Chris Castaldo was raised on Long Island, New York as a Roman Catholic and worked full-time in the Catholic Church for several years. After eight years as Pastor of Outreach and Church Planting at College Church in Wheaton, IL, Chris now serves as Director of the Ministry of Gospel Renewal for the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College.Chris has earned degrees from Moody Bible Institute (BA, Bible and theology) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (MDiv) and he is a PhD candidate at the London School of Theology. He lives outside of Chicago with his wife Angela and four children.
As a cradle Catholic, Chris has enjoyed many long term relationships with Catholic friends and family, and for years worked in the Catholic Church alongside of bishops, priests, and nuns. These relationships and years of research have provided insight into the issues taken up in Holy Ground.
Approach
Chris comes from a long line of Catholics, including Cardinal Alfonso Castaldo, Archbishop of Naples, Italy (photos below). The December 22, 1958 edition of Time Magazine described the Cardinal’s reputation, “Alfonso Castaldo, 68, Archbishop of Naples, is regarded by the people of his native city as almost a living saint. A poor boy who knew what it was to go hungry (‘It does not only affect your stomach, but it may have detrimental effects on your soul’), Castaldo as a priest devoted himself to welfare activities and schools, is also known for his personal charities.”
