February 10, 2010

How to live the good news: dramatist to show the way

All adult Catholics invited to Feb. 26-27 faith conference

By Julie Filby

After the Samaritan woman met Jesus at the well she was so inspired she immediately ran to tell people all about it (Jn 4:28-29). The Bible is filled with stories of encounters where people were compelled to run and share their good news.

Keynote presenter at the Feb. 26-27 Living the Catholic Faith Conference, ValLimar Jansen, hopes this year’s conference will offer that kind of transformative experience.

“People will be energized when they take what they hear and experience at the conference, and immediately go out and share it,” said Jansen—a recording artist, author and biblical storyteller. “Sometimes that’s within our own household, or in our own parish.”

In her keynote presentation Friday, “Living, breathing, moving in the word of God,” Jansen will encourage attendees to tap into the Word of God that’s already inside them.

“As Catholics, we have the wonderful opportunity to go to Mass to partake in the real presence of Christ and the proclaimed word of God,” she said. “I want to help people ‘amp up’ the power of the Word of God that’s already there, within them.”

Jansen will incorporate song and movement into her presentation.

“The Word of God isn’t only in our heart and minds—I try to put it in our bodies,” she said. “I’ll have people moving around, reminding them that ‘In Him we live and move and have our being’” (Acts 17:28).

Because she travels the country for 90-100 events per year, Jansen has a chance to see the Church in North America from many different perspectives.

“I see a real yearning and need to make faith count,” she said. “People are tired of doing it as an obligation—that obligation mentality is going away.

“People want to make their faith count ‘24/7,’” she said. “And that’s really cool.”

At the conference Jansen will also present a workshop titled “Creation, redemption and transformation.” Using stories and songs inspired by Scripture, the workshop will help individuals understand how to apply the power of faith to their particular circumstances.

“Regardless of individual situations, there’s power available to all of us to walk us through those situations,” she said. “But the power doesn’t come on our own—we need to ‘get out of the way’ and allow the Holy Spirit to flow through us.”

The two-day conference will also feature keynote addresses by biblical scholar Tim Gray, and sexuality and marriage expert Janet Smith; more than 20 workshops; eucharistic adoration and confession; and a private screening of the award-winning documentary “The Human Experience.”

Registration includes access to nearly 100 Catholic vendors and organizations in the exhibits hall. A list of exhibitors is available online at www.archden.org/lcfc2010. 

“It’s really a unique once-a-year opportunity to have all these resources in one location,” said Don Schneider, director of evangelization and catechesis for the Western Slope, Northern Area and Eastern Plain parishes of the archdiocese. “These vendors can put resources in your hands that you can use to share your faith at home, at work and in the parish.”

The conference begins Friday with Mass celebrated by Denver Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M., Cap. Saturday commences with Mass celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop James D. Conley.

Saturday’s line-up will also include workshops and presentations in Spanish by Most Rev. Oscar Cantú, S.T.L., auxiliary bishop of San Antonio; Father Juan Puigbó, director of Sol Vocational Institute, a ministry of the Diocesan Laborer Priests;

Liliana Flores, Hispanic youth ministry coordinator for the archdiocese; and Renato Sander, a consecrated layman of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae community. Bishop Cantú will deliver presentations in both Spanish and English.
The theme of this year’s conference is “I have chosen you” (Jn 15:16).

LIVING THE CATHOLIC FAITH CONFERENCE

Who: All adult Catholics are invited to attend
When: Friday, Feb. 26 - Saturday, Feb. 27
Where: Korbel Ballroom, Colorado Convention Center, 1700 14th St., Denver
Register/Information: www.archden.org/lcfc2010
Cost: $85 two days/$65 one day, group discounts available
Questions: e-mail lcfc@archden.org or call 303-715-3260