Presenters

The Most Rev. José H. Gomez, S.T.D.

Archbishop of San Antonio

The Most Rev. José H. Gomez, S.T.D., was installed as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of San Antonio on February 15, 2005, at San Fernando Cathedral. Archbishop Gomez previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Denver, since his ordination on March 26, 2001.

Archbishop Gomez holds a doctorate in Sacred Theology which he received at the University of Navarre in Pamplona, Spain in 1980.  In 1978, the year he was ordained a priest of the Opus Dei Prelature, Archbishop Gomez completed his B.A. in Theology at the University of Navarre, Rome Campus.  He also has an accounting degree and a B.A. in Philosophy.

Archbishop Gomez has distinguished himself as a respected national leader among Hispanic priests in the United States. In 1991, Archbishop Gomez became a Regional Representative of the National Association of Hispanic Priests (ANSH) and in 1995 he was named President and then Executive Director from 1999‐2001.  ANSH is an organization which seeks to strengthen fraternity among the over 2,400 Hispanic priests in the United States and to communicate the faith effectively among diverse Hispanic congregations.

Archbishop Gomez also spearheaded the establishment of Denver’s Centro San Juan Diego for Family and Pastoral Care, a place for formation of lay leaders and a base to provide welcoming services to immigrants. The Center offers both pastoral and social services.

In 2005 he was named one of Time Magazine’s 25 most influential Hispanics in the United States, and in 2007 he was on a CNN’s list of “Notable Hispanics” in a web special celebrating “Hispanic Heritage Month”.

On July 25, 2008 he was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as a consultant to the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, whose purpose is to assist the human and spiritual needs of the Church in Latin America.

For his Episcopal motto, Archbishop Gomez chose a scriptural passage from the Letter to the Hebrews: "Let us go forth with confidence to the Throne of Grace." (Heb. 4:16).

Dr. John F. Brahany, Ph.D., S.T.L.

Executive Director and Ethicist, Catholic Medical Association

Dr. John F. Brehany, Ph.D., S.T.L., joined the Catholic Medical Association as Executive Director and Ethicist in September 2006. He is responsible for overseeing operations of the CMA at its headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, providing direction on health care ethics and public policy issues, supporting membership and guild development, serving as spokesman to the media, and coordinating publications, advertising, and ongoing development of the Catholic Medical Association.

Dr. Brehany received a Ph.D. in Health Care Ethics from Saint Louis University in 2003, a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington, D.C. in 1991, and a M.A. in Philosophy from University of St. Thomas, Houston, Texas in 1987. He received his undergraduate education at the University of San Francisco, graduating with majors in philosophy and theology, in 1983.

Before joining the Catholic Medical Association, Dr. Brehany served as Executive Director of Mission Services and Ethics for Mercy Medical Center, Sioux City, Iowa, where he was responsible for mission integration, ethics consultation and education, pastoral care, and the community benefit ministry program. Prior to that, Dr. Brehany taught courses in systematic and moral theology at Mount Angel Seminary in St. Benedict, Oregon, from 1992-1997. He has lectured at a number of other institutions of higher learning, including Saint Louis University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Briar Cliff University School of Nursing, and the College of Pharmacy at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He is currently a Visiting Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. Dr. Brehany has done a great deal of public speaking on issues ranging from assisted suicide to stem cell research.

Dr. Brehany and his wife Marybeth are the proud parents of seven children.

Rev. Kevin T. FitzGerald, S.J., Ph.D, Ph.D.

Georgetown University

Rev. Kevin T. FitzGerald, S.J., Ph.D.,is the Dr. David Lauler Chair in Catholic Health Care Ethics at Georgetown University and a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Oncology at Georgetown University Medical Center. Prior to joining Georgetown University, Fr. FitzGerald was on the faculty of the Strich School of Medicine at Loyola University with dual appointments in the Institute for Bioethics and Health Policy and the Department of Medicine. His scholarship in bioethics has focused on the human genome project and the implications of genetic technologies. His scientific area of interest is the characterization and functional analysis of oncogenes.  He publishes on science and ethics in peer-reviewed journals, books, and in the popular press, and delivers presentations internationally.  He is often interviewed by the news media on topics such as human genetic engineering, cloning, stem cell research, and the Human Genome Project.

