ABOUT

CandlelightPress.org was created by Mary Angela McMenamin to highlight ~ through education, art, music, and media ~ the beauty and truth of Christ's Catholic Faith. Her educational videos, bible studies, lectures, homily recordings, live events, interviews, cartoons, music-videos, and v-cards, are shared neither for monetization nor donations, but simply to spread GOD's light and love.

RELATED EDUCATION

Ongoing: Research, authorship, and artistry, put to multi-media formats ~ from lecture series and bible studies, to music and animation.

2020-now: Candidate for Doctorate in Theology (ThD), Pontifex University, Georgia. 

2015-2016:  Masters Degree: Biblical Theology (Exegetical Track), John Paul the Great Catholic University, Escondido, CA.

2009-2012: Certification: 3-year Bible Study Leadership program:  Catholic Bible Institute, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA

2011-2012:  Certification: 1-year Emerging Laity Initiative, Our Lady of Fatima, San Clemente, CA

2010-2020: Presenting weekly PowerPoint bible study lectures at Mary's parish that she created from the voluminous theological works of Fr. James O'Bryan, O.P.

1988-1989:  Certification: 1-year Television Production training program, Los Alamitos TV, Los Alamitos, CA.

1978-1982:  BA with a Marketing Minor:  CSULB, Long Beach, CA.

Since her "reversion experience" in 2008, Mary has served her parish as a lector, choir member, extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, fun-raise council, altar server, sacristan, linen server, graphic designer, projector and live-streamer of Holy Mass, graphic designer, concert coordinator, cantor, fund-raising gift-basket creater, perpetual adoration hour leader, monthly Divine Mercy Chaplet singer, Fatima Feeds the Hungry (FiSH) volunteer, Bible study leader, Knights of Columbus helper. Her name came up as Catholic Volunteer Woman of the Year, but she refused, saying it should go to Gerry Gerkin, as it did, God rest her soul.

Mary has volunteered extensively in her town, e.g.: serving on the San Clemente's Revitalization 2000 Committee, the Landmark Task Force, historic Casa Romantica Steering Committee, Police Services Youth Task Force, Boy Scouts of America, American Cancer Society, the Heritage Foundation, even designed, created and directed a community tile mural, "San Clemente Sunset," that raised $30,000 for the Historical Society. Her painting "Our Marine Family" is on permanent display on the "Wall of Heroes" at the San Clemente Community Center. Mary was one of five artists nationwide nominated to paint the presidential portrait. She was voted San Clemente Citizen of the Week; is an Honorary Lifetime Member of the S.C. Historical Society; received the National American Corporate Identity Award; the Bank of America Acheivement Scholarship, and the Ebell Women's Club's.

An accomplished artist, she has owned and operated a retail gallery; has painted public murals, done award-winning graphic designs for top 10 corporations; worked on Disney's first animated video game; and licensed her art to businesses like the Franklin Mint, the Hamilton Collection, Dimensions, and the Cameron Collection.

She has worked in television and performed. She has owned and operated a real estate brokerage; day-traded stocks and managed properties; co-partnered a lending business, a security business, and one that trains law enforcement in digital forensic science.

But all this is mere "loss," mere rubbish, as Saint Paul put it, in light of "the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus" our Lord! (Phil 3:7-8)