Fr Tim Donovan

“The family is a proclamation of faith in that it is the natural place in which faith can be lived in a simple and spontaneous manner. It ‘has an unique privilege: transmitting the Gospel by rooting it in the context of profound human values. On this human base, Christian initiation is more profound: the awakening of the sense of God; the first steps in prayer; education of the moral conscience; formation in the Christian sense of human love, understood as a reflection of the love of God the Father, the Creator'” (Directory for Catechesis 227). Join Fr. Tim Donovan for an honest look at the state of traditional classroom models of catechesis and be invited into the vision of the Church beautifully laid out in the new Directory of Catechesis for a family centric model of catechesis.​

Lori Smith

RCIA Adapted for Children and Teens is every bit as much about the parents as it is the children. This workshop will walk you through the steps to provide evangelization and catechesis for the adults that parallels the RCIA model for their children as they prepare to receive the Sacraments of Initiation. Best practices and resources will be shared to help realize the goal of forming Catholic families of disciples who pray, worship, serve and build the Kingdom of God together.

Greg Walgenbach

Political and cultural debates reveal record levels of polarization and we are experiencing incredible fragmentation of the human family. In this Eucharistic Revival year, we have a need to revisit the deep, inextricable connections between the Eucharist we receive and the Eucharist we become. As Pope Benedict XVI reminded us in Deus Caritas Est, “A Eucharist which does not pass over into the concrete practice of love is intrinsically fragmented.” In this workshop, we will discuss some of the most contentious issues of our day (abortion, climate, racism, migration, assisted suicide) through the lens of our call to be the Body of Christ and to support the life and dignity of all.​

Dr. Bill Keimig

How to develop adult formation to effectively reach parents and truly enable them, not just exhort them. This presentation will be answering questions such as… How can we attract parents to overcome their busyness and seek the help that the Church can provide? What are best practices in moving towards family-based formation? What are some strategies to engage families better in specific areas like First Communion, Confirmation, Children’s Catechumenate, and Schools? What are two key areas of engaging families that most parishes overlook, that if developed that will produce strong results in the life of the parish?​

Cara Morales

As numbers of young people identifying as LGTBQ+ rise continuously, those of us in ministry are often left wondering how to best accompany and disciple the tweens & teens we meet. This workshop will explore current trends among youth, the culture they are immersed in, and how the Church can respond pastorally and authentically to help people in their journey towards Christ.​

Ana Barraza

Starting with an adaptive prayer, this workshop focuses on how to set up your program and classroom where children and youth with disAbilities have a meaningful participation in the Eucharist. Learn about valuable resources available as you prepare a Sensory-friendly mass. A prayer with ASL keywords will serve as a conclusion.​

Deacon Ken Crawford

A false dichotomy has been created between the sciences and religion. Come learn the history behind this unfortunate and unnecessary conflict and how as Catholics we can be a voice of reason both for the Church and for the sciences. ​

Molly Sheahan

Through her personal testimony, Molly shares about the way the message of human dignity saved her life and helped her overcome adversity. She describes how each person from every walk of life and in every circumstance has inherent value, and why the Church fights for every single person. From this foundation, Molly invites the audience to consider practical ways each of us can advocate on behalf of the most vulnerable – and why it’s incumbent on young people to take up the mantle and fight for life.​