How about Francis Cardinal George of Chicago?  The USCCB seems to be more active in taking strong public stands on moral issues since he has presided over it.
TeaPot562

I’d add Kristin Armstrong, Edaurdo Verastegui, Gary Sinise and Jon Voight to the list. They are AWSOME!!!!!

I’d add Fr. Andrew Ricci, currently parish priest in Superior, Wisconsin!

Great list: thought-provoking and, of course, much too short to capture all those who deserve to be mentioned.  Well done!

R.
Any top ten list for 2009 that doesn’t have Robbie George of Princeton as a member is missing someone. The pope, Archbishop Chaput, Fr. Corapi, Mary Ann Glendon and Robbie George have enough brain power to equal any other ten people you could name.

I have to add Patrick Coffin, the host of the radio show Catholic Answers Live (a daily, call-in radio program that airs on over 100 AM and FM stations across America, on Sirius satellite radio, and on EWTN Global Catholic Radio. And on the Internet, of course.

Patrick Coffin holds a master’s degree in theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville - my alma mater - and I believe his radio show is some fo the best catechesis available today, for Catholics and non-Catholics alike who want to learn about the faith at every level. And he’s just an all-round awesome guy!

(No, I don’t know him at all. This sounds like I work for his PR department but alas - I do not. Just a devoted daily listener to his show.)

I would like to nominate Msgr Philip Reilly from Brooklyn NY, founder of Helpers of God’s Precious Infants.  Msgr suffered from painful cancer this past year and as soon as he could be back on the streets saving babies, he was back on the streets.  His apostolate in saving babies as a side walk counselor, leader of processions on the streets of NYC, leadership in creating alliances with local police to protect the pro life ministry in the streets, training of new recruits for the pro life movement, recruitment of people to pray for this vital ministry, provision of an excellent prayer book (three hours of life giving prayer and reflection), great Irish spirit and wit, and perserverence all these years make this priest deserving of our prayers of gratitute and support!

I rarely see the mention of the work of Lisa Wheeler and her team at Maximus (ww.MaximusMG.com) mentioned. From what I have observed of this team of young, energetic Catholics, they work their butts off to promote the good works of the Church, including such notables as Fr. Robert Barron, the Catholic toy company Wee Believers, Ignatius Press’s 13th Day, the Theology of the Body Institute, the Fireproof film, Holy Family Hospital and dozens of others. They work quietly behind the scenes of these groups, giving them all the promotion and advancement and rarely seeking their own PR.  If there is any group making a difference in the Church today, it is this lady and her amazing team.  She should have made your list Lisa for sure.

Great list. I second the vote on Fr. Robert Barron. Another person I thought of is Marcus Grodi of The Coming Home Network. His show The Journey Home on EWTN is awesome and very powerful in helping bring people into the Church and in bringing Catholics home.

Ditto on Fr. Barron. Love seeing Archbishop Dolan on the list.  He is very approachable and would be an awesome interview for you Lisa.  As a Milwaukeean, I can tell you that he was extremely popular, well loved and easy to talk to.

I would add up and coming Fr. Don Hying, the Rector of St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee to your list.  He’s an outstanding speaker, and a kind, holy and humble man of deep faith.

I am speechless, Lisa, but deeply honored to be listed among these amazing people. I am so glad that you began your list with our heroes - the priests! Let’s continue to pray for them as you say. God bless you, Lisa, my “spiritual sister.” I would have put you on this list - right up at the top! May God bless all of the amazing and “fascinating” Catholics who make such a difference in the lives of the people they work with and live with by being Jesus to them and ministering to Jesus in them.

JMJ Good idea,and another one.Make a list of those in our Own Parish and listen/talk with them.They’re not famous outside of our parishes because their Work is close to home.Most of those who are famous in the Catholic church today got their start probably at the Parish level,through school(grade,high,college,etc.)parish Involvement,etc. Hopefully they come back to their Parish where they got their Start,Come back to evangalize/teach who knows in time even some Parishes will Disappear like our schools,God’s Houses(Churches) Priests,Laity even some Bishops.We may leave our Parish and Dioceses,Hopefully Never Our Church as a number of us have.It’s Wonderful to become Famous teaching God’s Word and Works worldwide It’s a shame though their’s not more happening at the Local Level where it seems their’s a Barren desert growing.Respectfullly with Love and Prayers.

I am thrilled to see Donna on this list. She is indeed a fascinating lady with a quiet but far-reaching influence in the Church in America today. (She has certainly had a positive influence on me!)

I would like to nominate every Zambian Priest for using the pulpit to fight injustices in Zambia.  Bravo to the Bishops for the support they give the priests in speaking for the voiceless, and the poor.

How about someone in the trenches that no one really knows; the kind of person who lives the Catholic life without fanfare but with absolute love. I nominate Mary Jo Loboda from Dalton, PA who with her husband adopted 7 children (2 different families of siblings) from Russia and then a few years later adopted 3 from Guatemala. She works tirelessly to raise money for the poor in Haiti with Father Rick. She won’t appear on any news cast or on EWTN, but she is a hero in my book, a day-to-day, do-my-daily-duty hero. I am sure that there are others like her throughout the world.

I agree, Fr. Barron has made many people I know return home to the Church by challenging them intellectually.

Thomas Peters, Eduardo Verastegui and the new and upcoming film crew of “The Human Experience” WOW!!!!!! Grassroots Films might make your 2010!

I should have added earlier that I think the the folks at EWTN should be included. There are many at EWTN in the camera view whom we see and hear and many behind the scenes who work tirelessly to present the Catholic faith to us through radio and television. They are a great bunch too. I love working with them!

I want to give a plug to one of my friends who has had a great impact for the Church.  Stephen Ray has the best Catholic DVD series, “The Footprint’s of God” I have ever seen.  In my experience, these movies have aided me in bringing several people to the Catholic Faith.  His Message Board has grown considerably from the time he had invited me to sign on.  He is certainly one of the top Apologists of our time!

Fr. Cheney at St. Paul’s Newman Center in Fargo, ND!!!

I had the great opportunity this weekend at the FOCUS Conference in Orlando, FL to celebrate Mass with Archbishop Chaput and then attend a talk of his on the importance of Catholics being involved in politics. Truly a gift to the Church in this age.

I second Patrick Coffin!  He is brilliant and has a very gentle manner.  His responses are always very thoughtful and kind.

I am coming in late, but I want to nominate Terry Polakovic of ENDOW.  She works (with Sr. Prudence Allen) to produce study guides for JPII’s writings to (and about) women, to be discussed in small groups. Terry, and Endow, have changed my life and the life of many women for the better! (see endowonline.com)