Martha & Mary Women's Conference 2008

This is something I should have posted long before now, but for some reason I just totally forgot. Mea culpa.

Next Saturday, 16 February 2008 the annual Martha & Mary Women's Conference will be be held here in DBQ. This conference is sponsored by Springtime of Hope. It will be held at the Grand River Center, 500 Bell Street.

This year's speakers are Kimberly Hahn, Sr. Sarah Burdick, SGL, & Fr. Anthony Brankin. There is also a special Young Adult Track with Sr. Sarah Burdick & The Apostles of the Interior Life.

Kimberly Hahn's talks include Chosen & Cherished, Graced & Gifted, & Life Giving Love. Sr. Sarah will speak on A Life of Love & Holiness: The Role of Women in the Church. Fr. Brankin will speak on What's Going on With the Liturgy?

The doors open at 7:00 am, Rosary at 7:45 am, talks start at 8:00 am with time for lunch. Closing Mass at 5:15 pm. There is a temporary chapel set up where there will Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & people will be praying all day for the success of the conference.

You can get a registration form on their website here. (The mailing address is on the form.) The cost is $48 for women, $28 for students (HS & college), & $25 for religious. You need to hurry though to be sure it gets here by Friday. Otherwise you can show up Sat AM & register at the door. But there will be an extra $10 charge. If you would like more info go to the website or call 563-582-1894. & you can also contact them via e-mail by clicking on the link.

Sorry men, the conference itself is only for women. But on Friday nite (15 Feb) there will be an Evening of Reflection that is open to everyone. Fr. Brankin will speak on Jesus, My Only Hope. This will be held at St. Columbkille's Catholic Church, 1240 Rush St, DBQ. It begins at 7:00 pm. It will include Eucharistic adoration, sacred music & reflection. This event is free & as I said, open to everyone.

However they do put on a Fall conference for everyone. The Spirit & Truth Conference will be held 13 Sept 2008 at Marie Graber Ballroom,Loras College, DBQ. Currently scheduled to speak is Deacon Alex Jones. More info to come.

As an aside, I have had the priveledge of praying for several of the Martha/Mary Conferences & attended 2 of the Spirit/Truth Conferences. The people who run them are friends of mine & have done an excellent job of serving God's people by the work they do through these conferences. If you can make the conference do so.

Speaker Info:
Kimberly Hahn has been married to Scott since 1979. They have six children, and she has been a full-time, stay-at-home mom since their firstborn's arrival. Kimberly became a Catholic at the Easter Vigil of 1990 in Joliet, Illinois, after a difficult struggle during the four years following Scott's entrance into the Catholic Church. She has completed a book with Scott on their journey into the Catholic Church entitled Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism.

Sr. Sarah Burdick, SGL, is an evangelist who has ministered to many people at missionary rallies in Eastern Europe and Africa She is the Director of Formation for the Servants of God's Love, a new religious community canonically established in the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan. She is also a co-host for a radio program called Notes from Above.

Fr. Anthony Brankin is from Chicago where he was ordained in 1975. He is a speker, writer, musician and noted artist. He is currently the pastor of St. Odilo's parish in Berwyn, IL.

The Apostles of the Interior Life are consecrated women who dedicate themselves to evangelization and to offering a service of spiritual assistance for the interior formation of all who seek to know and love Jesus Christ. Three of them live at the St Paul's Center in Madison, Wisconsin where they minister to students through spiritual direction and cunduct parish missions.

About Springtime of Hope:

Springtime of Hope is a lay organization formed in response to Vatican II's call for the laity to be salt of the earth and leaven for the world, and in response to John Paul II's call for a "New Evangelization." Our mission is to provide the laity with authentic Catholic teaching through conferences, programs, activities, and continuing education. All is done prayerfully, with the help of the Holy Spirit, for the salvation of souls, the renewal of our dioceses, and the greater glory of God. Springtime of Hope is not affiliated with any diocese or organization.

Read "Road Trip to Reality" to learn about the history of Springtime of Hope.