A St. Valentine’s Day event invites women to take a break from responsibilities to gather for faith, inspiration and fellowship.
The WINE: Women In the New Evangelization Catholic Women’s Conference will feature two speakers: Nancy Jo Sullivan, a parishioner of St. Peter in Richfield whose testimony will include spiritual lessons learned from her late daughter who had Down syndrome, and Patty Schneier, an author from the Archdiocese of St. Louis who will focus on evangelization tips for “the ordinary Catholic.”
“We hope women can come together and support each other in our needs, suffering, accomplishments and joy,” said Kelly Wahlquist, WINE founder, who will emcee the event with local author Alyssa Bormes. “We want women to be renewed and refreshed in their faith.”
The day will include Mass with Bishop Andrew Cozzens, music, vendors and lunch.
The conference will be held 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 14 at Epiphany in Coon Rapids with the theme “A Heart Drawn By Love, Sent On Fire.”
Epiphany, Coon Rapids
- Doors open at 7 a.m. for coffee, caramel rolls and shopping.
- Performance by singer Vicki Kueppers
- Keynote talk by Catholic author Patty Schneier and testimony from Nancy Jo Sullivan
- Book and resource tables
- Sacrament of reconciliation
- Mass with Bishop Andrew Cozzens
- Lunch
Register
$30 per person before Jan. 19 (early bird), $40 per person after Jan. 19.
Visit www.wine-cwc.eventbrite.com.
Deadline is Feb. 9.
More information
Visit www.archspm.org, keyword: WINE, or call (651) 291-4411
Sponsored by the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis in partnership with WINE: Women In the New Evangelization
Participants are invited to stay until 3 p.m. to learn more about WINE as it rolls out in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
The conference replaces the annual archdiocesan women’s retreat. It is the first major event of the year sponsored by the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, in partnership with WINE, which is based in the archdiocese.
“This is an unprecedented collaboration between the archdiocese and a national ministry, and we are truly excited to see how the Holy Spirit will lead us as we go forth to bring the Gospel to the people of the [archdiocese],” said Jeff Cavins, director of evangelization and catechesis.
New women’s ministry
Wahlquist, who also serves as assistant director of the Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute in St. Paul, has spent 10 years speaking with women about living the new evangelization. When it came to establishing programs, she noticed many parish groups reinventing the wheel.
“What I saw was a commonality of desire and passion to get women together so they could have this relationship with Christ and encounter it together,” said Wahlquist, a wife and mother who attends Holy Name of Jesus in Wayzata.
Wahlquist explained that WINE, while a fun acronym, finds its inspiration in sacred Scripture and in the Eucharist.
“We want to follow the Blessed Mother’s words at the wedding in Cana and do whatever he tells us, do the will of God, so we can build up the Body of Christ,” she said.
