Epiphany – March 14, 2023
Vanessa Chats with Leonardo Defillipis about his new production: ‘Tolton: From Slave to Priest’ coming to Michigan and Hugh Owen joins us to tell us about his 2-night event “How Did We Get Here?” at St Patrick’s in Ann Arbor.
Segment 1
Leonardo Defillipis joins us to talk about his new production entitled ‘Tolton: From Slave to Priest’ that is coming to Michigan.
After years as a Shakespearean actor, Leonardo Defilippis embarked on a spiritual journey that led him to found Catholic theater company, Saint Luke Productions, in 1980. Millions throughout the US, Canada, and Europe have seen his work as an actor, producer, and film director. Performance venues span a wide and diverse spectrum. They have included churches, major theaters, civic centers, penitentiaries, schools, and cloistered convents. Leonardo also performed at World Youth Day in Denver and Rome. His work has inspired vocations to the religious life, and he has won numerous awards over the decades.
One of his most ambitious projects was the direction, production, and distribution of the feature film Thérèse. This was the first motion picture distributed solely by an independent Catholic film company. Leonardo can be heard daily on Benedictus Moments. This radio and web series based on the profound meditations of Pope Benedict XVI airs on Catholic radio networks nationwide. He continues to tour with Vianney and Maximilian: Saint of Auschwitz. On August 6, 1983, the Feast of the Transfiguration, Leonardo married his beloved wife Patti. They have been blessed with seven children and reside in Washington State.
For more information on Leonardo and to check out St Luke Productions click here: Saint Luke Productions (stlukeproductions.com)
Segment 2
Hugh Owen joins us to tell us about his 2-night event “How Did we Get Here?” at St. Patrick’s in Ann Arbor.
Hugh Owen is the convert son of Sir David Owen, a former Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and Secretary General of International Planned Parenthood Federation. Hugh attended Princeton University where, at the age of 18, he was baptized, confirmed and made his first Holy Communion in the Princeton University Chapel on the Easter Vigil, in 1972.
Hugh’s wife Maria was a member of the first class of women at Princeton. She and Hugh were married in 1973 and Maria made her profession of faith in the Catholic Church in 1975. Hugh received a B.A. in honors in history from New York University, and a M.S. in education in supervision and administration from Bank Street College of Education in New York City. He also received a permanent license to be a principal or superintendent of schools in the state of New York.
Between 1977 and 1991, Hugh worked as a teacher and administrator of several independent schools and served as a school evaluator for the Middle States Association and as a member of the executive committee of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools. For the past 25 years, Hugh has dedicated his life to the service of the Church as a writer, editor, teacher, and lecturer. Hugh has written numerous books and articles on Catholic and secular topics.
