Morning Keynote in English
Father Stephen DeLacy
Vicar for the Office for Faith Formation of Youth and Young Adults
Talk title: Woman, As the Delight of the Father’s Heart

What Father will talk about:

In his opening keynote, Father DeLacy will lead us to an understanding of God the Father’s great delight in us as women and how he is calling us to greater intimacy with him.  We will learn how to allow the Father’s delight to sink more deeply into our hearts, restoring our joy and rooting us in our most fundamental identity as beloved daughter.  Fr. DeLacy will help us understand the joy of our creation for connection and relationship; uncovering the unique qualities we possess as women in our love, compassion, patience, and concern, designed to be a revelation of God’s own heart.

Learn more about Father:

Father DeLacy was born in Delaware County and attended St. George grade school and was involved with the CYO and then Msgr. Bonner High School, where he played soccer and basketball.  He attended West Chester University for a degree in accounting and was associated with the Newman Center, coached CYO Volleyball (where he won two championships but should have won three) and became the Youth Minister.  After graduation, he worked for a year and taught CCD.  Despite his great efforts to fight and resist God’s plan, he responded to God’s call to enter the St. Charles Seminary.  He was ordained a priest in 2004 and was assigned to SS. Peter and Paul Parish while also leading retreats for the Malvern Retreat House and for Rachel’s Vineyard.  He then served as the School Minister at Archbishop Carroll High School and Pope John Paul II High School.  He was then appointed as the Vocation Director for the Diocesan Priesthood for eight years.  In 2021, Archbishop Perez made him his Vicar for Faith Formation with Youth and Young Adults.

Fun facts about Father Delacy are that he has gained outstanding proficiency in conducting ice breakers and playing Beer Pong (with water).  Father does not enjoy musical talent.

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Afternoon Keynote in English
Emily Wilson
Wife, mother, international speaker and author
Talk title: Blessed: Love Your Own Bouquet

What Emily will talk about:

Emily will focus her talk on the blessings of life and cultivating gratitude as women – as well as choosing the voices we listen to in our lives. In this closing keynote, Emily will explore how we can turn away from self-criticism and being so harsh on ourselves as women to make space in our hearts to listen to the voice of God. This is Emily’s most popular talk for women’s events because it is a great balance of lightness and depth.

Learn more about Emily:

Emily Wilson Hussem is a speaker, YouTuber, award-winning author, wife and mom who shares her faith online and travels the world sharing her witness of faith at conferences and events across the globe. Emily was encouraged by her third-grade teacher to get up and sing in front of the whole church at the age of 7. With continued support from her high school choir teacher, she started leading music regularly. She planned to become a sports broadcaster and earned a degree in broadcast journalism at Arizona State, but after reading Pope Saint John Paul II’s On the Dignity and Vocation of Women (Mulieris Dignitatem), she felt a powerful call to use her education in speaking and presenting to spread the Gospel.

After working for two years as a full-time high school campus minister, Emily made the transition to full-time traveling ministry beginning in 2013. She has spoken, hosted, and played music at countless national and international youth, young adult, and women’s events all over the United States and numerous countries, including keynoting FOCUS (SEEK), Hallow, Life Teen, Steubenville, NCYC, the Australian and Swiss Youth Festivals, and many more.  Emily writes, speaks, and creates videos on femininity, faith, dating, motherhood, and relationships – and her books, videos, social media content, courses, and talks continue to inspire and encourage women of all ages.

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Morning Keynote in Spanish
Bishop Christopher Cooke
Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Talk title: Mujer, deleite del corazón del Padre

What Bishop Cooke will talk about:
[This talk will be in Spanish] In his opening keynote, Bishop Cooke will lead us to an understanding of God the Father’s great delight in us as women and how he is calling us to greater intimacy with him.  We will learn how to allow the Father’s delight to sink more deeply into our hearts, restoring our joy and rooting us in our most fundamental identity as beloved daughter.  Bishop Cooke will help us understand the joy of our creation for connection and relationship; uncovering the unique qualities we possess as women in our love, compassion, patience, and concern, designed to be a revelation of God’s own heart.

Learn more about Bishop Cooke:

Most Reverend Christopher R. Cooke, Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia, was born on November 8, 1973 to Randall Cooke and Mary Lou Cooke and grew up in Saint Vincent de Paul Parish (Richboro). Prior to entering the program of priestly formation at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, Bishop Cooke earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware in 1996. He then worked in the field of chemical manufacturing and design. While studying at the Seminary, he earned a Master of Divinity Degree in 2005 and a Master of Arts Degree in 2006. He was ordained to the Priesthood by Cardinal Justin Rigali on May 20, 2006.

Bishop Cooke served as Parochial Vicar of Saint Eleanor Parish (Collegeville) from 2006 to 2008; Parochial Vicar of Saint Martin of Tours Parish (Philadelphia) from 2008 to 2012; Parochial Administrator of Saint Francis of Assisi Parish (Norristown) from 2012-2013; and Director of the Spirituality Year Program at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary from 2013 to 2021. Bishop Cooke also served as a Board Member of the Archdiocesan Council of Priests from 2011 to 2014.

