1:30 – 3:00 pm | City Terrace 8

401: When Money Trumps Innocence

Sr. Kathleen Bryant is a Religious Sister of Charity presently engaged in raising awareness about the new slavery in our midst, especially among our young people and often hidden from our eyes. Among her passions are being contemplative in a digital world, teaching discernment and prayer, and working for the abolition of human trafficking. For 21 years, Sr. Kathleen served as a Talent Scout for God as a Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Sr. Kathleen grew up as a California beach girl who entered the convent in 1967, served as a missionary in Zambia for 5 years, authored books and has presented in Africa, Ireland, Australia and US.

1:30 – 3:00 pm | City Terrace 4

406: Mission Matters: The Social Dimension of the New Evangelization

Sr. Theresa Rickard, OP, President and Executive Director of RENEW International, is a Dominican Sister of Blauvelt, NY. She holds a DMin in Preaching from Aquinas Institute of Theology and Masters degrees from Union Theological Seminary and Fordham University.
Before joining RENEW, she ministered in two parishes in the South Bronx, was Director of Vocation and Formation for her congregation, and served on the Archdiocese of New York Parish Mission Team.

Sr. Terry is a sought-after preacher, speaker, and retreat leader. She writes and blogs on preaching and spirituality. Sr. Terry currently serves on the Boards of Holy Cross Family Ministries, St. Dominic’s Home, and Dominican Academy.

1:30 – 3:00 pm | River Terrace 3

411: Laudato Si: Engaging Pope Francis’ Encyclical and Protecting Our Common Home

Dr. Kristin Witte has a love of Christ and passion for serving the poor and vulnerable. She has taught in a Catholic elementary school, worked as a college campus minister, parish youth minister, and for the Archdiocese of Baltimore as the coordinator of pastoral care and social justice. Having earned three master’s degrees, Kristin completed her Doctorate in Ministry with an emphasis in Pastoral Counseling from the Catholic University of America in 2012. Kristin currently serves as the coordinator of Catholic Educational Engagement at Catholic Relief Services. Kristin and her husband Andy have been married for 15 years and have a one year old daughter, Kyra Grace.

1:30 – 3:00 pm | City Terrace 6

413: Ha Llegado la Hora: Implementando Laudato Si en su Hogar y Parroquia

Miriam G. Hidalgo M.Ed. es la Coordinadora de la Catequesis Hispana de la Arquidiócesis de Hartford. Nació en Providence, R.I. de padres Guatemaltecos. Tiene un Bachillerato en Ministerio Juvenil de Providence College y una Maestría en Educación Religiosa de Boston College. Tiene más de quince años de experiencia en la catequesis y en la pastoral juvenil a nivel diocesano y parroquial. Ella es miembro del equipo de liderazgo de FCH y la secretaria de la Conferencia de Directores Diocesanos de Nueva Inglaterra.

Miriam G. Hidalgo, M.Ed. is the Coordinator of Catechesis for Hispanics in the Archdiocese of Hartford. She was born in Providence, Rhode Island; her family is from Guatemala. Miriam has a BA in Youth Ministry from Providence College and an MEd in Religious Education from Boston College. She has over fifteen years of experience in catechesis and youth ministry at the parish and diocesan level. Currently she is a board member of FCH and secretary of the New England Conference of Diocesan Directors of Religious Education.

1:30 – 3:00 pm | St. John

402: Evangelization and Social Teaching

Fr. Frank DeSaino, CSP, ordained a Paulist priest in 1972, is president of Paulist Evangelization Ministries. He has written numerous books on evangelization and discipleship, and travels widely to present to clergy, catechists, and parishes.

1:30 – 3:00 pm | Clearwater

405: The Fifth National Encuentro as a Model of Evangelizing Catechesis

Hosffman Ospino, PhD is Assistant Professor of Theology and Religious Education at Boston College, School of Theology and Ministry. He has authored and edited several works on religious education and Hispanic ministry and has two forthcoming books on Catholic congregations. He served as the Principal Investigator for the National Study of Catholic Parishes with Hispanic Ministry (2011-2014) and the first National Survey of Catholics Schools Serving Hispanic Families. Dr. Ospino serves on the Core Team steering the Fifth Encuentro process.

