ABOUT

CandlelightPress.org was created by Dr. Mary Angela McMenamin to highlight, through educational media, art, music, and animation, the beauty and truth of the Catholic Faith ~ Christ's Kingdom on earth that is the bride He will soon return to retrieve to Himself. Mary's educational videos, bible studies, lectures, cartoons, animated greeting cards; and recordings of homilies, Catholic Q & A sessions with Fr. Sebastian, live events, interviews, musicians, and more, are never monitized, nor do we ask for donations. The goal is to freely proclaim and 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.

2025: Doctorate in Biblical Theology (ThD), Pontifex University, Georgia. 

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

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

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.

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

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

Since her "reversion experience" in 2008, Mary has dedicated her life to serving the Lord in whatever capacity He calls her, be it lectoring and cantoring at Mass or creating creative media content that teaches as much as entertains. She has served on the parish's fund-raising council, as a sacristan, a choir member, as extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, as altar server and linen server, as a graphic designer, Stations of the Cross presenter, live-streamer of the Holy Mass, and does AV (audio and visuals for the music). She coordinated John Michael Talbot's final concert at her parish; has helped the Knights with their lenten fish dinners, and has created amazing fund-raising gift-baskets. She served as a perpetual Eucharistic adoration leader, and sings the Divine Mercy Chaplet on first Fridays. She volunteers for Fatima Feeds the Hungry (FiSH), and never stops teaching and proclaiming the Catholic faith through on-line Bible Studies, Q-and-A's with Fr. Sebastian, video-shorts, cartoons, and to anyone she meets. When her name came up for Catholic Volunteer Woman of the Year, she refused because "it should go to our beloved Gerry Gerkin," as it did, God rest her beautiful soul.

Mary has volunteered in civic ways as well, e.g.: 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. She has 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. In the mid-nineties, Mary was one of five artists selected nationwide 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 in her twenties; and in her teens, the Bank of America Achievement Scholarship, and the Ebell Women's Club scholarship.

An accomplished artist, she has owned and operated a retail gallery; has painted multiple public murals, created 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. Lately, she's been dabbling more in music while pursuing her doctorate in Biblical Theology from Pontifex University (her Th.D. was awarded "with distinction" on June 24, 2025).

She has worked in television and performed; has owned and operated a real estate brokerage, has been a day-trader of stocks, has co-partnered a lending business, a security business, and one that trains law enforcement in digital forensic science, as well as managing her own properties.

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