Morning Keynote in English
Sr. Mary Madeline Todd, O.P.
Dominican Sister of St. Cecilia, Nashville
Talk title: Created for Love: Daughter, Sister, Friend, Bride, Mother

What Sr. Mary Madeline will talk about:
No matter what our state in life, married, single or consecrated, every woman is created by God for love, that is to receive love and to give herself away in love. As women we do this in five primary ways, as daughter, sister, friend, bride and mother.  Through each of these ways of relating to God and others, a woman discovers who she is and becomes a transformative and life-giving presence for others. In her opening keynote, Sister Mary Madeline will lead us in a reflection on each of these feminine identities and help us understand how we can enter into them more deeply and live them more fruitfully in all of our relationships. 

Learn more about Sr. Mary Madeline:
Sister Mary Madeline Todd, OP, a Dominican Sister of the Congregation of Saint Cecilia, earned her doctorate in Sacred Theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome and a Master of Arts in English from the University of Memphis. Her dissertation on the theme of Christ, the Liberator of Woman, was the fruit of years of pastoral ministry with women and of study of the rich truths found in Scripture and Tradition, especially in the writings of St. John Paul II.

Sister Mary Madeline has been an invited speaker for the Seminar “Toward an Integral Feminine Theology” based in Rome, the Assumption Readings Ecumenical Conference in Kiev, Ukraine, and the Catholic Women’s Forum in Washington, DC. She writes on spiritual and moral theology, including contributions to the books Promise and Challenge, Beautiful Mercy, and Pope Francis and the Event of Encounter. Her articles have been published in L’Osservatore Romano, The Catechetical Review, the National Catholic Register, and Evangelization and Culture. She has spoken on both theological and literary topics internationally, including presenting for the Thomistic Institute at Harvard and Vanderbilt Universities and for the FOCUS International Conference in Samos, Spain. She currently teaches philosophy at Mount de Sales Academy in Baltimore, Maryland where she finds joy in helping the next generation of young women discover the beauty of who they are and the treasure of the gifts they have been given.

• Learn more about the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia: https://www.nashvilledominican.org/ 

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Afternoon Keynote in English
Sarah Swafford
Wife, mother, international speaker and author
Talk title: Making the World a Home: Motherhood as Mission

What Sarah will talk about:
One of the most important aspects of the feminine genius is woman’s “capacity for the other.” This means that each woman was created by God with a special sensitivity for and attentiveness to the dignity of the person. This gift is also known as spiritual motherhood. Whether a biological mother or not, every woman possesses this mission of motherhood and she is called to bring it to the world. In this closing keynote, Sarah will open up for us the meaning of spiritual motherhood as mission. Through personal stories and the teachings of the Church, and a deeper look into what stands in our way of embracing our identity as mother, she will help us to practically live out our mission as women in striving to “make the world a home,” that is, to make our families, the world and the Church a place where the human person is reverenced and loved above everything else.

Learn more about Sarah:
Sarah Swafford is the founder of Emotional Virtue Ministries. She speaks internationally on a variety of topics including faith, relationships, and interior confidence. Engaging audiences of all ages, Sarah shares her message at school assemblies, retreats, rallies, parishes, and conferences around the world including FOCUS and Steubenville Conferences in the United States and Canada. She is the co-author of Gift and Grit: How Heroic Virtue Can Change Your Life and Relationships and author of Emotional Virtue: A Guide to Drama-Free Relationships. She is cohost of Ascension’s What We Believe: The Beauty of the Catholic Faith, filmed in Rome, as well as EWTN’s At the Heart of Relationships. Sarah is also a contributor to Ascension’s Chosen. She resides in Atchison, Kansas with her wonderful husband, Dr. Andrew Swafford, and their children: Thomas, Fulton, Cate, Kolbe, and John Paul. You can find more information and connect with Sarah at www.theswaffords.com.

