Our Speakers
Fr. Phil Hurley, SJ
National Director
Grace Mazza Urbanski
Assistant National Director
Fr. James Kubicki, SJ
Director Emeritus
Fr. Phil Hurley, SJ
National Director
- Fr. Phil Hurley, S.J., is the National Director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network-USA office. His multifaceted role includes – visioning and strategic planning, development, leading retreats around the USA, assisting with our Hearts on Fire retreats for young adults, and more. Fr. Hurley is also the Continental Coordinator for the PWPN North American Region, encompassing members from the U.S., Canada, and several Caribbean nations. He is also a member of the PWPN International Council.
- Fr. Phil recently served as university chaplain at Loyola University Maryland, and from 2014 to 2022, he was pastor of St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. From 2009 to 2013, he served as youth and young adult director for the U.S. office of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer), and directed the Hearts on Fire retreat program based on the Spiritual Exercises. A native and graduate of Baltimore’s Mount Saint Joseph High School, Fr. Phil has also served as parochial vicar at Old St. Joseph’s Church in Philadelphia and taught at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, DC. He is a founding member of the musical collaborative, Jesuit Tracks.
- Fr. Phil Hurley, S.J., has spoken to audiences of all ages across the U.S. and at international events. As a pastor, he has preached homily series and has led both silent retreats and young adult retreats. He is also a contributor to the Wednesday Night Homily podcast on Apple Podcasts.
- He can present both in English and in Spanish, or bilingually.
FR. PHIL HURLEY, SJ
SPEAKING TOPICS
- Three Moments of Daily Prayer. Learn a practical way to incorporate prayer into daily life.
- Choices, Choices: Discerning God’s Will in Our Lives. Gain insight from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius to help make choices large and small.
- Discernment of Spirits. Learn from the wisdom of St. Ignatius on how to weather the ups and downs of the spiritual life.
- Ignatian Contemplation. Experience of praying with Scripture using the imagination, and learn how to do so in daily prayer.
- The Life of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Hear the amazing story of conversion of this saint, and find how his experiences can still help us today.
- The Principle and Foundation. Learn from St. Ignatius how to put things in good order in our lives by keeping our purpose in mind.
- The Sacred Heart of Jesus. Learn about the history and ongoing relevance of devotion to the Heart of Christ.
Testimonials
“I learned what St. Ignatius’ practice is truly all about, taking time to reflect on scripture and understand how God is speaking to you in the moment.”
“I found new ways to listen for, and to open my eyes to, God’s presence.”
“Fr. Phil’s intimacy with the Heart of Jesus moved me deeply. His presentation challenged me to pay closer attention to God’s love all around me.”
Fr. Phil Hurley, SJ
Featured videos
Grace Mazza Urbanski
Assistant National Director
- Grace Mazza Urbanski is an animated Catholic speaker, educator, and author who captivates audiences with her engaging reflections on prayer, discipleship, and the transforming power of God’s love. As Assistant National Director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network-USA, she helps people discover how to live their faith with generosity and purpose.
- Grace has presented to parishes, schools, dioceses, and organizations across the country, offering keynotes, workshops, and retreats that blend storytelling, Scripture, and practical insights. Known for her warmth and clarity, she draws on her rich experience as a wife, mother, Catholic school principal, teacher, and spiritual director to connect with audiences.
- Her book, Pray with Me: Seven Simple Ways to Pray with Your Children (Ave Maria Press), has guided families in making prayer a natural and lifegiving part of everyday life. Grace’s passion is helping people see how ordinary moments are invitations to encounter God’s extraordinary love.
Grace Mazza Urbanski
SPEAKING TOPICS
- Sacred Heart of Jesus: the Origin Story. Fall in love with the devotion that can save lives through the power of God’s passion.
- Praying with the Heart. Discover the kind of prayer where heart speaks to heart.
- The Examen. Embrace a few minutes each day that can transform your life and your relationship with God.