Fr. FitzGerald has served as an ethics consultant for the National Society of Genetic Counselors since 1992 and the March of Dimes Research Foundation since 2002. He is a member of the advisory committee to the AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion Program. He recently ended several years as a member of the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health and Society, during which time he chaired the task force on the Pharmacogenomics report.  Fr. FitzGerald earned doctorates in molecular genetics and in bioethics from Georgetown University and a Master of Divinity degree from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley.

Dr. Martha Marie Garza, M.D.

Dr. Martha M. Garza, M.D., has a private practice in gynecologic endocrinology, infertility, and obstetrics/gynecology. She also serves as a medical consultant for the Creighton Model of natural family planning. Dr. Garza speaks internationally on bioethical issues related to the beginning of life and has also served as Regional Director for the Catholic Medical Association.

Dr. Garza received the M.D. from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas in 1982. She completed an OB/GYN Preceptorship in San Paolo, Brazil in 1984 and finished the OB/GYN Residency at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in 1988. She then went on to the Medical University of South Carolina for a Fellowship in Gynecolgocical Endocrinology and Infertility, which she completed in 1990.

Dr. Garza’s research interests include macroscopic tubal anomalies in patients with tubal ectopic pregnancy and setoli cell function along the seminiferous tubule.

Rev. John A. Leies, S.M., S.T.D.

President Emeritus, St. Mary’s University

Rev. John A. Leies, S.M., S.T.D., a Marianist priest, is past president, past academic vice-president, a tenured Professor of Theology, former Theology Department Chair, former Head of Campus Ministry, and President Emeritus of St. Mary’s University of San Antonio, an institute at which he has spent 34 continuous years. In addition, in the early 1960’s, he taught summer classes in graduate theology and was one of the founding faculty members of the Graduate Theology Program. He has been named as an Outstanding Faculty Member of the School of Arts and Social Sciences and also of the Graduate School.

Originally from Chicago, Illinois, he made his novitiate studies in Galesville, Wisconsin, and then completed college studies at the University of Dayton, Ohio.  He went on for seminary studies at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, where he was ordained and where he completed a Doctorate in Theology (S.T.D.). Fr. Leies has held many assignments at home and abroad for his religious community, the Society of Mary.

Fr. Leies has written and lectured in the area of medico-moral problems, has been an advisor to legal and ethical associations, is a Consultant for the National Catholic Bioethical Center (NCBC), and holds memberships in professional groups such as the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars.  He has been invited to attend the biennial Catholic Bishops’ Workshop on Bioethics for the past 20 years.

Fr. Leies has written more than 280 articles for Today's Catholic, the San Antonio archdiocesan weekly newspaper, in addition to articles for other publications.    He has edited two books for the NCBC:  Handbook of Critical Life Issues and Handbook of Critical Sexual Issues, college texts that have been used at St. Mary’s University and a number of other schools. For several years he co-hosted a weekly news show on Catholic Television of San Antonio (CTSA) and still continues to appear from time to time on programs for CTSA. 

Mr. Andrew Rivas, J.D.

Executive Director, Texas Catholic Conference

Andrew Rivas, J.D., is the Executive Director of the Texas Catholic Conference. As Executive director, he represents all of the Roman Catholic Bishops of Texas before the state’s governing bodies, including the legislature, the Texas delegation to the U.S. Congress, and the various state agencies. It is Andrew’s job to monitor issues of interest and concern to the Church, including those that affect the Church directly, and other issues relating to the Church’s teachings, such as protecting the sanctity of life at all stages of development, education, civil rights, and immigration reform.

Prior to his current position, Andrew spent five years as a policy advisor in the office of Social Development and World Peace at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Andrew advised the Bishops on federal legislation that affected Criminal Justice, Agriculture and the Environment issues. He worked on important federal legislation such as the 2002 Farm Bill, The Innocence Protection Act and the Agricultural Guest Worker legislation. As the policy advisor on criminal justice issues Andrew was part of the USCCB team that developed the Bishops’ campaign to end the use of the death penalty in the United States.

