We are pleased to announce that our Keynote Speaker this year will be the beautiful and talented, Rachel Balducci

​Rachel Balducci is a cohost of The Gist, a talk show for women on CatholicTV, and teaches journalism at Augusta University. She is the author of No Such Thing as Ordinary, Make My Life Simple: Bringing Peace to Heart and Home and How Do You Tuck in a Superhero and Other Delightful Mysteries of Raising Boys. Rachel and her husband, Paul, live in Georgia and have five sons and one daughter.
Schedule
8:00-9:30 Registration-- Coffee (Pastries and muffins available for purchase.)
8:30-9:30  Adoration in the large auditorium, then moved to the small chapel for all day adoration
9:30 -10:15 1st Keynote: Rachel Balducci
10:00-2:00  Confession 
10:30-11:15 First Workshop
11:30-12:15 Second Workshop
12:30   Lunch,  Free Time for Vendors
2:00-2:45   2nd Keynote: Rachel Balducci
3:00--3:45 Third Workshop
3:45-4:30  Worship Music Concert 
4:30 Mass

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See fuller descriptions of the workshops and presenters by scrolling below.  New this year--participants can choose to attend up to 3!

Nueva este año, 3 presentaciones en español.

How to Make Time for What Really Matters

​Tired of never having enough time for all you need—let alone want—to do? Whether you know deep down that your time is out of alignment with your values or just feel inundated by a million things, this workshop is for you. Come learn a simple, 5-step formula for pinpointing which tasks are your TRUE priorities so they don’t get crowded out by much less important things.
​Amber Curtis, PhD (Founder, Solutions for Simplicity) helps faith-filled women better prioritize their God-given time and talents. A professor by day, productivity coach & YouTuber by night, and devoted Catholic wife & mom of four throughout, Amber knows all too well how challenging it is to keep God and family first while juggling life’s many demands and opportunities. She shares an array of science-backed resources for living a more purposeful and productive life.

Select #7 "Time" if you want to attend this workshop.

​Amber Curtis, PhD

​Offer It Up!  The Christian Meaning of Suffering at the Intersection of Love, Joy, and Redemption   

Do you ever wonder why bad things happen to good people?  Do you ever ask why there is evil in a world created by a good God? Suffering is nothing that we ever want to experience, but it happens to be a reality in our lives.  In this workshop we will answer such questions as: Is there a redemptive purpose in suffering? Can God use suffering for our good and the good of others? It will be anything but a downer! A practical guide to connecting suffering to redemption—for us and for the whole world—will be presented.  We will discover how this ultimate act of love brings joy. And joy is never fleeting.  ​
​Lesly Temesvari is a wife, mother, and scientist, who lives in Piedmont, SC. She has conducted research on globally important infectious diseases for thirty years. She has been involved in catechesis through the RCIA program in her parish for more than fifteen years and has facilitated day-long women’s retreats on such topics as Mary, Bioethics and the Church’s Teaching on Stem Cell Research, and Redemptive Suffering. 

Select #1 "Meaning"

​LeslyTemesvari

​Stop Talking, Start Connecting. How to listen better & improve relationships

James 1:19- “Know this, my beloved; let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” Did you know that 99% of all difficulties in relationships are based on miscommunication. The great news, communication is a skill, and it can be learned. In this workshop Nina will focus on helping you understand the ways we communicate with an emphasis on 7 ways to listen better. ​
​Nina Obier is an Author, Speaker, and Clarity Coach. In her writing, keynotes and playshops she brings her positive energy and a unique ability to make the complex simple. Nina is the host of a live talk show titled “Cup of Joy” where women of faith join in to share & celebrate what’s going right. Nina and her husband, Peter, live in Travelers Rest, SC and have two adult daughters and a doggy who is filling their empty nest with love.

 Select #2 "Communication"

​Nina Obier

​Moms Forum for Special Needs: How the Local Catholic Church Can Better Support High-Needs Families

​​Facilitated by mother, caregiver, and author Theresa Kiser, we'll be taking some time to meet each other and to brainstorm how local churches can better serve children with special needs and their families. With a goal to start the conversation about what would help us feel connected and supported in our local parish communities, we'll be asking questions, sharing resources, and generally making a space to acknowledge that we are here. *This workshop will only be held once during the day of the conference.