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Morning Keynote in Spanish
Sr. Mary Peter, SOLT
Sister of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity
Talk title:  Creada para el amor: Hija, Hermana, Amiga, Novia, Madre

What Sr. Mary Peter will talk about:
[This talk will be in Spanish] No matter what our state in life, married, single, or consecrated, every woman is created by God for love, that is to receive love and to give herself away in love. As women, we do this in five primary ways, as daughter, sister, friend, bride, and mother. Through each of these ways of relating to God and others, a woman discovers who she is and becomes a transformative and life-giving presence for others. In her opening keynote, Sister Mary Peter will lead us in a reflection on each of these feminine identities and help us understand how we can enter into them more deeply and live them more fruitfully in all of our relationships.

Learn more about Sr. Mary Peter:
Sister Mary Peter is a Sister of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity. She made perpetual vows in 2010 and has served in Mexico, Belize, and several places in the United States. She is currently serving in Detroit, Michigan as a mental health counselor with Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan. She received a graduate degree in Theology from Augustine Institute in 2013 and another in Counseling from Divine Mercy University in 2022. In addition, she received a certification in spiritual direction from the Cenacle School of Spiritual Direction in 2016. She is passionate about helping people heal at the natural level so that they can enjoy the spiritual freedom for which they are created.

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Afternoon Keynote in Spanish
Fr. Remigio Morales
St. Agatha–St. James Parish, Philadelphia
Talk title:  Hija: Construida sobre roca

What Fr. Remi will talk about:
[This talk will be in Spanish] Of all the ways that a woman is called to be in a relationship, the most foundational one is to be a daughter.   God created us first and foremost so that He could pour His own infinite love into us in a Father-daughter relationship. We as women are often tempted to give and give without thought to our need to first receive.  Join Father Remigio, for an inspiring talk on every woman’s need to experience herself as a beloved daughter of the Father. He will show us how this primary identity is the one that makes us capable of the other four: being a friend, bride, sister, and mother to others.  He will help us identify and heal from the root wounds that often prevent us from entering into our daughterhood and show us how to enter into the love of the Father, reclaiming the “glorious freedom of the children of God.”

Learn more about Fr. Remi:
Father Remigio Morales, SCV, was born in Lima, Peru. He has a master’s degree in Dogmatic Theology. He is certified in Theological Anthropology and has a specialization in Spiritual Direction. Before discovering his vocation to the priesthood, he studied humanities at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, where he began to question himself about issues related to human existence and the meaning of life. After encountering Jesus in the Catholic Church, he entered the Sodalicio de Vida Cristiana (SCV). He considers himself a lover of nature, art, and silence. Today, as a priest, he dedicates himself to family ministry, the apostolate with young people, and teaching theology. He also serves as the Director of Spirituality for the Newman Center at Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania.

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Claudine Noel
Board certified life coach and physician
Talk title: Daughter: Built Upon Rock

What Claudine will talk about:
Of all the ways that a woman is called to be in relationship, the most foundational one is to be daughter. God created us first and foremost so that He could pour His own infinite love into us in a Father-daughter relationship. We as woman are often tempted to give and give without thought to our need to first receive. Join Claudine for an inspiring talk on every woman’s need to experience herself as beloved daughter of the Father. She will show us how this primary identity is the one that makes us capable of the other four: being friend, bride, sister and mother to others. She will help us identify and heal from the root wounds that often prevent us from entering into our daughterhood and show us how to enter into the love of the Father, reclaiming the “glorious freedom of the children of God” (Rom 8:21).

Learn more about Claudine:
Claudine is a Catholic convert, physician and trauma-informed certified life coach.  She  helps other Catholic women heal their heart wounds so they can go from survival mode to thriving.  Learn more about Claudine and her ministry at https://www.femininegeniuscoaching.com/.