From 1999 until the end of 2001, Andrew served as an advocate on immigration, hunger and housing issues on behalf of Catholic Charities USA, the national social service arm of the Church. And, before taking that position Andrew was on staff at the United States Senate Commerce Committee, assigned to the Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs. While there Andrew assisted in oversight of the Federal Trade Commission, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Consumer Products Safety Commission.

Andrew graduated from the Columbus School of Law in 1995 and received his B.A. from UCLA in 1992.

Rev. Jaime Eduardo Robledo Rengifo, S.T.L.

Rev. Jaime E. Robledo, S.T.L., is the Director of Liturgy, Spiritual Director, and Formation Advisor for Assumption Seminary in San Antonio, Texas, and serves as an Adjunct Instructor for Oblate School of Theology.  A native of Tuluá, Colombia, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Buga, Colombia in 1990 as he completed the Master of Divinity at Seminario Mayor San Pedro Cali, Colombia.  Fr. Robledo later became the Rector of Seminario Los Doce Apóstles in Buga, Colombia and the Rector of the Institute for the New Evangelization of Culture associated with Pontifical Javeriana University in Bogotá, Colombia.  Fr. Robledo holds a Sacred Theological Licentiate in Dogmatic Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and is a Doctoral Candidate in Bioethics from the Ateneo Pontificio Regina Apostolorum in Rome, Italy.

Rev. Arnold Ibarra, Ph.D.

Rev. Arnold Ibarra, Ph.D., is a Formation Advisor and Spiritual Director for Assumption Seminary and teaches philosophy for Oblate School of Theology and the Mexican American Catholic College.  A native of Manila, Philippines, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Tarlac, Philippines, as he completed the Master of Divinity.  Fr. Ibarra holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Navarra, Spain.

Mr. Arland Nichols, M.Div.

Arland Nichols, M.Div., is the Director of Campus Ministry at Pope John XXIII High school in Katy, Texas, where he teaches courses on Morality and Bioethics and Leadership in Ministry.  Mr. Nichols graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.A. in Philosophy and a minor in Psychology.  He has earned a Masters of Divinity from the University of Saint Thomas Graduate School of Theology, St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston.  He also holds a certification in Health Care Ethics from the National Catholic Bioethics Center and is a member of the Catholic Medical Association, National Catholic Bioethics Center and the International Association of Catholic Bioethicists.  Mr. Nichols speaks and writes frequently on topics related to the culture of life, marriage, family and bioethics.  Mr. Nichols and his wife, Cindy, live in Katy with their beautiful children, Joseph Daniel and Mary Catherine.

William P. Mueller, MD, CNFPMC, CFCP, FCE

Dr. Bill Mueller,  is a board certified family physician in the United States Air Force.  He graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1987 where he received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Astronautical Engineering.  He began his Air Force career as a pilot and went on to earn his Medical Degree from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in 1998.  He is currently a dual-rated pilot-physician at Randolph AFB, TX. 
 

Dr. Mueller's conviction that "the family is the basic cell of society" led him to become triple certified as a FertilityCare Practitioner, Medical Consultant, and Educator at the Pope Paul VI Institute of Human Reproduction.  He specialized in Natural Family Planning during his family practice residency and presented numerous lectures relating contemporary medical issues to marriage and family life.  Though new to the San Antonio area, Dr. Mueller is helping to form a local guild of the Catholic Medical Association.  Bill, his wife, Teri, and their sons Paul and Mark live in Cibolo, Texas.

Mr. Christopher J. Stravitsch, MA, LMFT-A

Mr. Chris Stravitsch is Director of Collegians for Assumption Seminary. As a faculty member he serves as a Formation Advisor to seminarians and facilitates priestly formation groups.  Originally from Houston, Mr. Stravitsch moved to San Antonio after earning a B.A. in Psychology from Texas A&M University.  Since then he has earned the M.A. in Pastoral Ministry and M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy at St. Mary’s University.  As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate and an Associate Member of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, Mr. Stravitsch has counseled families, couples, and individuals in private practice and within local schools.  He has also given talks and led worship music for adults and youth retreats throughout Texas and New York.  He and his wife, Sarah, currently have a toddler son, Eden, and newborn daughter, Sophia.