Staff Report

Women of the archdiocese of Cincinnati should mark their calendars for the return of the Greater Cincinnati Catholic Women’s Conference Oct. 25. The event will be held at St. Gertrude’s Parish in Madeira and its aim is to draw women from all parishes across the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, including the Dayton and northern parts.

“Embracing God’s Plan of Sheer Goodness for Women” is the 2014 theme for the conference. The mission of the conference is to foster a deeper love of the Catholic faith and a more profound understanding of the dignity of the vocations as women.  

“Today more than ever women have to be multi-taskers,” Jenn Giroux, a member of the conference organizing committee said.  “We wear many hats on any given day.

“We see a common theme looking at the lives of women across the Archdiocese of Cincinnati (and the entire country. Women are inherently “givers” — we are mothers, wives, aunts, grandmothers, sisters, faithful employees, and loyal volunteers for church and school.  We are too busy, often too stressed, carry so much guilt, and deep down long for more hours in the day so that we can have more time to pray, sleep, and spend more time with family and loved ones or those in our world that are in need of an ear to listen.

“When it is all said and done we are first and foremost, Catholics on our own journey to be the voice and light in a world that pulls us in so many directions, often away from the path of holiness.” Giroux said.

“Mark Twain wrote about St. Joan of Arc these beautiful words, which seem to speak and call to the hearts of all women today to know our Faith and to be witnesses in our daily lives:

“She was honest when honest had become a lost virtue; she was a keeper of promises when the keeping of a promise was expected of no one; … she was full of pity when a merciless cruelty was the rule; she was steadfast when stability was unknown, and honorable in an age which had forgotten what honor was; she was a rock of convictions in a time when men believed in nothing and scoffed at all things; she was unfailingly true in an age that was false to the core; … she was of a dauntless courage when hope and courage had perished in the hearts of her nation…”

The goal of this year is to reach women of all ages who need a day of spiritual rest and renewal, Giroux said. The day is planned to provide a very special experience through inspiring talks, offering of confessions, great food, music, and wonderful vendors and ministries.  The invitation to attend this conference goes out to all women, regardless of age, status or stage of life.

When is come to taking an entire day for us with God it is easy to fine excuses not to attend. “Nothing could be farther from the truth, “ Giroux said.  “This special day is being planned for all women to come together in order to help each other and to be fed with a day of inspiring talks, beautiful music (which will be provided by Andrea Thomas), and a wonderful day designed for taking a time-out from hectic lives in order to feed and refresh our souls and grow in personal knowledge and holiness that can in turn transform families and society.”

The speaker line-up for the day includes:

Theresa Tomeo, who is a National speaker and EWTN Global radio talk show host and can be heard on daily Sacred Heart Radio; Fr. James Brooks who is a priest in residence at St. Margaret of York in Loveland; Danielle Bean who is an author and editor of Catholic Digest and Kelly Wahlquist, who is a Catholic evangelist and author.

Archbishop Dennis Schnurr will be at the conference along with Pastor of St. Gertrude’s Fr. Andre-Joseph Lacasse, O.P. to celebrate Mass at 4:30pm.

To find out more about the speakers and registration go to www.CatholicWomenofCincinnati.com.

The cost is $40 for adults, $15 for students. Religious Orders are complimentary.  The maximum capacity is 525 women and to date the conference is well on its way to a sellout.  If you have question you can email the conference committee at [email protected] or call 513-283-6710.