Select #17 "Special Needs"

Meeting Mary in Sorrow: How to Pray the Little Rosary of Seven Sorrows (and Why!)

​This workshop with Theresa Kiser, author of Caring for a Loved One with Mary: A Seven Sorrows Prayer Companion (Our Sunday Visitor, 2023), will introduce attendees to the why and how of this ancient and lesser-known devotion to Our Lady. By the end of the workshop, you'll know how to pray this prayer and will understand the special promises made by Our Lord to those who pray it. 

Select #8 "Sorrow"

Theresa Kiser is a caregiver, Catholic speaker, and the author of multiple books for children including Arthur the Clumsy Altar Server, Seven Gifts of Baptism, and Liturgical Colors. Her life has been made vastly richer by the incredible and inspiring needy loved ones in her life, through the grace of God, whose “power is made perfect in weakness.” Her first book for adults, Caring for a Loved One with Mary: A Seven Sorrows Prayer Companion, will release in 2023 with Our Sunday Visitor. Visit the author’s website at theresakiser.com to download free printables, listen to the Catholic Kidlit Podcast, and inquire about speaking engagements.

​Theresa Kiser

​Raising Children to Love the Lord and His Church

Young people are leaving the Church at an alarming rate. How can we as parents and grandparents instill the goodness, beauty, and truth about the faith in a way that will inspire our children to fall in love with Christ and His Church so that they not only remain Catholic but live their belief? Laryn shares her story, the good and the bad, about raising her children who continue to passionately live out their Catholic faith as adults.​
​Laryn Weaver is a wife of 29 years, mother of four adult children, and Lala to two grandbabies. Originally from Pittsburgh, Laryn moved here with her husband Glenn and their family in 2011 to send their children to SJCS. Laryn has worked in ministry, nonprofit, sales, and as a motivational speaker and retreat leader for women’s conferences. She has authored four books and currently serves as the Director of Religious Education at Jesus Our Risen Savior in Spartanburg, SC.

Select #9 "Children"

​Laryn Weaver

​A Retreat and Pilgrimage that Changed a Life Forever

How has God showed up in your life? Has He called you to special ministry? Sr. Scholastica will show how the seeds of a simple women's prayer group and later a remarkable retreat and pilgrimage revealed her vocation. Come meet sister and hear this inspiring story. ​
​Sister Scholastica Auguste was born in St. Lucia in the Carribean. She attended Northwestern College in Wichita Falls, TX, earning a degree in Environmental Science. After college she worked for some time in the US (Wisconsin, Minnesota and Chicago) and then returned to her native country.  Sr. Scholastica is the cellarer of the Queen of Peace Benedictine community, having the responsibility for all things practical: cooking, shopping, cleaning, bookkeeping and gardening. She also teaches a Monastic Author’s class to the novices.

Select #6 "Vocation"

​Sr. Scholastica Auguste

​A Martha Learns to be More Like Mary

Martha wondered, "What do you mean I haven't chosen the better part, I really do have dishes to do?" Are you a Martha who has trouble slowing down and living a life of prayer?  Do you wonder if you are choosing "the better part?"  How can a busy woman live like Mary in our often noisy, chaotic, media-driven world?​
​Tami Kiser, also known as Smart Martha, has a weekly podcast (PLEASE SUBCRIBE!) that deals with not only trying to live a life of devotion at Jesus' feet and choosing the better part, but also shares some household tips that can help with getting the dishes done and all of the other tasks of keeping a home.  She is an author, speaker, and now a director of a Catholic retreat center (Heart Ridge) in Sunset, SC where Marthas and Marys can come to rest, renew, and revive.  

Select #3 "Martha"

​Tami Kiser aka Smart Martha

​In His Presence: Seven Visits to the Blessed Sacrament-Art, Sacred Scripture, and Dante

Inspired by the traditional Holy Thursday evening Seven Church Rome Pilgrimage, we will spend time in prayer as if we were visiting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Each visit focuses on eliminating one vice and increasing in one virtue.  We will use the prayer book In His Presence and it is illustrated by Gustave Dore from Dante's Divine Comedy. The first picture is from Purgatorio and focuses on the particular vice. The next two pictures from Paradiso are one artist's interpretation of the beatific vision.
A devotional prayer book will be included, as well as, a handout for planning a Holy Thursday night seven church pilgrimage in your parish.
​Christine Haapala is a writer and long-time CCD teacher and the foundress of the publishing company Suffering Servant Scriptorium.  She is the author of From Genesis to Revelation: Seven Scriptural Rosaries, which as been called the encyclopedia of scriptural rosaries.  She also wrote The Suffering Servant’s Courage and other books aimed at bringing children closer to the Lord. 

