• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Attendees of the Oct. 24 Maryland Catholic Women's Conference, held at St. Joseph in Fullerton, join voices in the Lord’s Prayer during Mass. (Lily Gretz/Special to the Review)

Evangelization, Mary integral to renewal at Maryland Catholic Women’s Conference

October 26, 2020
By Lily Gretz
Special to the Catholic Review
Filed Under: Coronavirus, Evangelization, Feature, Local News, News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

A mother kneels with her son before a monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament during the Oct. 24 Maryland Catholic Women’s Conference at St. Joseph in Fullerton.  (Lily Gretz/Special to the Review)

FULLERTON – Participants at the Maryland Catholic Women’s Conference included many who were grateful for the retreat from quarantine life, among them Elizabeth Dalasio, a 29-year-old mother of two young children and parishioner of St. John Neumann Parish in Gaithersburg. 

“Sometimes I need those little kick-starters to renew my faith as well,” she said. “With COVID and young kids I haven’t been able to go to Mass much,  … I’m very much looking forward to some time with Jesus.” 

She was among 200 who gathered in person Oct. 24 at St. Joseph Parish in Fullerton for four hours of prayer, worship and presentations from Catholic women, all available through a livestream for those participants who weren’t comfortable gathering in person.

All occured outdoors, on the youth soccer field that has served as a worship space for the parish since late May.

The event began in 2009, at St. John in Westminster, and spent several years at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg. This year’s was directed by co-chairwomen, Catherine Liberatore and Stephanie Clancy. 

Conference Co-chair Catherine Liberatore welcomes attendees to the Oct. 24 Maryland Catholic Women’s Conference. (Lily Gretz/Special to the Review)

Kelly Wahlquist, founder of Women in the New Evangelization (WINE) and an author and editor of several books focused on women’s spirituality, travelled from her home in Minnesota to serve as the conference’s keynote speaker. Other speakers included Jeanne Link, founder of the conference, and Annie McHugh, a homeschooling mother of five. The program also offered recorded talks from Sister of Life Marie Veritas and Dr. Heidi Schrieber-Pan. 

The theme was “Made for Joy,” selected before most had heard of COVID-19. For Liberatore, its universal significance goes beyond the current pandemic. 

“We wanted to give women a day where they could say, ‘I have this faith that can transcend all the yuckiness we go through in life,’” Liberatore said. 

Wahlquist touched on that theme, discussing how joy can be used as a form of evangelization. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Scripture, the sacraments, and the example of Mary, Catholic women can display the joy of God for others. 

“Joy is an internal peace that gives rise to external happiness,” she said. 

Archbishop William E. Lori consecrates the Eurcharist at the Maryland Catholic Women’s Conference’s opening Mass Oct. 24.  (Lily Gretz/Special to the Review)

Link complemented Wahlquist’s talk, speaking about how to overcome fear in order to be joyful in the present moment. McHugh highlighted the ways in which joy can be achieved: prayer, the sacraments, spiritual reading and daily reminders of God’s presence. 

Archbishop William E. Lori celebrated the opening Mass, with concelebrants being Father Jesse Bolger and Father Francis Ouma, pastor and associate pastor, respectively, of St. Joseph Fullerton.

“No human being was more receptive to the joy of the Holy Spirit than was Mary,” the archbishop said in his homily, “and no human being brought more godly joy into the world than Mary did.” 

Mary was a central figure in the conference. A statue of the holy mother was placed in a prominent spot beside the altar and could be seen easily from any seat. Her story served as an inspiration for many of the speakers. Antoinette Persing, a five-time conference attendee in her 70s, views Mary as a perfect role model. 

Cantors Bella Schatz and Regina Aquino from St. Joseph in Fullerton led songs throughout Maryland Catholic Women’s Conference Oct. 24. (Lily Gretz/Special to the Review)

“Her story never gets old,” Persing said. “No matter how many times you think about it or hear about it.”

At the conference’s conclusion, attendees were invited to join in adoration of the Eucharist and reconciliation, as 12 priests took turns manning nine stations available for the sacrament. As Liberatore pointed out, it was likely the first time some of the attendees were able to make a confession since the beginning of the pandemic. There were alternating moments of musical and silent worship. 

Many women left feeling a call to action, among them 20-year-old Chika Nwakama. A parishioner of St. Joseph Fullerton who is taking online classes from home, she was especially moved by Wahlquist’s talk on evangelization. 

“Anyone can do that,” Nwakama said about evangelization. “It could be a little interaction that makes a difference in someone’s life.”

Coronavirus coverage

May 1 marks 5th anniversary of consecrating U.S. to Mary as COVID declared a pandemic

Dealing with pandemic PTSD

Dr. Robert Redfield warns against ‘scientific arrogance,’ calls for increased biosecurity

Celebrating the class of 2024

Catholic bishops reiterate moral permissibility of COVID vaccines as boosters become available

CELAM report portrays long-lasting crisis in Latin America after COVID-19 hit the region

Copyright © 2020 Catholic Review Media

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Lily Gretz

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Prince of Peace merges with St. Francis de Sales in Harford County

  • NBC’s Tom Llamas says Catholic education deepened his faith, pushed him to always do his best

  • Construction underway on new north addition to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home 

  • Archbishop Wenski leads Knights on Bikes to pray rosary at Alligator Alcatraz

  • Radio Interview: Youth ministry changing with the times

| Latest Local News |

Driver arrested after crashing into entrance of Esperanza Center

Construction underway on new north addition to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home 

Prince of Peace merges with St. Francis de Sales in Harford County

Radio Interview: Youth ministry changing with the times

Quo Vadis attracts biggest crowd ever, promotes camaraderie and faith

| Latest World News |

IDF says Gaza Holy Family Parish hit was errant mortar round that veered off course

Holy See at the UN urges sustainable development as U.S. pulls out of UNESCO

Peace by force is a ‘troubling’ idea, Iran cardinal says

U.S. to withdraw, again, from UNESCO over Palestine and UN development goals

Judge blocks defunding of some, but not all, Planned Parenthood groups

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Driver arrested after crashing into entrance of Esperanza Center
  • IDF says Gaza Holy Family Parish hit was errant mortar round that veered off course
  • Holy See at the UN urges sustainable development as U.S. pulls out of UNESCO
  • Peace by force is a ‘troubling’ idea, Iran cardinal says
  • U.S. to withdraw, again, from UNESCO over Palestine and UN development goals
  • Judge blocks defunding of some, but not all, Planned Parenthood groups
  • Catholic Church mourns deaths in Bangladesh military plane crash
  • Question Corner: Does reception of the Eucharist replace confession?
  • Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en