My suggestion is Laura Ingraham or Gary Wills. What do you think?

Monsgnor Jim and Lisa,

Let me be the icebreaker by being the first to comment on our blog. I wish you lots of luck in this endeavor and lots of luck with the show.

John Jansen

How delightful and exciting that you will present a new program to fill the enormous void in television for those of us who want to hear the goodness of people and how they have achieved their goals with their faith intact!

A couple of suggestions for guests would be the authors Patricia Treece and James Houston Turner.  They are only a small part of a list of many I can give you.  I am continually adding to the list as I discover more amazing people and their stories.  Some of them are well known, but their faith and what they overcame has not been so known.

Congratulations and much success on your new venture Close Encounter, Monsignor Jim.  I hope and pray that Close Encounter will have a long run.  I also hope it will be available nationwide.

Blessings to you and to Lisa.

Greetings, Lisa and Msgr. Jim -- and best wishes for this exciting new endeavor.  I have long been a fan of Msgr Jim's "Personally Speaking" and "One-on-One" interviews through the USCCB site, and this new pairing of the two of you promises a great new round of interviews.  (I was shocked to see Anne Rice among your first guests.  What a great witness to the power of conversion during this year of St Paul.)  For future consideration, perhaps you could speak to actress Patricia Heaton (a great pro-life feminist who upholds the dignity of women in her roles and with the production company she has with her actor husband) and also the most celebrated point guard in NBA history: Gonzaga's John Stockton whose legendary basketball career with the Utah Jazz never influenced his lifestyle of remaining within walking distance of his parents and brothers in Spokane, WA.  I know those two would be great.  I also suspect Mary McCormack, an actress starring in USA Network's IN PLAIN SIGHT, would be great.  She has a family-oriented background (and Catholic education) in NJ and balanced her career with motherhood.  She is portraying a lapsed Catholic on the show, but I don't think she is lapsed.  And if she is, maybe a Close to the Heart Interview is just what is needed!   God Bless and Keep Up the Good Work. ~Terry in So FL

Dear Msgr. Lisante,

I recently read a book called "The Shack" by William P Young. This book tells of a weekend spent in the company of The Trinity.  What hope it gave me. I would love to see him interviewed on your show!