Select #11 "Visits" 

​Christine Haapala

​Out of the Dark and into the Light: Stopping the Trauma from the Past 

​Laura wants to help women who have had trauma in their past, to keep that trauma from sabotaging their happiness and peace going forward. She will share her personal experiences as well as provide spiritual examples from saints and the Bible. 
​Laura Boronski is originally from Western New York, she resides in Conway, SC. She is mother and wife of 30 years. She has been very active in the pro-life arena for decades. As a singer/songwriter, Nashville recording artist and speaker she has had the privilege of speaking and singing to many groups over the years, and loves ministering to women out there in the trenches. She is also a certified Functional Nutrition Counselor and loves helping her clients use food and the many gifts God gives us to heal their bodies naturally and feel amazing again.

Select #10 "Peace"

​Laura Boronski

​A Path to Green Pastures: Hearing the Shepherd’s Voice in Matters of Health and Wellness ​

​​​Most popular approaches to health and wellness carry with them a promise for great success while in the end they fail to satisfy our palate for a more sustainable journey!  Why is that?  Sarah offers insights on how to better navigate amidst a culture that often distorts the original design intended for our connections with food, the body, and weight. 
​Sarah Hankes  is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist with a longstanding career in chronic care management, including a focus on areas of obesity, diabetes, cardiac care, and eating disorders.  She works currently at Piedmont Wellness Center in Fayetteville, GA.  Over the years, Sarah has also enjoyed volunteering in areas of evangelization, family life and respect life ministries.  She believes her time in ministry has strengthened her role as a health educator.  Sarah recently authored a book entitled Raw and Real:  Beyond the Plate, the Scale and the Mirror.

Select #5 "Health"

Sarah Hankes

Spiritual and ​​Life Lessons Learned in Childbirth

​​​​God could have chosen any way to bring children into this world, and yet he chose this messy, unpredictable and often painful reality that most of us have experienced. Could this have been his intention? Could this "baptism by fire" be intended by God to impart wisdom and prepare us for motherhood? Lindsay thinks so.  In this workshop she shares the principles that have helped her and many others to have a smoother, more peaceful birth, and her realization that following those principles in the rest of her life also leads to peace.  
​Lindsay Kiser is a doula and certified childbirth educator who supports women across the upstate before and during their births, and who loves sharing the beauty of God's design with all people. She is also a full time wife and homeschooling mom to four wild and wonderful little boys in Laurens, SC.  She is a graduate from Clemson and married to Michael, who is a counselor in the upstate. 

Select #4 "Childbirth"

Lindsay Kiser

​​Made for Mission​

​​​God created each one of us with our unique gifts, life experiences & hardships for a specific purpose.  We are all “Made for Mission,” but sometimes discerning our mission is confusing and overwhelming.  Drawing from her own life experiences Kathleen will share practical ways & and spiritual exercises to discern God’s will for your life. 
​Kathleen Billings lives with her husband Troy and their 5 children on their 5-acre homestead in Greenville, SC.  She has a BA in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville which she leverages as a national Catholic speaker and writer.  Kathleen writes for Catholic Mom, WINE- Women in the New Evangelization, and has a blog entitled “Two to Tango” in the For Your Marriage section of the USCCB Website. She is also a contributing author to the book, Amazing Grace for Mothers, (Ascension Press) and Called by Name - 365 Daily Devotions for Catholic Women, (Ave Maria Press.) Kathleen and her husband Troy are co-authors of a forthcoming book, Simply Love: Catholic Marriage Day by Day, - scheduled for release by Our Sunday Visitor in February of 2023.   

