During the conference, I was interviewed by Billy Atwell of the Diocese of Raleigh. We discussed one of my absolute favorite topics, authentic femininity, and how God is using women to transform the world.
Thank you to the women of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church and all who made this event a huge success. Here are some pictures that were shared with us by the local team.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rjwitch/sets/72157646488568586/
There was a maximum capacity crowd of spirit-filled women who were excited and open to receive the grace that was poured out upon them by Our Lord.
Speakers included Johnnette Benkovic, Fr. Philip Scott, F.J., Patti Gallagher Mansfield, Susan Brinkmann, O.C.D.S. and Carol Marquardt who each gave wonderful messages of hope and inspiration, the fruits of which are still unfolding. Our guests of highest honor were the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit who were present with us in palpable and life-changing ways throughout the weekend.
This First Friday, our giveaway item features wisdom from one of my favorite female Catholic saints, Edith Stein who became St. Teresa Bendicta of the Cross, a true woman of grace. Anne Costa introduces us to her friend Edith Stein and helps us to grasp the loftiness and greatness of the true feminine vocation.
Back in March we highlighted the growth of Women of Grace in the Lafayette, Louisiana area. The following update was provided by Our Lady of Fatima, where they recently had 125 women graduate from the Women of Grace Foundational Study Program.
The Church teaches us that the Christian life on earth is a warfare. And I thought I would share just a small quote from the Catechism of the Council of Trent on Baptism as Enlistment and Confirmation as Strengthening for battle.
"In Baptism man is enlisted into the service, in Confirmation he is equipped for battle; at the baptismal font the Holy Ghost imparts fullness to accomplish innocence, but in Confirmation he ministers perfection to grace; in Baptism we are regenerated unto life, after Baptism we are fortified for the combat; in Baptism we are cleansed, after Baptism we are strengthened; regeneration of itself saves those who receive Baptism in time of peace, Confirmation arms and makes ready for conflicts.
These are truths not only already recorded by other Councils, but specially defined by the holy Council of Trent; so that we are therefore no longer at liberty not only to think otherwise, but even to entertain the least doubt concerning them."
So fellow Warriors for the Kingdom, lets start examining what it is we are part of so we can put into practice the rules of engagement that came with our enlistment into the Kingdom of God. For we are all "Called to Knighthood".
encouragement and paternal leadership of Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo Nevares!
Are you a fan of Jesus, but not a follower? Do you hold anything back from Jesus? Do you find Mass boring and you try going, but it’s still boring to you? Do you like vampires or zombies or do you know a young person who does?
If you answered yes to one of these, oh boy do you need to listen to this show. Johnnette Benkovic invites Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers to talk about the impending meaning of new evangelization. Deacon Harold is the founder and director of Dynamic Deacon and a preacher on the go. Together, they share pearls of wisdom for us to get to know who Jesus really is. Going back to the Bible means finding your true masculinity and femininity and when you find who you really are, you can be all God is calling you to be. God’s grace is infinite for you. This show catches on fire so listen now and be inspired, affirmed and encouraged. It’s all here on EWTN Radio’s Women of Grace, Friday, May 2 at 11:00 a.m. EDT.
Recently, the region of Lafayette has come in like a hurricane. Regional Coordinator, Brenda Dooley, invited us to give a Facilitator Training day during Johnnette's recent participation in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of New Orleans, Holy Spirit Women's Retreat.
Imagine you and your spouse driving down an open road and all you see out the window is an endless body of water, along with a beautiful beach and captivating sunset. What is your first thought? Is it the beauty of God’s creation? Is it the thought of how the water came to be? Does your husband want to go fishing? Or do you wish you could lie down and relax on the beach? Regardless of what your thoughts or desires may be, God created that image, even if it was a manmade body of water. He created the water, he created the sand, and he has complete control over the sunset. He may have even put those desires on your heart: the desire to relax and rejuvenate what may have been lost amidst the busyness of your schedule.
In addition to those suggested in our slideshow, following is a list of resources that I recommended on Women of Grace Live, Ash Wednesday, March 5. Each of these is structured in such a way that it is perfect for a daily devotional during this Holy Season of Lent. They also are great resources for increasing our life of faith and strengthening our interior life. My prayer is that you find them so useful, you continue to use them once this Holy Season is over. Most of them are available through EWTN Religious Cataglogue or on our website.
Living His Life Abundantly International, Inc.® / Women of Grace® has provided inspiring and informational content for FREE through our blog for more than twenty years. To continue our mission, we need your help. We are seeking a one-time contribution or a monthly donation to support the continued growth and expansion of this free resource. We are abundantly grateful for your support.
