The 4th Annual Father John Graden, OSFS, Memorial Lecture
“The 4th Annual Father John Graden, OSFS Memorial Lecture” premiered on December 17th, 2025. This online lecture was presented by Embraced by God in partnership with NASN. As many of you are aware, Father Graden was the longtime former director of Embraced by God and one of the original founders of NASN. This lecture was held in his honor with the intention of highlighting his numerous contributions to the Salesian community and carrying on his remarkable legacy.
This year’s speaker was Fr. Steve DeMaio, who presented his lecture titled "Live Jesus!: The Beauty of Discernment with St. Francis de Sales."
Fr. Steve DeMaio is from Connecticut, USA. He received his bachelor's degree in Business Management with a minor in Spanish from James Madison University in Virginia. He met the Salesians of Don Bosco when he was 24 years old in Zambia, Africa, while working for a non-profit company based in Spain. In 2010, he began formation and after 11 years was ordained as a Salesian priest in 2021. The past four years he was living in New York while doing Vocation Animation and is now living in Toronto, Canada, serving as a chaplain for the Salesian Youth Ministry program at St. Benedict's Parish.
The lecture is posted at the following links:
Original flyer.