The most influential Catholic you’ve never heard of

I’m in Washington for some meetings at the USCCB this week, and the gentleman in the picture sat next to me at dinner Thursday night. He introduced himself. “Hi, I’m Mike Lewis,” he said. I asked him what he does. “I’m a graphic designer for the USCCB,” he replied. I nodded. Long pause. “Remember the red foam finger?,” he said. “That was mine.”

I nearly fell off my chair. “Really?!,” I said. “Incredible! I’m having dinner with the guy who designed THE foam finger?!” He shrugged it off and started to work on his salad. I pulled out my cell phone to take a picture.

He told me they only made 100 of the spongey digits. And now they’re a part of history.

So ladies and gentlemen: I give you the man behind the foam finger of religious freedom, Mike Lewis. Take a bow, Mike.