Select #15 "Mission"

Kathleen Billings

​​​​​Fun & Fulfilling Ideas for Sharing Faith with Grandchildren

In our noisy and distracting world how can we attract our grandchildren to the beauty, goodness, and truth of our Catholic Faith? In addition to modelling our traditional prayer lives and treasured devotions, how can we impart the joy of discipleship with creativity and authenticity? 
​   Mary Dudley has been married for 46 years. She and her husband Doug have three children, eleven grandchildren, and numerous nieces & nephews. Mary graduated from Michigan State University and attended law school, but the call to parenthood lured her away from a legal career. She served as a Catholic radio host for 5 years in Michigan, helped plan and emcee the Archdiocese of Detroit Women's Conferences, & served in numerous pro-life apostolates as a public speaker & volunteer. Mary is a certified catechist and in 2013 completed a 3-year internship to become a spiritual director. ​

Select  #14 "Grandchildren"

Mary Dudley

​​​​​After Roe:  What's Going On with the Pro-life Movement and What We Need to Do

Valerie will give us a primer on Pro-life politics, what every Catholic should know, what's in the works, and most importantly, what we can personally do.
​  Valerie Baronkin lives in Greenville with her husband, Steve.  She is a mother of 2 and grandmother of 4.  Valerie recently retired from Fluor Corporation in 2019.  Valerie has been involved with the Pro-Life movement since 1991 when she had a reversion to her Catholic faith.  She became the Deanery Respect Life Coordinator in 1993 and has done various jobs in the pro-life movement including, the Annual Youth Bus Trips to the March for Life in Washington DC since 1993; Lead the 40 Days for Life prayer campaign starting in 2007;  Sidewalk Advocacy, and most recently is the Co-founder and Executive Director of St Clare's Home, a Maternity Home for women in a crisis pregnancy.
​

Select #12 "Pro-Life"

Valerie Baronkin

​​​​​Ignatian Prayer

​We trust that God is always speaking to us.  Yet, in the noisiness of the world, the chaos of life, it can be difficult to hear Him.  In this workshop you will learn how to prepare for your one-on-one time with God, and begin to understand how to go beyond vocal prayer and use imaginative prayer to converse with God, and in turn, how to have a deeper trust in the Father’s care for you.  A deeper relationship with God starts with your prayer life.  Let's make it great!
​  Lisa Buss has been married to Tom for 41 years, having raised four children together.  She enjoys a life of retirement, but is certainly busier than ever.  She is a parishioner at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Taylors, SC, where she is a Spiritual Director, Coordinator of the Perpetual Adoration Chapel, and leads Liturgy of the Hours.  In addition, she is a group facilitator and instructor at the Marian Servants of Divine Providence School of Spiritual Direction in Clearwater, FL, where she was certified.  Lisa is a Marian Servant and is awaiting approval from the Bishops of Clearwater and Charleston to complete formation of a local Marian Servant Community.  The Marian Servants offer retreats, Ignatian prayer, and spiritual direction and they strive to live a life of holiness, obedience, and humble servanthood.
​

Select  #13 "Prayer"

Lisa Buss

​​​​​​Lost in the Temple: Mary as a Guide for Authentic Motherhood

Catherine will talk about how God does not ask us to do everything "perfectly" or one certain way, but ultimately we are called to love our kids in the best way that we can. Mary shows us this when she does things that we might be surprised at - losing Jesus in the temple or pushing him to start his public ministry - but we know that she was the best mother for Jesus. She will also talk about how much she genuinely struggled with the newborn stage and questioned her vocation as a Mom.
​ Catherine Showghi is originally from Upstate New York. She received her Bachelors in Theology from Boston College and her Masters in Theology from the University of Notre Dame through the Echo Program. She fell in love with Youth Ministry while working for a parish in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has been walking with teenagers in their faith lives ever since. She and her husband welcomed their first son this past year, and she is excited to be living the great adventure that parenthood is. 
​

Select # 16 "Motherhood"

Catherine Showghi

​​​​EMOCIONES: ¿Sabes la importancia de reconocer las emociones y cómo gestionarlas?

