Hundreds gather for annual women’s conference

By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press

WEBSTER – Faith, family and fellowship were highlights of the 2023 Worcester Catholic Women’s Conference, which drew about 375 participants to St. Joseph Elementary School. 
Held Oct. 7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, the conference promoted the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph as models for male and female and family, said Corinn Dahm, emcee. She said it was powerful to have a relic of St. Joseph for veneration.
Addressing the theme, “Male and female he created them,” speakers talked about the complementarity of the sexes and gave suggestions for addressing present-day challenges, including abortion and same-sex attraction. 
Worcester diocesan seminarians Christopher Kopacko, Isaac Cross and John Sullivan spoke briefly about confession. Participants could go to confession, visit 33 exhibitor tables, and sign a “spiritual bouquet” promising prayers for Bishop McManus who was unable to attend the conference as he was recovering from minor surgery. One of the speakers, Father Derek A. Mobilio, associate pastor of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Grafton, led the morning adoration. Msgr. Richard F. Reidy, vicar general, celebrated the closing Mass. 
Msgr. Reidy preached about Adam and Eve, and the vineyard tenants in the day’s Gospel, disregarding God’s plan, and being expelled from the garden and vineyard. 
When we replace God’s plan with our own, society, marriage and family break down, Msgr. Reidy said. Confession is like weeding the garden, the Eucharist, fertilizing it, and prayer, watering it. 
Conference prayers included the rosary, eucharistic adoration and silent reflection, in response to messages of the Blessed Mother connected with her apparitions near Fatima, Portugal. 
In his talk, Father Mobilio spoke about these apparitions and urged participants to pray the rosary, offer sacrifices and consecrate themselves to the Blessed Mother.
He noted that people wish some things were different in the Church, nation and family. For example, a parent might say, “My children don’t practice the faith” or “One of my children says she’s lesbian; I don’t know what to do.”
“We can get lost in that fog,” Father Mobilio said. “Then we remember that [Mary’s] immaculate heart will triumph in the end.” He noted that Jesus said, “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” (Jn 16:33)
 
“The Holy Spirit just seems to be alive,” Patricia Krzywicki-Bryant, of St. Denis Parish in Ashburnham, said, marveling at the truth speakers proclaimed and speaking of being moved to tears.
“I am very, very thrilled about everything,” said her fellow parishioner Sylvia Hayes, a first-time attendee. “The speakers have amazing insights. I’m going to recommend it [attending the Women’s Conference] to whoever I meet.” 
Donna Allard, of St. Cecilia Parish in Leominster, said the speakers were knowledgeable, entertaining and kept listeners’ interest.
The conference helps people “encourage one another in the faith,” said Grace Small of Attleboro. 
“It feels like coming home, because I was away from the Catholic Church … 36 years,” said Kristi Richard, of Our Lady of Hope in Grafton. “It’s been a remarkable experience to share it with these women. God called me to come.”
“It’s really a huge effort by a team of people who work all year,” said Mrs. Dahm. “They help me grow in my faith.”

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