March 5, 2010

Women’s conference aspires for spiritual fulfillment during Lent

Katie Lewis, Tennessee Register 

March 27’s Catholic Women of Faith conference is the fifth anniversary of the symposium for women, and Tammy Evevard said there is still a great deal to rejoice.

“There is much to celebrate about being a woman, and some of it is silly, like shoes matching your outfit, and some much deeper than that, like our ability to bring life into the world,” said Evevard, a speaker at the event.

The conference, as the name suggests, is exclusively for women. The seminar for men, also held at St. Philip Catholic Church in Franklin, is March 6. By separating the sexes, each is “reminded of the gift we are to the world,” Evevard said.

Sheri Isham, founder and president of the Catholic Women of Faith conference, said it can be difficult for women to find the time to put on hold the duties they take on and make time for themselves spiritually. She was inspired by a non-denominational conference she attended about 15 years ago to do something for her fellow Catholic women.

“Lent is a time when we empty ourselves of many worldly things, and I would like to invite women to come be spiritually filled at the conference,” Isham said. “I would especially like to appeal to women with small children, because it was at that stage of life that I struggled to break away and attend the conference that was so uplifting and inspiring and, in turn, strengthened me to organize and provide our conference many years later.”

Several of those involved in this year’s conference agreed, saying women often find it difficult to temporarily leave their functions as mothers, sisters, wives, friends, co-workers, chauffeurs, dog-walkers and the like for a day to reflect on their inner selves and relationships with God.

“As women, we are often so busy saving the children and saving the whales and saving the world, we forget to save ourselves,” said LeAnn Thieman, nationally acclaimed professional speaker and author.

In 1975, Thieman volunteered to go to Vietnam to bring babies back to their U.S. adoptive homes. As part of President Gerald Ford’s Operation Babylift, Thieman helped load 100 babies into cardboard boxes in a cargo jet, she said.

“It is said one of the greatest needs in this world is the need to be understood,” said Thieman, who co-wrote “Chicken Soup for the Catholic Soul.” “How wonderful to gather women together with people who ‘get them’ and where they are free to share, learn, laugh and praise God together.”

Each year’s conference theme is “Come Be Blessed” with the intention that the expected 1,000 attendees will leave renewed and proud of their faith, said Isham, who called this year’s speakers an inspiring group.

Along with Evevard and Thieman, syndicated Catholic talk show host and motivational speaker Teresa Tomeo is scheduled to give a talk called “Extreme Makeover: Seeing Yourself Through the Eyes of Christ.” Tomeo left her job as a TV anchor for a life redirected toward “the advancement of His Kingdom and Church, as opposed to doing it my way for my own personal gain,” she said.

Christian music artist Jaime Thietten will perform at the conference. Thietten reflected Tomeo’s sentiment of reprioritizing one’s life for ultimate interior gain.

“All of the business success, hustle and bustle, money or fame will mean nothing if your first priorities are not loving God and loving and serving those around you,” she said. “The cool thing is that there are so many different ways to serve. We all have our own, special, God-given talents; it’s just a matter of figuring out His plan for us and how we are to use our talent in order to serve others.”

Though the gathering is meant for the emptying of oneself for spiritual fulfillment, it also exults in women’s individualities.

“Men and women are very different from each other – equal, but different,” said Evevard. “We complement each other and bring different things into the world, and the world is better because of that.”

Doors open for the event at 7:30 a.m., and Bishop David R. Choby will celebrate Mass an hour later. Following are the speakers, lunch catered by Merridees of Franklin, Adoration, Reconciliation, Thietten’s concert and the rosary. The conference adjourns at 4 p.m.

This year, attendees hail from Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. There is also a group of five that is planning to fly from Connecticut.

Information for the conference’s registration can be found at www.catholicwomenoffaithconference.com. The registration is $30 until March 16, when it changes to $35.