Este taller te ayudará a conocer las emociones y especialmente cómo gestionarlas. Podrás obtener herramientas básicas que te pueden llevar a tratar en una forma positiva las emociones y enfrentar en forma adecuada las diferentes situaciones que se presentan. Al gestionar correctamente las emociones, se puede lograr una mejor toma de decisiones y al evitar cargarse emocionalmente se optimiza la salud mental y física, ya que el no manejo de ellas, puede generar enfermedades mentales como ansiedad, depresión y dolencias físicas. Trazaremos un proyecto de vida que se facilitará con los fundamentos básicos de nuestra fe católica.  
​ Gloria Restrepo, colombiana, casada con Augusto Frattini. Angelica Hurtado, peruana, casada con Cesar Hurtado. Gloria y Angélica han sido certificadas como Coach Professional International con AIDCP y trabajan juntas en Balance Life Coaching por los últimos 2 años desempeñando “coaching” en Charlotte, NC a nivel personal, familiar y empresarial. Han estado impartiendo talleres motivacionales, de formación y mentoría. Voluntarias por varios años en la Diócesis de Charlotte con la Pastoral Familiar. Gloria ha colaborado con la Pastoral de Duelo y Angélica es miembro activa de la Coalición Latina de Fe y Salud entre otras muchas cosas que ellas desempeñan. 
​

Select # 18 "Emociones"

Gloria Restrepo

Angelica Hurtado

​​​​​​GRACIA: ¿Cómo has podido llegar a donde estas hoy? 

Por la gracia de Dios estas viva y la felicidad debe ser un hermoso e importante elemento del día. En este taller nos enfocaremos en descubrir que la felicidad del día al día está en el amor, en el servicio a los demás. En esas pequeñas cosas que haces diariamente y que son un regalo para Dios. Este servicio solo puede llegar a alcanzarse cuando te valoras y te sientes digna hija de Dios. Descubriremos como nuestro plan esta fielmente unido a María, nuestra Madre Celestial. Dejemos que las gracias sobreabunden y que tu alegría sea una sonrisa en el rostro de María y su Hijo Jesucristo.  
​ Maria Inés Romero se ha criado en un ambiente católico y ha compartido muy de cerca con diferentes culturas, principalmente con Colombia, Puerto Rico, Miami, Cuba, Perú y México. Con Renzo Crovetto, su esposo, llevan felizmente 26 años de casados y tienen 2 hijos: Franccesca y Giancarlo. Todos miembros activos de la parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel.  María Inés ha trabajado con Pastoral Familiar y Juvenil, colaborando en los últimos 15 años en los Retiros de Emaús y Retiros Juveniles Hacer Lío. Lleva cerca de un año ejerciendo la Coordinación de la Oficina de Vida Familiar en la Diócesis de Charleston, SC.  ​

Select # 19 "Gracia"

Maria Ines Romero

​​​​​​CUIDANDO A TUS SERES QUERIDOS: ¿Sabes cómo cuidar a tu ser querido en el Hogar y cómo poder darle lo que necesita para mantenerlo con buena salud? 

¿Sabes que hay diferentes opciones de cuidados en el hogar? Te ayudaré a desarrollar un plan y que puedas ver con más claridad las opciones que tienes para que no te abrumes en esos momentos tan necesarios y puedas disfrutar de tus seres queridos. Hablaremos de enfermedades crónicas, medicinas, suplementos, nutrición, ejercicio, y realizaremos un plan para que puedas ejecutar en el momento adecuado. Te ayudaré a contestar todas tus preguntas para poder darle todo el amor que puedas a tus seres queridos hasta el momento en que Dios los llame a Su presencia. 
 Maritza Romero, MSN APRN-C, reside en Fulshear, TX con su familia. Está dedicada a su familia y a sus pacientes, contribuyendo en la comunidad los dones que Dios le ha dado. Enfermera de profesión, trabajando para la comunidad por más de 22 años, y sobreviviente de cáncer.  Ha pasado por momentos muy difíciles, pero por la gracia de Dios ha logrado sobrevivir. Dedica su vida a personas que necesitan ayuda médica y que a veces por el lenguaje, o porque ignoran cómo y dónde pueden buscar ayuda, no lo hacen. Certificada por la junta de AANP, entrenada en el estado de Texas. Trabaja con los programas del el Medicare, Medicaid, y otras entidades de planes para ayuda médica.​

Select # 20 "Cuidando"

Maritza Romero

We will be celebrating our Diocesan Year of Eucharistic Revival with Mass and Adoration.

​“You who know my extreme littleness, 
You aren’t afraid to lower yourself to me! 
Come into my heart, O white Host that I love, 
Come into my heart, it longs for you! 
Ah! I wish that your goodness 
Would let me die of love after this favor. 
Jesus! Hear the cry of my affection:
     Come into my heart!”
ST. THÉRÈSE of LISIEUX
You Who Know My Extreme Littleness,
(Last poem, written July 12 or 13, 1897)

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