HARTFORD – The Jesuit priest whom Stephen Colbert calls "The Colbert Report chaplain" will be the guest speaker at this year’s annual Archbishop’s St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast.
Jesuit Father James Martin, a sought-after commentator on religion and spirituality in the national and international media, will speak. He is a frequent guest on and contributor to "The Colbert Report." Father Martin also has appeared on all the major radio and television networks, including NPR, PBS, CNN, MSNBC, The History Channel, the BBC and Vatican Radio.
Over the years, Father Martin also has worked to improve the lives of people in Jamaica and Kenya, has worked with gang members in inner-city Chicago and has served as chaplain in a Boston prison.
He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business and worked for six years in corporate finance with General Electric before entering the Jesuits and becoming a priest.
The event will take place at 7 a.m. March 16 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.
Proceeds from the breakfast benefit the Foundation for the Advancement of Catholic Schools (FACS), which provides scholarships and support for Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Hartford. It is the largest fund-raising event that FACS organizes each year.
Cynthia Basil Howard, executive director of FACS, said it’s never too early to start planning the festive event, which has welcomed roughly 1,000 guests annually over the past 11 years.
"Our hope is that businesses, organizations and individuals will show their support early, and purchase sponsorships that will benefit Catholic education and its students," said Ms. Howard. "I think that a speaker such as Father Martin, with such a distinguished background, will certainly capture the attention of many community leaders, because he leads such an inspiring life."
Father Martin also is the author of a bestselling memoir entitled My Life with the Saints, a witty account about his personal relationship with the saints.
At the breakfast, he plans to share thoughts from his latest book, Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor and Laughter are at the Heart of Spiritual Life.