- Self-Offering Prayer. See in the busy details of everyday life a connection to others and to Jesus, true God and true man.
- Living Mission as Priest, Prophet, King. Celebrate our baptismal call to pray, proclaim, and reign with Christ in daily life
- Holy Week Women. Honor the women who stand at the heart of Holy Week–faithful, courageous, and cherished by Christ.
- Filling Your Cup: Refreshment for Ministers. Come away for a while and rest yourselves, letting the Lord repair and renew your heart.
- Advent: I Wonder as I Wander. Share wonder, prayer, and preparation in the intimacy of Advent.
- Discernment of Spirits. Sort through confusion, influences, and desires to notice where God is leading.
- First Principle and Foundation. Apply St. Ignatius’ famous philosophy to your organization’s mission or your personal life.
Testimonials
“Grace is an engaging and illuminating speaker. Her presentations are so fruitful because she brings herself to the material – not so much through self-disclosure as through her clear, deep engagement in a life of prayer.”
“Hearing Grace speak on Ignatian spirituality exposed a pathway to the heart of God for me. Grounded concretely in original sources, her presentation winsomely communicated the history and character of this beautiful charism while inviting us to encounter Christ in our own present circumstances.”
“What a gift to have a day to connect with my faith and gain a deeper understanding of prayer. I enjoyed the presentations as well as guided prayer.”
Grace Mazza Urbanski
Featured videos
Fr. James Kubicki, SJ
Director Emeritus
- Fr. James Kubicki, S.J. was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He entered the Jesuits in 1971, was ordained in 1983, and has worked among the Lakota Sioux people of Western South Dakota on three different occasions. From 2003 to 2017 he was the national director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer) and traveled around the country giving talks, parish missions, and retreats.
- He is a regular contributor to the national Catholic media network, Relevant Radio, as well as Spirit Radio in Nebraska and Annunciation Radio in Ohio.
- His book “A Heart on Fire: Rediscovering Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus” was published by Ave Maria Press in 2012 and was awarded third place in the category of “Best Prayer and Spirituality Book of the Year” by the Association of Catholic Book Publishers.
- His second book, “A Year of Daily Offerings,” was published in 2016 and republished by Ignatius Press in 2024.
- Currently, Fr. Kubicki is on the staff at Jesuit Retreat House in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Fr. James Kubicki
SPEAKING TOPICS
- The True Love Story: How God revealed His infinite love through the Heart of His Son.
- Living in Union with the Sacred Heart of Jesus: How the Word and the Eucharist help us live with new hearts.
- Our Baptismal Identity: What does it mean to share in Christ’s threefold mission to be priests, prophets, and kings
- The Eucharist: a Mystery to be Believed, Celebrated, and Lived.
- Discernment of Spirits: How St. Ignatius Rules and a daily Examen can help us see God’s presence and activity in our daily lives.
- A Heart-Centered Approach to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius: How they can help us to grow in a more intimate relationship with Jesus.
- The Place of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Every Believer’s Life: How prayer with and to Mary can help us follow Jesus.
Testimonials
“He is a gifted speaker of God’s message with some humor, just the right amount. All of his talks inspired me to look deeper.”
“Listening to Father Kubicki made me want to learn more about Jesus. I am going to join a Bible study when I get home.”
“He was an excellent retreat director. He was clear, genuine, and spoke with respect of himself and others.”
Fr. James Kubicki, SJ
Featured videos
Contact Us About Our Speakers
Would you like to invite Fr. Phil Hurley, SJ, Grace Mazza Urbanski, or Fr. James Kubicki, SJ to speak at your parish or event?
Fill out our speaker contact form and a member of our team will contact you!
Contact Us About Our Speakers
Would you like to invite Fr. Phil Hurley, SJ, Grace Mazza Urbanski, or Fr. James Kubicki, SJ to speak at your parish or event?
Fill out our speaker contact form and a member of our team will contact you!