Lo que creemos

Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio (“Dr. Italy”) received his Ph.D. in historical theology from The Catholic University of America under the direction of Avery Cardinal Dulles and has had a prolific career as a Catholic author, internationally-respected speaker, pilgrimage leader, and university professor. He is the Co-founder and Director of The Crossroads Initiative, the author of five books and hundreds of articles, and a regular guest on both secular and Catholic TV and radio programs.

In 2004, Dr. D’Ambrosio co-authored the New York Times bestseller A Guide to the Passion: 100 Questions about The Passion of the Christ with Ascension founder Matt Pinto. In 2019, Dr. D’Ambrosio published the groundbreaking Bible study on the life of Jesus Christ filmed in the Holy Land, Jesus: The Way, the Truth, and the Life, presenting alongside Jeff Cavins and Dr. Edward Sri. In 2022, he became the co-author and co-presenter of What We Believe: The Beauty of the Catholic Faith, together with Dr. Andrew Swafford and Sarah Swafford, and in 2025 was announced as a co-presenter of the groundbreaking Foundations of Faith: A Journey Through the Catechism of the Catholic Church with Fr. Mike Schmitz, Jeff Cavins, and Dr. Edward Sri.

Dr. D’Ambrosio is currently teaches for the Catholic International University (formerly known as Catholic Distance University). He has previously been on faculty at the Loyola College in Maryland as well as the University of Dallas.

Dr. D’Ambrosio and his wife Susan reside in Dallas, Texas, where they frequently spend time with their many children and grandchildren.

Dcn. John Harden is a Catholic leader and teacher who serves as the director of Eastern Catholic formation and evangelization for the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma and the manager of small group programs at Ascension. Through his work in formation and evangelization, he is dedicated to equipping individuals and small groups to encounter Christ more deeply through Scripture and the teachings of the Church.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in theology from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas (BA) and a master’s degree in theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville (MA). In his ministry, he has worked to support parishes, dioceses, and small group leaders in building vibrant communities of faith.

With Ascension, Dcn. Harden is featured as a presenter in Foundations of Faith: A Journey Through the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the 2025 edition of The Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation.

He, his wife, and their children live in Kansas City, Missouri.

Dr. Matthew K. Minerd is a Ruthenian Catholic, husband, and father, serving as a professor of philosophy and moral theology at the Byzantine Catholic Seminary of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Pittsburgh. His academic and popular writing has been published in the journals Nova et Vetera, The American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly, The Review of Metaphysics, Études Maritainiennes, Downside Review, and Homiletic and Pastoral Review. He has also served as a translator or editor for volumes published by The Catholic University of America Press, Emmaus Academic, and Cluny Media.