On Saturday, May 17th, nearly 200 women from across Maine gathered at the St. John’s Community Center in Brunswick for the 12th Maine Catholic Women’s Conference, a day-long event that celebrated the joy of being a Catholic woman and nurtured Christ-centered friendships among attendees.
This year’s theme, “When Women Pray,” was expertly woven into the fabric of the conference by keynote speaker Amber Ezeani, host of the upcoming Theology of Heart and Home podcast. In her talks, Ezeani emphasized the importance of developing a relationship with Jesus through prayer, urging women to move beyond mere practices and rituals towards a genuine connection with the divine.
“Prayer is a relationship,” she said. “It’s not just a practice… It is, at its very essence, a relationship with the king of the universe, the God who made you, the God who knit you in your mother’s womb.” Ezeani encouraged the women to draw inspiration from the lives of the saints, meditate on Scripture, and study the teachings of Jesus.
Throughout the day, attendees participated in small group faith sharing, eucharistic adoration at nearby St. John the Baptist Church, the opportunity for the sacrament of reconciliation, a presentation by Pietra Fitness that combined Christian prayer with strengthening exercises, and a closing Mass celebrated by Bishop Emeritus Robert Deeley.
The bishop’s homily echoed Ezeani’s message, emphasizing the need for each individual to work together to bring peace to our world. “Our God leads us through the dark places in our world by walking right beside us,” he said. “We connect with him through our prayer… That means we find him in our prayer.”
The women who attended the conference shared their experiences, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to recharge and refocus on their faith. Many spoke of returning year after year, finding inspiration and encouragement in the company of like-minded women.
“I just feel very encouraged,” said Val Flanagan. “I feel inspired. I feel held accountable… Some of this stuff is not new to me, but I’m not doing it. So, it’s nice to be reminded gently and encouraged by my fellow sisters in the faith.”
As the conference drew to a close, attendees left with a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper understanding of the transformative power of prayer in their lives. As Ezeani so aptly put it, “Prayer is a relationship… It needs to be consistent and honest.” The Maine Catholic Women’s Conference has once again inspired faithful devotion among its participants, reminding them that through prayer, they can stay connected with God and one another, no matter the challenges of the world around them.
Sourced from https://portlanddiocese.org/
Images from Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland Facebook Page
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