Mark P. Shea is an American author, blogger, and speaker working in the field of Roman Catholic apologetics. Born and raised in Everett, Washington, he describes himself as a "double-jump convert[,] raised more or less as an agnostic pagan, [who] became a non-denominational Evangelical in 1979, and entered the Catholic Church in 1987". Although he has no formal theological training, he has been published in the Catholic World Report, New Oxford Review, The Door, Catholic Digest, and Christianity and Literature. Until 1 January 2016, Shea maintained the "Catholic and Enjoying It!" blog. Shea contributed a column to the National Catholic Register until they fired him for publicly engaging in such a way that was considered irreconcilable with their "... editorial vision or standards of charitable discussion. His one-minute “Words of Encouragement” segments have been broadcast nationally in the United States on Ave Maria Radio.
Shea has appeared as the character Innocent Smith on Dale Ahlquist's television program G. K. Chesterton: The Apostle of Common Sense on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), and again as Innocent Smith in Ahlquist's film presentation of Chesterton's novel Manalive; Shea also appeared on EWTN in the made-for-television film adaptation of Chesterton's play The Surprise as the captain of the guard.
This is My Body: An Evangelical Discovers the Real Presence (Christendom Press, 1993) ISBN 978-0931888489By What Authority?: An Evangelical Discovers Catholic Tradition (Our Sunday Visitor, 1996) ISBN 978-0931888489Making Senses Out of Scripture: Reading the Bible as the First Christians Did (Basilica Press, 1999) ISBN 978-0964261068Shaken by Scandals: Catholics Speak Out About Priests' Sexual Abuse (Charis Books, 2002). ISBN 156955353X (Contributed "Chapter 9 - Dark Hour: The Long Good Friday of 2002")Tolkien on Film: Essays on Peter Jackson's 'The Lord of the Rings' (Mythopoeic Press, 2004). ISBN 978-1887726092 (Contributed "The Lord of the Rings: A Source-Critical Analysis")A Guide to the Passion: 100 Questions About The Passion of the Christ (Ascension Press, 2004) ISBN 978-1932645422A Guide to Narnia: 100 Questions About The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Ascension Press, 2005) ISBN 978-1932645972The Da Vinci Deception: 100 Questions about the Facts and Fiction of The Da Vinci Code (Ascension Press, 2006) ISBN 978-1932927641 (co-author with Edward Sri)Amazing Grace for Survivors (Ascension Press, 2008). Contributed "All is Forgiven, Sadie Hawkins!". ISBN 978-1934217474Mary, Mother of the Son (Marytown Press, 2014)Catholic Controversies: Understanding Church Teachings and Events in History (Moorings Press, 2010) ISBN 978-0982766200 (Contributed "The Mother of the Son: The Case for Marian Devotion" and "Purgatory: Where is That in the Bible?")Disorientation: The 13 "isms" That Will Send You to Intellectual "La La Land" (Ascension Press, 2010) ISBN 978-1934217948 (Contributed "Americanism")The Church and New Media: Blogging Converts, Online Activists, and Bishops Who Tweet (Our Sunday Visitor, 2011). ISBN 978-1592760336 (Contributed "Chapter 4: - Modern Epistles: Blogging the Faith")The Work of Mercy: Being the Hands and Heart of Christ (Servant books, 2012) ISBN 1616360097The Heart of Catholic Prayer: Rediscovering the Our Father and the Hail Mary (Our Sunday Visitor, 2012) ISBN 978-1592761777Salt and Light: The Commandments, the Beatitudes, and a Joyful Life (Servant books, 2013) ISBN 978-1616364960 
