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Speaker Bios & Event Staff
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ACYC THE CALL
- Fr. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B
- Fr. Drew Clary, C.S.C.
- Sr. Marie Genevieve Robertson, O.P.
- Fr. Patrick Gilbreath
- House Band
- Conference Chaplain
- Master of Ceremonies
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Father Augustine Wetta is a dynamic monk, teacher, author, and speaker whose life and work blend faith, creativity, and humor. A member of Saint Louis Abbey in Missouri, he has dedicated his life to education and ministry while pursuing a host of unconventional interests. Known for his bestselling books Pray. Think. Act, The Eighth Arrow, and Humility Rules: Saint Benedict’s Twelve-Step Guide to Genuine Self-Esteem, Father Augustine has reached audiences worldwide, with his works translated into five languages and Humility Rules selling over 100,000 copies.
Father Augustine Wetta grew up on the sun-drenched shores of Galveston Island, Texas. It was there that he learned to surf, an activity he remains passionate about to this day. His adventurous spirit also led him to a stint as a lifeguard for the Galveston Sheriff’s Department Beach Patrol, during which he narrowly escaped a shark attack—a story that made him the top search result for "surfing monk" online. In addition to his aquatic adventures, his early pursuits included working as a professional juggler with “The Flying Fettuccine Brothers” and serving as an archaeologist at the Agora in Athens, Greece.
Father Augustine’s academic credentials are as impressive as his life story. He holds a BA in Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations from Rice University, an MA in English from Middlebury College, and two degrees in Theology from Oxford University. His scholarly background informs his teaching and writing, which combine intellectual depth with relatable insights. For over 20 years, he has taught English, Classics, and Theology at The Priory School in Saint Louis, where he also coached rugby and served as Director of Chaplaincy. In recognition of his contributions, he was named a Portsmouth Institute Senior Fellow in 2019.
His literary accolades are numerous. At the Antioch Writers' Workshop in 2014, Father Augustine became the first participant to win both the Judson Jerome Poetry Award and the Bill Baker Award for Fiction. The following year, he received the Taliaferro Award for Memoir Writers at the San Francisco Writers Conference and was a finalist for the Emerging Writer Award. These achievements highlight his ability to connect with readers through storytelling, whether he is writing about spiritual wisdom, fantastical adventures, or relatable human experiences.
Father Augustine’s books reflect his diverse interests and unique perspective. Pray. Think. Act offers a decision-making framework inspired by the Desert Fathers, The Eighth Arrow reimagines Dante’s Inferno as a thrilling prison-break story, and Saving Grace is a heartwarming children’s book about a three-legged turtle. Meanwhile, Humility Rules adapts the Rule of Saint Benedict into a humorous yet profound guide to self-esteem.
Off the page, Father Augustine’s speaking engagements cover a wide range of topics, from practical decision-making with the Desert Fathers to navigating modern challenges with Benedictine wisdom. His talk “Don’t Follow Your Dreams” unpacks the Rule of Saint Benedict for today’s young adults, offering an antidote to the stress and anxiety plaguing modern society. Another popular presentation, “Fail! Life Lessons from Losers, Has-Beens, Nobodies, and Other Great Saints,” explores how embracing failure can lead to spiritual growth.
In his spare time, Father Augustine continues to explore his varied interests, including raising carnivorous plants, carpenter ants, and crafting armor. He hosts a blog titled “Disagreement” with Islamic social activist Umar Lee and is a regular contributor to Our Sunday Visitor. His media appearances include EWTN, Saint Joseph Radio, and numerous podcasts and vlogs.
Despite his many roles and accolades, Father Augustine remains grounded in his monastic vocation and a deep commitment to sharing the joy and wisdom of his faith. Whether teaching high school students, coaching rugby, or writing about humility, he embodies a Benedictine approach to life—rooted in prayer, community, and a touch of humor.
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F
r. Drew Clary is the vocations Director for the Congregation of the Holy Cross at Notre Dame. Originally from St. Louis Catholic Church in Castroville, Texas, part of the Archdiocese of San Antonio. He attended the University of Notre Dame and studied Economics and Political Science while living in Fisher Hall. Instead of pursuing law school as he had planned, he taught as an ACE Teaching Fellow in the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE). There, he fell in love with Catholic education and, after graduating from ACE in 2011, he worked as the Associate Director of Notre Dame’s Institute for Educational Initiatives for several years before discerning God’s call to enter Holy Cross. Ordained a Holy Cross Priest in 2022, Fr. Drew spent his deacon year and first year of priesthood as a middle school teacher and administrator at St. Adalbert School (South Bend, Indiana). He also served as Associate Pastor to the St. Adalbert and St. Casimir Parishes.
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Sister Marie Genevieve Robertson, O.P. is a Dominican Sister of St. Cecilia, based in Nashville, Tennessee. She currently teaches French at St. Cecilia Academy, an all-girls Catholic 7-12 grade school in Nashville. Sister enjoys leading students to Christ through faith events, French classes, and pilgrimages to Lourdes. Sister Marie Genevieve was born and raised in Mobile, AL. She graduated from Auburn University with a B.S. in French Education in 2010. From 2010-2011, she worked at a high school and middle school in the south of France. In August of 2011, Sister entered the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia. She made her final profession of vows in 2018. Since 2014, Sister Marie Genevieve has taught Religion, English, and French in Maryland, Virginia, and Tennessee.
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Fr Patrick Gilbreath is a priest of the Archdiocese of Mobile and the Vocations Director. Ordained a priest on June 1st, 2019, he was assigned as parochial vicar to Holy Spirit Parish where he served as youth minister for two years and a chaplain to Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School. After four years in Montgomery, he became the Vocations Director in 2023 and now serves the Archdiocese by overseeing the formation of the seminarians and traveling to the different parishes, schools, colleges, ministries, and youth groups in order to help form young people in the faith and help them discern. Fr Patrick went to McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, one year at Auburn University, and then seminary at St Joseph Seminary College, followed by St Meinrad Seminary.
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Fr. Connor Plessala is a home grown Mobilean. He grew up a parishioner of St. Ignatius and graduated from McGill-Toolen in 2012. He started discerning the priesthood during his junior year in high school and entered the seminary right after graduating. He spent his undergrad at St. Joseph Seminary in Louisiana and pursued his masters at St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana before being ordained a priest in May 2020 alongside Fr. Gabe Mills and his brother Fr. Peyton Plessala. He has served as the parochial vicar at St. Bede the Venerable in Montgomery and as a chaplain at Montgomery Catholic for 4 years. He now serves the laity of Christ the King in Daphne as the parochial vicar and as a chaplain at St. Michael Catholic High School. He has a profound love for youth ministry, helping his kids encounter Christ, and walking with them as they grow closer to the Lord. Fr. Connor Plessala is the chaplain for ACYC26 & will be the instrument in which God has chosen to distribute His grace.
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Mary Catherine Lawson or "MC the Emcee” grew up along the Gulf Coast and brings both joy and depth wherever she goes. She’s a proud alum of Franciscan University of Steubenville and has spent years serving the Church through college, high school, and parish ministry. For the past five years, she’s been forming hearts and minds as a Theology teacher at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School.When she’s not helping students encounter Christ, you’ll find her playing piano, cooking something spicy, sipping a fancy iced coffee, or delivering an impressively lame dad joke. She also coaches women’s flag football, cheers loudly for Manchester United with her husband, and dances full-out to DannyGo with her two little boys.
