Sunday, December 16, 2012

Meet the DTB crew


Many of you may have look at the front page of Deepertruthblog.com (above) or listened to our shows or read articles posted on this blog but haven't gotten to know the members of our little Catholic Apostolate. I would like to help you do just that.

A) Donald Hartley is our own little lovable lion. A distinguished military career as a medic and one of the most decent men I have ever known. He gives people courage when they feel weak and is always gentle and kind in sharing his Catholic faith. Easily the strongest member of our team in terms of his knowledge of Catholic history, The Catholic Defender is our most prolific writer and one of the top members of our radio show team. Donald lives in the state of Texas.

B) Christie Martin joined us last year. She actually went to the prom with me and my future wife some 28 years ago. We found each other after a quarter century and we now actually share the same wedding anniversary! She is always copying us tsk tsk. Christie is an inspired writer who often floors us with her insightful and soaring articles. One example was her piece entitled "We don't shoot our wounded" which can be found in our "best articles" section of the home page. Christie is a full-time writer at her own blog called The Garden of Holiness. She writes infrequently for our blog but her articles are the most frequent to make our 'best of' by percentage. She is the host of our Wednesday Blog Talk show, which she appropriately calls The Garden of Holiness. Christie also lives in Texas.

C) Margie Prox Sindelar is the co-host of the Tuesday show The Catholic round-table. She is a certified catechist . Their shows are among the very best we have ever put out and draw on the truth, history and richness of our Catholic faith. Margie comes to us from the numerous facebook apologetics groups and, as such, is one of the principle reasons for our explosive growth. Like Donald, she is a fountain of compassion and a truly devout Catholic. She has become a trusted friend and someone I can lean on in times of sorrow and struggle (which is far too often). Praying for others in front of the Blessed Sacrament is just an natural order to her and she is just a kind person. She recently completed a trip to Rome and the insights she has shared are just amazing. Margie lives in Ohio.

D) That's me, John Benko. Paradoxically, I am at the same time the founder of Deeper Truth and it's weakest link. My strengths are running the practical side including designing and up-keeping the site, the You Tube etc and I have, thus far, been the group's most active and successful debater. On the other hand, I am also the far likeliest to lose my cool or become overcome by some spiritual setback or be paralyzed by some demon from my past. So, it is true that I am a very strong and persuasive debater with my words but sometimes not so much with my actions. Until I can fix that, I am less Catholic apologist and more clanging cymbal. I am, without question the Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde of the group which means of course, that God has more work to do with me. I strive, each day to be more Jeckylish and less Hydeian. Are those really words? Will you all pray for me in this struggle?

E) My wife, Tamara Benko, is the newest official member of the team. Manifestly more sane than I am, with far less reason to be. Saint Francis said "teach the Gospel- use words if necessary". This is my wife. She is the kindest, most compassion, empathetic and forgiving person I know. She feels other people's pain. She counsels, she commiserates and she heals. Without this heavenly Angel, I would have long since quit.

The practical help she brings to Deeper Truth is immeasurably. She is an internet bloodhound and a master at finding every article, song, video or program I could possibly need to use. I have helped her immensely in understanding Dogma about Jesus but she has helped me much more in understanding Jesus Himself and the great fire of His love. She is my Joan of Arc and my treasure. Tamara and I both live in Virginia.

F) Dr. Gregory Thompson is the hands and feet of Deeper Truth. Our 2011 person of the year, he takes our message to Notre Dame, to state capitals and to conferences. An author and a Father and Grandfather and one of the kindest people you will ever meet. Dr. Greg runs his own website and is a regular contributor to our blog, projects and our Friday show.

Dr. Greg was one of the Notre Dame 88 arrested at this sacred university for standing up for the culture of life. He is not ashamed of the Gospel and is a walking manifestation of it.

Recently, Dr. Greg convened a very successful Marian conference and I would not be at all surprised to see him defend his person of the year award.

G) Ross Earl Hoffman is our own Saint Nicholas. Me and him are battling for the most well-rounded (appearance wise) but he defiantly has me beat in beard length. Not only does he look like Santa but he acts like him as well. He is gregarious, jolly and generous and most likely to slap a heretic (as the real Saint Nick did).

Ross is the other half of the catholic round table and often him and Margie act almost as one. Incredibly knowledgeable on the councils, Ross's passion is the Mass. He is insatiable in His desire to know and understand the mass and the Liturgy and see it all in the treasure of deep Scripture.

Ross is our #1 facebook apologist and is constantly doing battle. Recently, Him and Margie went to Rome, a year after going to the Holy Land. He is a personal friend of Steve Ray and knows more about the actual places of scripture and history than the rest of us combined.

Well, there you have it. Team Deepertruthblog. Comments and questions welcome.









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