SLP Staff

Leonardo Defilippis

Founder and President

After years as a Shakespearean actor, Leonardo Defilippis embarked on a spiritual journey that led him to found Saint Luke Productions in 1980. He has since performed live for more than a million people throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe in venues that include churches, major theaters, civic centers, penitentiaries, schools, cloistered convents, and World Youth Day in Denver and Rome. He has also produced films and videos that have won numerous awards. His work has inspired vocations and his audiences have included children, dignitaries, church hierarchy, prisoners, students, and concentration camp survivors. Leonardo’s life has been filled with risks taken for the mission of spreading the Gospel through drama. The biggest risk was the directing, production and distribution of the feature film THÉRÈSE. His latest production, VIANNEY, tours the U.S. as a dramatic contribution to the Year of the Priesthood, declared by Pope Benedict XVI . On the Feast of the Transfiguration, August 6, 1983, Leonardo married his beloved wife Patti. They have been blessed with seven children. “When I step out in faith to serve God by doing the impossible, I am constantly astonished at the miracles God works through my inadequate abilities. That has been the story of my life, and I pray that God will continue to find me always willing to do His Will.”

 

Patti Defilippis

Director and Screenwriter

Patti Defilippis is the director of all the Saint Luke Productions live dramas, and the screenwriter for the feature film THÉRÈSE. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater, she began her career at the Alley Theater in Houston, Texas, as an apprentice member of the acting company, acted in the Fort Worth Shakespeare Festival, as well as various dinner theaters, and performed with the Oregon Shakespearean Festival in Ashland, Oregon, where she and Leonardo Defilippis met. While in Ashland, she experienced a religious conversion to Catholicism which changed the direction of her theatrical career, and led to a 26-year adventure of directing, writing and performing in the spiritual films and plays of the production company that she created with her husband, Leonardo, in 1980. Her Family Reflections is a popular column in the Saint Luke newsletter, and she has spent much of her time, in addition to raising and home schooling seven children, in the fundraising aspect of the ministry, writing appeals and grants. Although she was trained as an actress, she finds the behind-the-scenes elements of theater and film more rewarding, and she enjoys collaborating in, refining and editing Leonardo’s broad and ambitious vision for a new Catholic presence in the media.

 

Greg Stone

Director of Operations

From Eastern Washington, Greg comes to Saint Luke Productions with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Idaho. After working in the forest products industry for a number of years, he experienced a deep calling to serve God through ministry. Greg oversees multiple departments at SLP and considers the company’s mission to be that of transformation - helping all to experience deeper trust and freedom in Christ through the beautiful stories of the scriptures and lives of the saints. He is honored and humbled to serve the Kingdom through SLP, offering his experience in business planning and management, as well as technical and creative problem-solving. In his free time, Greg enjoys music ministry, web design, and especially reading scripture and the teachings of the Church. He believes God’s Word is marvelous indeed and holds within it the ultimate promise and example of love. It is his prayer that we can all take time from our busy days to encounter Christ through the scriptures. “As St. Jerome has said, ‘Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.’ Let us all immerse ourselves in His love!”

 

Janice Gonzalez

Public and Media Relations Director

Janice Gonzalez is the Director of Media and Public Relations for Saint Luke Productions and their film division, Luke Films. She brings a unique perspective to her current professional role, since for 25 years she had offered her services as a volunteer for the company. She promoted the plays as they were performed in her local community, followed the “little way” of offering special prayers for the ministry, worked at conferences, assisted at the 2004 opening of the Therese movie in New York City, and finally, brought the film to her local movie theater. Throughout the journey, she has had the grace to witness the impact of this company’s work on so many people, including in her own life, and that is a special grace that makes any struggle with the current media culture that she may encounter, completely worth it. Janice has also worked in ministries dedicated to defending life at all stages, and she is passionate about this work. She sees Saint Luke’s apostolate as a natural bridge to continue the critical task of evangelizing the many facets of our culture.

 

Karissa Stone

Live Dramas Coordinator

Karissa is a native of Kelso, Washington and a graduate of Washington State University. She enjoys singing in the choir at church, and currently works with the youth in her parish. She has started to collect rosaries from around the world, and really enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and husband. Karissa notes that working for Saint Luke Productions has significantly changed her life. She has become more prayerful, more hopeful of the world, more driven, more outgoing and certainly more spiritually uplifted. Traveling with the live drama of St. Thérèse allowed her the opportunity to spread her miraculous story, and she is now trying to live her life as St. Thérèse lived hers, by doing little things for people without recognition. Her current position as the Live Dramas Coordinator for SLP has provided her with the exciting opportunity to help parishes, schools, and seminaries bring beautiful live dramas to their community. “There is nowhere else I would rather be right now. Working for SLP, I truly feel like I am doing something beautiful for God.”

 

Jospeh Holt

Stage Manager

Joseph graduated from Southern Oregon University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Theatre and is also a graduate of Clackamas Community College with an Associates of Arts. Joseph enjoys spending time with his wife, with those in need, and doing little acts of service that aren’t always noticed. Playing board games is a favorite past time. He enjoys singing, especially with his family and in choir. Working at Saint Luke Productions has brought together his studies in theatre and his Catholic faith very nicely. He enjoys praying each day with co-workers and having the opportunity to be able to pray while on tour. “All worldly things are passing, do not cling to them! Cling to God. At the end of each and every Mass we say these words, and should live by them more and more: ‘Thanks be to God!’”

 

Dorothy Pawlowski

Actress for THÉRÈSE drama

Dorothy Pawlowski, a native of Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania, first encountered Saint Luke Productions six years ago through a video of THE PASSION ACCORDING TO SAINT LUKE which her mom brought home one afternoon. She was amazed and delighted to discover the existence of a Catholic theatre company, but she never expected to be working for one! God is good. Dorothy is honored - and very humbled – to be playing the role of Saint Thérèse. Dorothy received her performing arts degree from Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. She most recently appeared with Richmond Shakespeare Company, playing multiple roles in OTHELLO and ROMEO AND JULIET. She also performed with THE LOST COLONY Professional Theatre Workshop (Manteo, NC), TRUMPET IN THE LAND (New Philadelphia, OH), The Adventure Theatre (Glen Echo, MD), The Erie Playhouse, The Roadhouse Theatre (both in Erie, PA) and The Bakken Electricity Museum (Minneapolis, MN). Dorothy is especially thankful to Blessed John Paul II for his inspiration to all creative artists.