Hosffman Ospino, PhD is professor de teología y educación religiosa en Boston College, School of Theology and Ministry. Él es autor de varios libros sobre catequesis y sobre el ministerio hispano. Actualmente trabaja en dos libros sobre parroquias multiculturales. Sirvió como investigador principal delEstudio nacional de parroquias católicas con ministerio hispano (2011-2014) y la Primera encuesta nacional de escuelas católicas sirviendo a familias hispanas. El Dr. Ospino sirve en el Equipo Central del proceso de Quinto Encuentro.

1:30 – 3:00 pm | City Terrace 11

409: Year of Mercy: Teaching A Consistent Ethic of Life

CANCELLED

407: Engaging Families in Missionary Work: How to Contribute to a Missionary Church

Marilyn Santos is the Dir. of Mission Education in the Natl Office of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the U.S. She served as a VIDES-Salesian Sisters Missionary in Ecuador. She has spoken and presented workshops at national and diocesan conferences and gatherings including those sponsored by NCEA, NCCL, NFCYM, LA Rel Ed Congress & the Mid-Atlantic Congress.

1:30 – 3:00 pm | Orlando

404: Telling the Gospel story as “Dynamic Disciples”

Mr. Howard has a MA in Church Ministry with concentration in Spirituality. He is the Founder of Eat the Scroll Ministry and is presently a facilitator for University of Dayton Virtual Learning Community Faith Formation and instructor for in parish My Catholic Faith Deliver for the Archdiocese of Washington. Ms. Howard has a MA Catechesis/ Religious Education. She is a counselor/teacher for Archbishop Carrol High School and has been a Master Catechist over 15 years. The Howard’s have done numerous workshops together and were recently featured in a video titled “Love is our Mission” for Pope Francis visit to the United States.

1:30 – 3:00 pm | City Terrace 5

412: Promoviendo un encuentro con Cristo para personas con discapacidades en la Comunidad Hispana

A Esther le apasiona la inclusión de las personas con discapacidades hacia una completa participación en la vida de la Iglesia. Tiene una Licenciatura en Comunicaciones y más de 27 años de experiencia como catequista, voluntaria en proyectos comunitarios y eclesiales. Asimismo, ha trabajado como maestra en el Autism Treatment Center en Dallas. Se especializa en dirigir programas catequéticos para niños, jóvenes, adultos y familias. Asimismo, dirige programas de educación especial, como autismo y otras discapacidades, y educación de la primera infancia en comunidades multiculturales. Esther pertenece al Council on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (CIDD) of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, a la National Conference for Catechetical Leadership y a la Federación para la Catequesis con Hispanos (FCH). Ha sido conferencista en la Autism Society. En la actualidad, es directora de Formación de Fe de la Parroquia del Sagrado Corazón en la Diócesis de Dallas. Esther vive en Texas con su esposo y sus dos hijos. Su amor por las personas con discapacidades y su deseo de servirlas se originó por su hijo menor, Eric, quien tiene autismo.

Esther is passionate with the inclusion of persons with disabilities to a full participation in the life of the Church. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications, and has over 27 years of experience as a catechist, community and ecclesial volunteer. Also, she has worked as a teacher at the Autism Treatment Center of Dallas. She is specialized in leading catechetical programs for children, youth, adults, and families. In addition, she leads programs in special education – autism and others disabilities – and early childhood in multicultural communities. Esther is a member of the Council on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (CIDD) of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership, and the Federación para la Catequesis con Hispanos (FCH). She has been a speaker at the Autism Society. At the present time, she is the Director of Faith Formation at Sacred Heart Parish in the Diocese of Dallas. Esther lives in Texas with her husband and their two children. Her love for the persons with disabilities and her desire to serve them arose from having her own child, Eric, with autism.