Fr. John Bartunek, LC, S.Th.D, received his BA in History from Stanford University in 1990. He comes from an evangelical Christian background and became a member of the Catholic Church in 1991. After college, he worked as a high school history teacher, drama director, and baseball coach. He then spent a year as a professional actor in Chicago before entering the religious Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ in 1993. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 2003 and earned his doctorate in moral theology in 2010.
He provided spiritual support on the set of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ while researching the 2005 Catholic best seller, Inside the Passion, the only authorized, behind-the-scenes explanation of the film. Fr. John has contributed news commentary regarding religious issues on NBC, CNN, Fox, and the BBC. He also served as the English-language press liaison for the Vatican’s 2005 Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist.
His most widely known books are The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer and 60 Days to Becoming a Missionary Disciple.
His most recent book is Spiritual But Not Religious: The Search for Meaning in a Material World.
Fr. John resides in Atlanta and serves as Territorial Vicar for the Legionaries of Christ.
Dear Matt, I think you’re overreacting (as usual). Don’t get me wrong, it’s commendable that you are trying to organize your time conscientiously, especially since nobody else is going to
Dear Bertha, What a beautiful tradition! Taking your aspirant’s uniform on today’s Feast has a lot of significance. It shows that what you are “aspiring” to as you enter a
Dear Joe, I am sorry to bother you, but I had a particularly inspiring meditation this morning (in spite of the heat – do you realize how horribly hot office
Dear Cheri, I am glad you’re enjoying the beauties of nature. Believe me, I wish I could join you. A beach house in the tropics would be a welcome respite
Dear Gonzo, I’m sorry to hear that you’re already bored. It surprises me a little bit, since you tend to be so active and creative. I imagine there’s a little
Dear Al, OK, OK, I get the picture. You’re making good money, but the company you have to put up with in the factory isn’t made up of moral giants.
Dear Julie, I can feel the joy pulsating through your last note. I am so glad that you are finally able to spend a summer doing what you’ve always wanted
Dear Marsha, I am sorry to hear that things at home haven’t improved. But you know, God isn’t absent from all this. He’s the one who called you to the
Dear Jaime, I was glad to hear of your choice for a summer activity. Enrolling in the Parisian Drawing Course for two months should help you acquire the fundamental skills
Alex Kucera has lived in Atlanta, GA, for the last 46 years. He is one of 9 children, married to his wife Karmen, and has 3 girls, one grandson, and a granddaughter on the way. Alex joined Regnum Christi in 2007. Out of the gate, he joined the Helping Hands Medical Missions apostolate and is still participating today with the Ghana Friendship Mission.
In 2009, Alex was asked to be the Atlanta RC Renewal Coordinator for the Atlanta Locality to help the RC members with the RC renewal process. Alex became a Group Leader in 2012 for four of the Atlanta Men’s Section Teams and continues today. Running in parallel, in 2013, Alex became a Team Leader and shepherded a large team of good men.
Alex was honored to be the Atlanta Mission Coordinator between 2010 to 2022 (12 years), coordinating 5-8 Holy Week Mission teams across Georgia. He also created and coordinated missions at a parish in Athens, GA, for 9 years. Alex continues to coordinate Holy Week Missions, Advent Missions, and Monthly missions at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Cumming, GA.
From 2016 to 2022, Alex also served as the Men’s Section Assistant in Atlanta. He loved working with the Men’s Section Director, the Legionaries, Consecrated, and Women’s Section leadership teams.
Alex is exceptionally grateful to the Legionaries, Consecrated, and many RC members who he’s journeyed shoulder to shoulder, growing his relationship with Christ and others along the way. He knows that there is only one way, that’s Christ’s Way, with others!
