The team for the Diocese of Lansing Catholic Women’s Conference are preparing for 1,400 women on Oct. 26. Those attending will be teenagers to senior citizens. This year’s conference is entitled “Transforming Love” based on the Scripture verse from Ephesians 3:17: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts and that you may be rooted and grounded in love.” The mission of the conference this year is, “To open our hearts; to enlarge them and expand them to receive more of God's love. Then receiving, experiencing and knowing God's love and allowing that love to transform our hearts into the image and likeness of the heart of Jesus, we can then bring this same transforming love to others in our homes, families, churches, workplaces and communities.”Cheryl Quin from St. Joseph, Howell, is the chairperson of the event and works with several other women from the diocese under the direction of Deborah Amato, Diocese of Lansing, director of Ecclesial Ministries and a parishioner at St. Joseph Parish. They also have assistance from women throughout the diocese, especially the captains from each parish who help to spread the word about the conference and those who head up the many committees needed to have everything in place for the event.
The speakers for this year include: Father James Kubicki and Teresa Tomeo. Father Kubicki became the national director of Apostleship of Prayer in 2003. He travels around the United States giving retreats. In 2012, he published a book by Ava Maria Press, called A Heart on Fire: Rediscovering Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Teresa Tomeo is a motivational speaker, author and radio and television host with more than 30 years in the business. Teresa travels throughout North America, addressing media awareness and activism, as well as sharing her reversion to the Catholic Church. She also leads various retreats and pilgrimages each year to destinations around the world, including Italy and the Holy Land. Teresa has authored several wonderful books and her new book God’s Bucket List will be released this fall.
The core team consists of nine women who meet biweekly, until September and October when they meet weekly to prepare and pray. Other team members are: Stacey Campbell, St. Patrick, Ann Arbor; Annelie Hogan, St. Michael, Grand Ledge; Marita Martin, St. Mary, Chelsea; Kathy Medich, St. John the Evangelist, Fenton; Sheila Melvin, St. Catherine Labouré, Concord; Jessica Schaub, St. Therese, Lansing; and Judy Trudeau, St. Patrick, Brighton.
Cheryl says, “The women in our diocese have a spiritual hunger as evidenced by the number of women who attended last year’s event. We hope that through this conference women will be refreshed and renewed in their faith.”
Friday will be a Fun Night of special pampering for those women who would like to come and spend the night before the conference. The cost is $15 per person and will include wine and cheese, a Catholic humorist and craft making. There will be 40 vendors’ tables available Friday and Saturday.
In the midst of preparing for this year’s conference, the core team already has begun planning for the Third Annual Women’s Conference scheduled for September, 2014.
The conference will be held at the Best Western Plus, 6820 S. Cedar St., Lansing. For more information or to register visit lansingdiocesecwc.com or email lansingdiocesecwc@sbcglobal.net.
By Jan Hoffbauer
News