I have seen this meme floating around in the 'blogosphere. This is the most honest and open listing I have seen. (A little bit of Ignatius spirituality in there as well?) And I thought I was honest with myself.
I should just say that I'm a sinner and Satan is definitely up there. 
1. My paternal grandfather. When it comes to politics and my world view, my grandfather is the most significant influence. The man is on the far right. He's been arrested in front of abortion clinics, he's been county chairman for the likes of Pat Buchanan and Steve Forbes. He's a member of the John Birch Society and the Christian Anti-Communist Crusade.
I've never been as far to the right as my grandfather, but he was the introduction to my education as a conservative.
2. My maternal grandmother. She was a former Methodist who became a Lutheran upon her marriage to my grandfather. From the late 60s to the early 80s, she taught in the local Catholic schools and became friends with many of the priests and nuns. I grew up listening to her talk about Father Kelbasa, etc. and Sister St. Vivienne among others. Though she wasn't a Catholic, my grandmother taught me many of the Catholic prayers and her faith was an early example for my own.
3. St. Augustine. In my second year of college, I took a class, 'Religious Thinkers of the West'. Among those we read was St. Augustine and his _Confessions_. While I can't boast of fornication or abject heresy, Augustine's account of his childhood and early adulthood was certainly one that I could identify with and his eventual conversion under St. Ambrose was one from which I take a lot of hope and courage.
4. Reza Aslan. It was fate perhaps that saw me in 'Intro to Islam' in the fall of 2001. There were around 60 students in my class that semester. In the spring, there were 300. Aslan was the only expert on Islam in the Midwest at the time and was in high demand. Luckily, I had a front row seat as he took us through the religion while at the same time discussing current events with us as they happened that semester. He more than anyone else guided me to the idea that Islam can and should be a religion of peace, but that it has been perverted by culture and custom.
5. Ralph Keen. In my first semester at school, Professor Keen was teaching 'Judeo-Christian Tradition' after Professor Holstein got kicked out because of his profanity. Keen was pretty low-key compared to Holstein, but his lecturing style was very cool. He would go from loud to soft and back again in kind of a mesmerizing way, laughing here and there at jokes that only religious majors who knew the material would understand. It really was Professor Keen's style that led to my intellectual interest in medieval and early-modern religious thought. I even went so far as to write a paper on Calvin's influence on Locke that was well received by Professor Keen. He offered and let me borrow different books and really facilitated my interests within the framework of whatever class I was enrolled in that he was teaching.
I'd better do the second five in a separate comment.
A fascinating and revealing read. Also, I am awed by anyone who calls Steven Riddle "Steve"!
6. John Paul II. This is fairly self-evident. I was born in 1981. For the first 24 years of my life, John Paul was the Catholic Church. I never really found my way to his theology until lately, but as the cliche goes, his last years were an example of peace and humility in the face of suffering were an example that I'll keep with me forever. Given my own health problems, it is an example I identify with in many many ways.
7. J.R.R. Tolkien. I've been a fan of Tolkien since fifth grade. I've read just about all his published works, from _The Lord of the Rings_ to all the stuff his son published on the evolution of _The Silmarillion_. His philosophical writing as it pertained to Middle-earth has been a large influence upon my own thoughts. While his writings largely are within the framework of his creation, the underlying basis for it all is fundamentally Catholic through and through. How many fantasy writers specifically design their worlds to foretell the coming of Christ?
I think that about wraps it up. Only seven, but listing any more would simply be thinking of people who have had middling influence or less. I know I wasn't supposed to list family, but my grandmother and grandfather have had such an impact upon my perception of the world that I couldn't really leave them out.
Thanks Ron. For better or worse that's a sketch of where I'm at and how I got here. I have learned to view my life and others as a book in progress. As wretched as I still am, I am amazed at God's mercy and what He has done for me. I have no doubt (through no merit of my own), that Mother has set me aside as one Hers and stayed the hand of Her Son.
Repeat: Through no merit of my own!
AMEN Brother! 
Top 10 inflential people of my time:
10. Rev LeRoy Kremer: A liberal who tried to destroy my priestly vocation and left because he destroyed his own instead.
9. Rev Don Wagner: A priest who lied and decieved me in my journey towards the church and God. Came off as a folksy fellow, but a liberal in the true sense.
8. Rev Paul Duchsere: My former pastor here in Fargo who got me involved with the parish life again. Strict confessor when needed to be.
7. Rev John Aerts: Very orthodox priest who is always concerned with the soul, a confessor who truely looked at the soul and wanted all souls for God.
6. Rev James Cheney: My current pastor, a very friendly and orthodox fellow who is working to bring the souls to chirst.
5. Sr. Cleone Renner OSF: A Fransican nun from my home town who taught me to look at the soul of someone before I judge them. Guilt can be hidden and people can lie to you to get their point across.
4.Rev Joe Vandeberg: A good friend who needs a spiritual renewal, prayer and meditiation will help him out a lot.
3. Rev Bill Garding: An innocent priest who trusted the church too much. A man who taught me that God still calls regardless of the bad situations you have been through in life.
2. My parents: My mother has been an example of how ignorance works. She promotes a liberal adjenda of contraception and do what feels good to you. I love her dearly, but she is on the wrong path due to her liberalism. My father fits in the same camp. Will bash a priest before defending one, has to learn how to love himself before he can love others. A retreat is a good things for him.
1A. Rev Dick McGuire: A family friend that ended up being a closer friend than I ever anticipated. A priest that has took me under his wing with compassion and care.
1. Rev Greg Mastey: A priest that seems to be the older brother I never had. Strong in the confessional and healing at the same time. A simple man with simple needs and a strong devotion to Our mother Mary and St. Maria Faustina.
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