, 2016, and his Installation Mass was celebrated on January 4, 2017. His younger brother Stephen, also a priest, was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Savannah on July 8, 2020. Since being named spiritual leader of the Diocese of Saint Petersburg, Bishop Parkes has made it his mission to joyfully and courageously proclaim the Gospel while listening and responding to the needs of the priests and the people of God.
ED AND HOLLY ANDRADE
Parishioners of St. Catherine of Siena Parish
Ed and Holly Andrade have been married for 35 years and have 5 children, Kolbe 33, Anna 31, Daniel 29, and twins Peter and John Paul 26. Their daughter is married to Nicolas, whom they consider their “bonus” son, and they currently live in Durham, NC. They feel blessed that all of their sons have stayed in the St. Petersburg area so far! Both Holly and Ed received Master’s degrees from Franciscan University and this is also where they first met. Ed is a Mental Health Counselor and works out of Christ the King Church in Tampa, FL. In addition to his practice, he also does the Marriage Preparation classes for CTK church. He is passionate about his work and assisting people through the joys and challenges that life brings. Holly’s degree is in Education and she has been in the field for many years working as both a teacher and administrator. She also loves serving in their home Parish by being a Eucharistic Minister and Reader. Additionally, as a convert to Catholicism, she is passionate about sharing her faith and walking the journey with those who are coming into the Catholic Church.