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Mallory Smyth
Wife, mother, speaker and content creator for Walking with Purpose
Talk title: Friend: Reclaiming Authentic Friendship

What Mallory will talk about:
We live in a world where friending someone has never been easier and yet true, tangible, authentic friendship is increasingly harder to find. We are connected to the entire world and are more lonely than at any other time in history. Why? How do we find true connection? How do we live in true friendship? Join Mallory as she opens up for us the true meaning of friendship. Through personal stories and Catholic teaching, Mallory will share how to cultivate genuine and life-giving friendship. Drawing from her time as a FOCUS missionary, Mallory will also help us discover how authentic friendship can be a vehicle for mission, serving as the vessel through which we bring Jesus to those who do not yet know Him.

Learn more about Mallory:
Mallory Smyth is a national speaker, writer, and content creator for Walking with Purpose. She is the author of the book, Rekindled, and has also written the WWP Bible Studies, Reclaiming Friendship and Rooted and Radiant. Mallory has been in full time ministry for the past 11 years. She joined Walking with Purpose out of a deep desire to help women come to know Christ personally through the transforming power of His word. Having worked with college students as a FOCUS missionary, and now in women’s ministry, it is her dream to see Catholics fall deeply in love with God and grab hold of the joy offered in the Gospel. Mallory lives in Denver with her husband Jared and their four daughters. Learn more about Mallory and her ministry at http://www.mallory-smyth.com/.

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Sisters of Life
(Sister’s name coming soon!)
Talk title: Sister: What Religious Women Reveal about Sisterhood*

What Sister will talk about:
We give the title “Sister” to women who have consecrated their lives to Jesus through the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. In this talk, we will explore the meaning of the consecrated life and the mission of consecrated women in the world and in the Church. Through these reflections, we will seek to discover together what religious women reveal about every woman’s vocation to be “sister” to others, both to our actual siblings but also to every person who is, in reality, our brother or sister in Christ. This talk is especially for religious/consecrated women, women discerning the consecrated life and of course, any woman who wants to enter more deeply into her identity as sister.

*Space is limited for this breakout session and it will close when capacity is full.  

Learn more about Sister:
Founded in 1991 by Cardinal John O’Connor in New York, the Sisters of Life are consecrated to protect and enhance the sacredness of human life. Living intimately with Jesus in Eucharistic prayer, the Sisters share in a vibrant community life and seek to imitate the Blessed Mother, bringing the consoling presence of Christ to all those they encounter. Their missions include serving vulnerable pregnant women and their unborn children; serving those suffering after an abortion through accompaniment and retreats, fostering a culture of life through evangelization and retreat works.

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Sarah Swafford
Wife, mother, international speaker and author
Talk title: Bride: Emotional Virtue in Marriage

What Sarah will talk about:
Whether from wounded pasts, other women, social media, or the environment around them, women face intense pressure and expectations, draining their confidence, interior identity, and overall pursuit of meaning in their lives. This can be especially challenging in our role as brides. Sarah targets this battle within by setting forth a vision of faith and virtue in the twenty-first century, one that focuses on unraveling the lies and building up truth in our beautiful, feminine hearts.

Learn more about Sarah:
Sarah Swafford is the founder of Emotional Virtue Ministries. She speaks internationally on a variety of topics including faith, relationships, and interior confidence. Engaging audiences of all
ages, Sarah shares her message at school assemblies, retreats, rallies, parishes, and conferences around the world including FOCUS and Steubenville Conferences in the United States and Canada. She is the co-author of Gift and Grit: How Heroic Virtue Can Change Your Life and Relationships and author of Emotional Virtue: A Guide to Drama-Free Relationships. She is cohost of Ascension’s What We Believe: The Beauty of the Catholic Faith, filmed in Rome, as well as EWTN’s At the Heart of Relationships. Sarah is also a contributor to Ascension’s Chosen. She resides in Atchison, Kansas with her wonderful husband, Dr. Andrew Swafford, and their children: Thomas, Fulton, Cate, Kolbe, and John Paul. You can find more information and connect with Sarah at www.theswaffords.com.

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