Since 2021 he has served as the Dean of Men for the Theological Seminary at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary.

Pope Francis appointed Bishop Cooke the 29^th Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia on December 8, 2023. He was ordained a Bishop on March 7, 2024, in the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Peter and Paul by Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez.

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Afternoon Keynote in Spanish
Karla Amezcua 
Consecrated Woman of Regnum Christi
Talk title: Tú eres sagrada, tú eres amada, tú eres SUYA

What Karla will talk about:
[This talk will be in Spanish] You are an intentional thought of God. Unique and unrepeatable, no one can replace you. You are sacred as a woman and embracing that knowledge fills you with the joy to know, love and obey God. In this talk, Karla will talk about how we can let love be the source of our identity, the dangers of comparison and discouragement, and practice ways of how we can lean into being ourselves in the day-to-day. God wants you to be you.

Learn more about Karla:

Karla Amezcua is a Consecrated Woman of Regnum Christi and she professed her vows in 2002. She is originally from Mexico. She is the youngest of four children.
After completing a Degree in Education with the Anahuac University of Mexico and a Masters in Religious Sciences with the Regina Apostolorum Institute of Rome, she worked for one year in Michigan as the Director of Everest Academy Boarding School. Later she was transferred to Colombia and worked for seven years in four different cities with teenagers and young adults in Regnum Christi.  In 2014, Karla returned to the US as the Vice Director of Overbrook Academy, an international boarding school in Greenville, RI. In 2013 she completed a Certification in Mentoring and Personal Accompaniment granted by the Francisco de Vittoria University in Madrid. In 2015 she completed a certification as a life coach with the Robbins-Madanes Institute. In 2017 Karla published a book titled “El Poder de la Mirada al servicio del encuentro” (it’s in Spanish). This book describes the transformative power we hold in our eyes to heal from woundedness and broken personal relationships. You can find it in Amazon!

Karla is also an international speaker. In 2009, she was invited to Venezuela as the Keynote Speaker for a Catholic Organization, delivering a 3-hour course on the Apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe. She has also spoken to different audiences in Mexico, and in different states of the US like RI, MI, OH, NJ, NY as well as online with audiences of hundreds and thousands in few occasions.

Karla lived in DC from 2020-2023, ministering to couples and young adults. She was the director of the Mission Youth Chapter in the DC area, and she worked for Lumen Institute in NY, Connecticut, and DC, accompanying Catholic businessmen and their families in their spiritual and apostolic journeys.

Karla now lives in Cincinnati and is excited to work in developing the Regnum Christi young adult ministry and missions of evangelization. Working with the poor and forsaken ones is one of Karla’s passions. She is also part of the leadership team of the Mission Youth Apostle program ran by Regnum Christi in Philadelphia, where we train and accompany other young men and women, creating communities of full-time Apostles at the service of those in great need.

Karla has vast experience directing and leading missions of evangelization, as a spiritual director, offering spiritual retreats, apostolic and leadership trainings, online courses, and conferences.

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Keynote in American Sign Language

Katie Locus
Consultant of the Deaf ministry for the Archdiocese in Kansas City, Kansas
Talk title: The Truth of the Joy and Beauty of Womanhood

What Katie will talk about: 

In the world, there are many voices that clamor to state what it means to be a woman and how a woman should live.  However, those ideas don’t lead to joy-filled lives for women.  God has a unique plan for women, a plan that may not be in accordance with what the world says.  Why does God say that to be a woman is to be sacred, beloved, and beautiful?  In exploring Scripture, St. John Paul II’s writing about the Genius of Woman and other well-known Catholic authors, as well as the model of Mary, our Mother, we will explore what the Truth is about the true joy and beauty of womanhood and what that entails.  This workshop will give women the confidence to live as a beloved, sacred, and beautiful daughter of God in spite of what the world says.

Learn more about Katie:

Katie Locus is the consultant of the Deaf ministry for the Archdiocese in Kansas City, Kansas. She grew up Deaf and Catholic in Austin, Texas, with her family, and moved to Kansas to work as an English teacher at Kansas School for the Deaf for five years. However, God had other plans for her, and she started working for the Archdiocese eight years ago. Currently, Ms. Locus is leading a national project translating the Catholic Youth Catechism (YOUCAT) with team members from throughout the country.

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Kimberly Cook
Writer, Podcaster, Mother, & Catholic Apologist
Talk title: Motherhood Redeemed & Femininity

Kimberly Cook
Writer, Podcaster, Mother, & Catholic Apologist
Talk title: Motherhood Redeemed & Femininity

What Kimberly will talk about: 

Even Mary Magdalene doubted the Resurrection until the Lord called her by name! Join Kimberly as she shares how we, as woman are called by name to be followers of Christ. In that call, he gives us the special gift of maternal love. This spiritual motherhood reflects what St. Edith Stein taught – that God created our souls to be a shelter for other souls, a fertile ground for love. Women possess a special gift which feminism challenges to destroy in society. Kimberly’s talk will encourage and give life to the women attending!

