There’s only a week remaining to sign up for discounted “early bird” registration for the first-ever Michigan Catholic Women’s Conference which will take place on Saturday, October 16, 2021 in Lansing. Register here: https://michigancwc.org/

“After a life-changing year in 2020, we recognize that there are many challenges women, especially Catholic women, face today, and we believe that God wants to pour his love into our hearts to heal us, to ignite our spirits and to empower us to do His work,” says Cheryl Quin, Co-chair of the Michigan Catholic Women’s Conference.

“The conference will engage women in a day of faith, fellowship, worship, spiritual nourishment and wisdom, building each of us to become stronger in our discipleship.”

This year’s conference is entitled “Outpouring: His Love, Our Hearts”, which is based upon a verse from Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans, “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given us,” (Romans 5:5).

Throughout the day, says Cheryl, women will have a variety of ways to connect and grow in their Catholic faith including enjoying “several wonderful speakers who will share their wisdom and insight to help our hearts and minds grow in the knowledge of the Lord”. These include:

• Kelly Wahlquist who is the founder of WINE: Women In the New Evangelization, and Director of the Archbishop Flynn Catechetical Institute in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Kelly is the author of Created to Relate: God’s Design for Peace & Joy, and her latest books, Walk in Her Sandals and Gaze Upon Jesus are innovative collaborative works that allow women to relate to Jesus in the way in which they were created to as women.

• Sheri Wohlfert who is a Catholic wife, mom, speaker and teacher who attempts to use her great sense of humor and her deep faith to help others discover the joy of being a child of God. Sheri’s roots are in Kansas, but her home is now on a small farm in Westphalia, Michigan. Sheri is also the founder of Joyful Words Ministries.

• Father Joe Krupp who is a former comedy writer turned Catholic priest. He is currently the Pastor of Holy Family, Grand Blanc, and Saint Mark, Goodrich, in the Diocese of Lansing. For over 20 years, Father Krupp has also been a popular syndicated columnist with FAITH Catholic, the largest Catholic magazine publisher in the United States, and publishers of FAITH Magazine, the official publication of the Diocese of Lansing.

“Sheri and Kelly are amazing speakers,” says Deb Amato, Women’s Conference committee member and Chief of Staff of the Diocese of Lansing, “They speak directly to the things on women’s minds and hearts with love and humor and they bring forward tangible ways to help women build their relationship with Our Father and with the members of His Holy Church.”

“As for Father Joe Krupp, well, he’s Father Joe Krupp. Unique. Eloquent. Powerful. Hilarious. I can’t wait to hear what he has to say and, frankly, can’t really guess what that will be – but it will be worth listening to, I’m certain of that.”

Also included in the one-day conference will be an opportunity for women to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation; pray in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament; and attend Holy Mass offered by Bishop Earl Boyea of Lansing.

“The day will also be filled with beautiful praise and worship music provided by Melanie Rea and her band, and there will be a vendor area filled with many interesting and faith-based goods and services,” explains Women’s Conference co-chair, Judy Trudeau, “Meanwhile, lunch is always an opportunity to socialize and learn the stories of our sisters in Christ.”

“We are praying for all of the women in Michigan and we hope this day will serve as an outpouring of God’s love into the heart of every woman who attends.”

The Michigan Catholic Women’s Conference organically developed from the Diocese of Lansing Catholic Women’s Conference which began in 2012. It proved so successful with women from across Michigan that the conference is now being organized on a state-wide basis with a planning committee drawn from the Archdiocese of Detroit; the Diocese of Grand Rapids; the Diocese of Saginaw; the Diocese of Kalamazoo; and the Diocese of Lansing. The 2020 conference was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While we may have to adjust the way we do some things this year to ensure the safety of all of our attendees, we expect the outcome to be an outpouring of God’s love upon the women of our state,” concludes Cheryl Quin.