Conference speaker Diana Macalintal, an author, liturgist and lecturer. (Courtesy photo)
By Patrick Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
You won’t have to get on a plane or book a hotel room to attend a major Catholic gathering this year.
That should be an extra incentive to sign up for the all-virtual International Catholic Stewardship Council’s annual conference, Sept. 28 to Oct. 8, to hear dynamic plenary speakers and view your choice of more than 100 presentations, all on your computer, from the comfort of your living room sofa.
That’s Mark Clark’s thinking anyway. As director of the diocesan Office for Stewardship and Development, he would like every parish leader in Hawaii, lay and clergy, to attend.
“In past years we had anywhere from 10-30 people from the Islands travel to the Mainland to attend in person,” Clark said. “This year we have a handful committed to the new format, but I’m hopeful more will be interested as additional program details are now available.”
The theme of the 58th annual conference is “Encounter! Meeting Jesus on Higher Ground.”
Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark(CNS photo/courtesy Archdiocese of Newark)
The cost is $299 for one-two people, $249 for three to four people, and $229 for five or more. Financial aid is available locally, said Clark.
The stewardship council is promoting the conference as “a new and exciting virtual experience” with “more than 100 sessions over 10 days, unlimited access to recorded sessions, liturgies and devotions from around the world, a virtual exhibit hall, virtual rooms for making strategic connections, enhanced networking opportunities, concerts, tours and much more.”
The opening speaker is Cardinal Joseph Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey.
Another plenary speaker is Diana Macalintal, a Catholic author, liturgist and lecturer on prayer, liturgy, sacred music, RCIA and intercultural ministry. She is a co-founder and co-director of Team RCIA, a resource for catechumenate ministry. She is an adjunct faculty member of the Institute in Pastoral Ministries at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.
More big names are expected.
Other presenters will cover the many facets of parish stewardship, evangelization and communications. Ministering in the era of coronavirus will also be a topic.
Of course, time zones will be an issue for islanders. The events are generally 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time. All sessions, however, will be recorded and made available later.
The conference had originally been scheduled for three days in Anaheim, California. The coronavirus changed all that.
The council reimagined the event as a virtual experience offering multiple options for engagement, according to its website, “enabling participants to network, learn, share knowledge, and advance the ministry of stewardship in dioceses and parishes.”
“The new virtual experience will also provide opportunities for participants to connect with strategic partners and exhibitors to discover new resources, products and solutions,” it said.
To register, go to the ICSC website at catholicstewardship.com.
For information about financial aid, email Mark Clark at mclark@rcchawaii.org.