Learn more about Kimberly:

Kimberly was raised loosely Catholic until her early teens, when all faith disintegrated.  As a misguided and idealistic youth, she gravitated deeper into the feminist punk/riot girl movement. After many years of darkness, anger, and hopelessness, her life took a new course. She was introduced to a spiritual director, who changed her life and helped to bring her back into the fold of faith.  She studied Mental Health at the Franciscan University of Steubenville and went on to receive a Master in Arts in Systematic Theology from Christendom Graduate School.  Along the journey, she began forming deeply meaningful friendships. She also witnessed an authentic community of love and gained insights into the faith that reawakened the personal relationship with Jesus Christ, that she had known in the innocence of her childhood. This relationship brought many years of healing, as Kimberly reformed her understanding of truth – particularly of true femininity, masculinity, and the perfect harmony meant to join them together in a unified journey toward heaven.

Kimberly is now happily tucked in near the Blue Ridge mountains, where she still struggles side-by-side her husband and five children as they strive each day to ascend that mountain of virtue together. She most cherishes genuine laughter and the authentic relationships of family and community. Find her at KimberlyCook.ME

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Denise (De) Yarrison, CPCC
Certified Professional Coach & Retreat Facilitator
Talk title:  Restoring Joy: An Experience of Healing

What De will talk about:

The core stories of our upbringing lay the groundwork for how we live, love, and relate in the present. The effects of the harm or heartache we experienced when we were young can cause us to lose sight of our true identity as precious and beloved daughters of God our Father. The burdens of anxiety, fear, shame, or powerlessness distort the lens through which we see ourselves, others and even God. Our Lord desires to lead us into freedom and restoration through encounters with His healing presence. In this experiential session, De will guide us to:

1. Understand how our early adverse experiences lead to extreme beliefs and identity lies that impact us throughout our lives
2. Rediscover lost or forgotten parts of ourselves
3. Get to know Jesus as our Healer through scripture stories
4. Experiment with encountering Jesus’ abiding presence within
5. Leave with tools for continuing your healing journey

 Learn more about De:

De Yarrison, of You Are Made New Ministry, guides women along the journey to spiritual and emotional healing through coaching, deliverance prayer, and healing retreats. The heart of her work is facilitating healing encounters with the Lord that lead to resolution of early wounding or past traumas, so we can live more freely in the present. De has witnessed again and again the healing power of our Lord’s immense Love and is confident in His ability and desire to bring deep freedom to every one of His children, regardless of life circumstances.

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Sister Leonie Therese, SV
Sister of Life
Talk title: You are Sacred, You are Treasured, You are HIS

What Sister will talk about:

You are an intentional thought of God. Unique and unrepeatable, no one can replace you. You are sacred as a woman and embracing that knowledge fills you with the joy to know, love and obey God. In this talk, SOL will talk about how we can let love be the source of our identity, the dangers of comparison and discouragement, and practice ways of how we can lean into being ourselves in the day-to-day. God wants you to be you.

Learn more about Sister:

Sister Leonie Therese, SV was raised in St. Louis, MO and graduated from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO with a degree in elementary education. She entered the Sisters of Life in 2017 and professed first vows on August 4, 2020.

The Sisters of Life are a religious community of women founded in 1991 by John Cardinal O’Connor who take a fourth vow to protect and enhance the sacredness of human life. Immersed in Eucharistic prayer within a vibrant community life, their missions include caring for vulnerable pregnant women and their unborn children; inviting those wounded by abortion into the healing mercy of Jesus; fostering a culture of life through evangelization; retreat works; spiritual accompaniment of college students; and upholding the beauty of marriage and family life.

Sister Leonie Therese currently lives at St. Malachy Convent in North Philadelphia, where the Sisters serve vulnerable pregnant women and share the charism of life through evangelization. (www.sistersoflife.org)

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Dominique Brutus
FOCUS Missionary
Talk title: Where Do We Find Joy?

What Dominique will talk about:

This talk will focus on the beautiful gift of daughterhood as the source of our joy.  Join Dominique as she shares the ‘joy’ offered to women by the world vs. the authentic joy that comes from friendship with Christ.  She will dive into the expectations of being a woman and reveal what steals our joy, as well as lead us to an understanding of where we can open ourselves to more joy.

Learn more about Dominique Brutus:

Her name is Dominique but many of her friends call her Dodie.   She is originally from Long Island, NY where she grew up with her Mom, Dad and five older siblings.  Dominique earned a bachelors degree in Biology from St. Joseph’s University and during those years she grew fervently in the Catholic faith.  She is currently a 3rd year FOCUS missionary at Drexel University in Philadelphia, which she absolutely loves because who would not want to live on mission in the city of brotherly love!

God called Dominique to serve college students at Drexel University where she can do just what her heart desires: to spread the love and joy of Christ to others.  Jesus transformed her life for the better and she is eager to transform others’ lives as well.

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