Tim Staples

Tim Staples (born July 11, 1964) is a Catholic author, apologist, and lecturer. Until July 2026, he was the Director of Apologetics and Evangelization at Catholic Answers.

Personal life In Surprised by Truth in a chapter entitled "The Bible Made Me Do It", Staples describes his early role models: From the time I was ten years old, I wanted to be a preacher like Billy Graham and my Baptist pastor. I dreamed of preaching in the pulpit on Sunday morning and leading people to Jesus Christ. Other kids wanted to be firemen and policemen; I wanted to be a preacher.

Staples joined the Marine Corps and served a four-year tour of duty. Nevertheless, Staples describes this time as leading to his conversion to Catholicism.

In 1988, Staples converted to Catholicism and spent the next six years in seminary, preparing to enter the priesthood. During this time, Staples attained a degree in philosophy from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Overbrook, Pennsylvania, and studied theology at the post-graduate level at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Staples left seminary in 1994.

Staples' wife Valerie is a Director of Marketing with Pre‐Paid Legal Services and the Director of the Maria Goretti Girls, a Catholic teen group in the Diocese of San Diego.

Career For over twenty-five years, Staples has served as a Catholic apologist, stating there is a "growing crucial need" for apologetics among Catholics.

Staples has served as the Director of Apologetics and Evangelization at Catholic Answers. Staples speaks at dozens of Catholic conferences and events every year.

One of Staples' apologetics specialties is answering objections to the Catholic Church's teaching on the Virgin Mary. Staples published Behold Your Mother: A Biblical and Historical Defense of the Marian Doctrines in 2014 in Twenty Answers: Mary in 2016.

Books Nuts & Bolts: A Practical Guide for Explaining and Defending the Catholic Faith Behold Your Mother: A Biblical and Historical Defense of the Marian Doctrines