An immigrant from Jamaica, Peter Stephens is a Catholic Layman who received 18 years of Catholic education in Jamaica and the United States, graduating from Iona College in 1965.  After completing two tours in Vietnam as an officer in the Army Corps of Engineers, he worked as a civilian for various government projects, married, and had four children. He volunteered for several church ministries and developed expertise in, and a passion for, The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) now called Becoming Catholic. During this time he developed a very strong interest in prayer and particularly in developing a personal spirituality.  Confused by the continuing increase of people accepting and believing in often outrageous claims on the internet, he searched for answers using the lens of his faith as a Christian as to how and why social and political misinformation was being so readily believed and accepted. This book, Thirteen Witnesses -Testimonies on the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ as they Relate to the Pursuit of Truth is the result of that search.

After the passing of his wife in 2024, Peter now lives a very quiet life in Nevada, where he continues to be active in his local parish, volunteering as a Eucharistic Minister, teaching on request in the Becoming Catholic ministry, leading the Return to the Flock Ministry, and serving as a member of the Knights of Columbus.   When not working on church ministries, Peter delights in spending time with his children, his Labradoodle, and his American Shorthaired cat.