By Dc. Tom Cuskey
Editor
(UPDATED 10/19/2023 11:35AM)
Registrations continue to flow in for the 13th Syracuse Catholic Women’s Conference on Saturday, Nov. 11, at the Oncenter Convention Center.
This year’s theme is “Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done; Preparing for His Eucharistic Reign.” The deadline to register is Nov. 1, and fortunately there is expanded space to accommodate a larger gathering anticipated for this year’s event. The conference returns to the main floor of the Oncenter, accommodating the larger community and making for easy access to presentations with improved interaction among an expanded group of vendors and sponsors.
“Ladies should have a nice variety of retail and mission-related opportunities to explore from,” according to Dawn Dimock, this year’s conference chair. “We’re excited about the new things that our speakers are doing,” she added.
The lineup for this year includes Immaculée Ilibagiza, a survivor of the 1985 Rwandan genocide and a noted Rwandan-American author. She has also recently launched a new program on the EWTN network. Author and teacher Daniel O’Connor has a new book, “Only Man Bears His Image,” that has recently been released and will be available at the conference. Finally, Father Joseph Esper, a noted author and presenter from the Archdiocese of Detroit, will also concelebrate Mass for the attendees with Bishop Douglas J. Lucia.
Women’s Commission Chair Jill Smith shared that “our speakers are going to speak to something that we really actually need, the spiritual preparation, the understanding of what’s going on in the world, and to see how we can prepare ourselves and live the faith.”
Priceless statue raffle
This beautiful statue of our Blessed Mother has been donated by the Law Office of Eric P. Smith who purchased it through the the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Euclid, Ohio. It will be raffled off at the event.
Attendees should plan with cash to purchase tickets for the raffle of a statue of our Blessed Mother that has been donated by the Law Office of Eric P. Smith who purchased it through the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Euclid, Ohio. The statue stands nearly 3 feet tall and is a third-class relic. It has been touched to a first-class relic, a bone fragment of St. Bernadette, as well as a piece of the stone that Mary stood upon when she appeared to Bernadette at Lourdes, France. The winner need not worry — delivery to their home can be arranged. Tickets for the raffle are $5 each or three for $10. The proceeds will support the Women’s Commission apostolate to bring this fall conference and a Lenten retreat to the diocese each year.
Additionally, the Commission has received a donation of a rosary made by members of the underground Catholic Church in China. The jewelry-quality porcelain sacramental will also be raffled during the event.
As many as eight confessional stations will be open 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. The Brown Scapular Enrollment will also be available. Complimentary blessed Seven Sorrows Rosaries, handmade by members of the apostolate at the CNY Marian Center, will be given out as well.
Dimock is excited about the program and echoes Smith’s point about the conference helping to prepare women spiritually to thrive in an uncertain world. “We don’t want women to be taken off guard,” she said, speaking to the importance of navigating the sometimes “rough and rocky road” they encounter. “We are really trying to give them the opportunity to become aware of it (faith) and then explore it more themselves with resources. I really want ladies to grow!”
For those traveling from the Southern Tier, the Commission is sponsoring a bus to Syracuse. It will depart at 6:30 a.m. from the Home Depot in Johnson City and make a stop at 7:15 at the I81 park-and-ride near the on-ramp in Whitney Point. The return trip will depart the Oncenter at 4:15 p.m.
For more information, a complete schedule and to register visit www.syracusecatholicwomen.org.
