Patrick Madrid will offer presentation in Utah

Intermountain Catholic

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Patrick Madrid

SALT LAKE CITY — Patrick Madrid,  a popular radio host, apologist, speaker and author, will present “Surprised By Truth:  Why Are So Many Non-Catholics Becoming Catholic?” on Saturday, Feb. 23 at Judge Memorial Catholic High School.

 Madrid is not unfamiliar to Utah. In 2015 he visited Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, where he spoke about “Why Be Catholic?” and “Search and Rescue: to Bring Your Family and Friends Into or Back Into the Catholic Church.”

The church was at its capacity for that presentation.

For the upcoming event, Madrid is being sponsored by the nonprofit organization Catholic Utah, which formed last October.

“Our mission is ‘Educating and Building Community for Utah Catholics,’ and we are doing that through a speakers series that just started,” said Elaina Yenchek, a founding member of Catholic Utah.

The organization is also arranging opportunities to volunteer to serve meals to the homeless community at the St. Vincent de Paul dining hall, and plans to host activities such as book clubs and family hikes, she said.  

“While our ministry is mainly focused on ‘in-between adults’ who are too old to be served by young adult ministries, but are not yet served by senior ministries, we will also occasionally plan large speaking events for the entire community,” Yenchek said.

 “Through our speaker series, we want to help people to learn the beauty and truth found in our Catholic faith and clarify some of these common misunderstandings,” said Yenchek, adding that Catholic Utah chose to bring in Madrid because he “appeals to people of many different backgrounds and welcomes conversation with people of all faiths and backgrounds. We chose this topic because we have found the stories of converts to be particularly inspirational. We hope to educate and inspire Utah Catholics to learn more about their faith, so they are better equipped to explain and defend it in a loving way.”

Madrid’s talk will consist of an hour-long presentation, followed by an hour for questions and answers.

“The question-and-answer – it’s really a strength that he has. … It’s very informative for all people,” Yenchek said.

“In today’s culture, and especially as Catholics in Utah, it is important that we are prepared to answer tough questions about our Catholic faith,” she said. “There are so many false ideas about the reasons behind the teachings of our faith.”

Madrid’s first book, “Surprised By Truth,” was published in 1994. Since then he has published 27 books. “Why be Catholic? 10 Answers to a Very Important Question” was published in 2014.

A lifelong Catholic, Madrid holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business from the University of Phoenix, and a bachelor’s in philosophy and a master’s in dogmatic theology from the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio.

He serves as an adjunct professor of apologetics on the faculties of Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Connecticut and Saint Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo, Calif. He has conducted teaching seminars on Catholic themes in English and Spanish at conferences, parishes and universities across North America, Europe, Asia, Austria, New Zealand and Latin America, according to his webpage.

WHAT: Patrick Madrid presentation

WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 23, 9-11:30 a.m.

WHERE: Judge Memorial Catholic High School, 650 South 1100 East,Salt Lake City

COST: $20

Purchase tickets online at CatholicUtah.org. For information, e-mail CatholicUtah@gmail.com.