The winner of the Archdiocese of America's Rhetoric Festival brings his love for his family to the stagetranslated

For 14-year-old Stephen Mueller, this year's victory in the high school category of the Rhetoric Festival of the Holy Archdiocese of America, "Saint John the Chrysostom", is of particular importance. Steven is from Greeley, Colorado and will be starting high school in the fall. He won first place in the finals of the Festival, hosted at the Holy Church of St. Nicholas, in Northridge, California, during the month of June. Before his success this year, he had only participated in the Oratory Festival once, in 2025. He and his family—his parents and eight siblings—belong to St. Spyridon's Parish in Loveland, Colorado.

Stephen chose to develop in his speech the second of the suggested topics: “Choose a saint who was martyred in childhood or youth. How did faith affect his life and what can we learn from his example?' Thus, he spoke of Saint Hope, the young martyr of the 2nd century who was one of the three daughters of Saint Sophia, along with Faith and Love. Saint Hope is also the patron saint of his older sister, Zhanna.

The connection of…