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March 11, 2021“Behold, I am a handmaid of the Lord” (Luke 1:38) marked this year's virtual Oklahoma Catholic Women's Conference.
On Feb. 27, more than 1,200 women from 25 states and two countries, including Canada, were invited to break away from the noise of daily life and renew their Catholic faith. Centering on prayer and renewal, this year’s conference invited women to meet the Lord where they are.
Keynote speakers included Kathryn Whitaker and Father Jacque Phillipe. Oklahoma musicians, Still Morning, led praise and worship, kicking off the conference with their song, “Storms.”
Meg Beckman, the new conference chairwoman, recalled the committee’s effort to ensure this year’s conference was possible in light of the uncertainties with the pandemic.
“So many of us need a spiritual boost from the Lord, a spiritual consolation to give us the strength to go forward and be his disciple,” Beckman said.
“Our hearts are like a landscape for the Lord to cover in ways he can make us holy and more like him. The conference met women where they are in their landscape.”
Natalie Mollman, promotions chairwoman for the conference, said there were many moments they didn't know what to do, but the Holy Spirit provided for them time and again.
“It has been beautiful to see the Holy Spirit move so much,” Mollman said. “Another committee person said it best: It’s cool to see how much the Holy Spirit loves the women of Oklahoma.”
New this year were “Blessing Boxes” given to the first 300 registrants. Sent by mail, these boxes were filled with Catholic-themed gifts donated by vendors. Door prizes also were mailed to randomly selected registrants.
Archbishop Coakley provided an opening reflection and prayer, encouraging women, “As we face unprecedented and uncertain times, we need faith-filled mothers, sisters and friends to provide steadfast prayer and structure to our families, communities, schools and parishes.”
Small groups were encouraged to meet, and women responded, with multiple small groups gathering throughout Oklahoma in homes and parishes. Online programs provided prompting questions for individual or small group discussions.
In her talk, “Behold,” Kathryn Whitaker, a convert to Catholicism, encouraged women to focus on four things: pray, trust, hope, be.
Whitaker, who gave birth to her preemie son, Luke, in 2009, was told by a priest she needed to stop praying like a nun and start praying like a mom. “Whatever your current vocation is,” she told the audience, “start praying like that.”
“Let your whole day be a prayer,” urged Whitaker, a mom to six children.
“Figure out where Jesus wants to meet you and invite him into that space. Prayer looks different, but it is necessary. Your prayer life is organic, it changes with your season, but it’s about showing up.”
This year looked different for Anita Semtner of Saint Benedict Catholic Church in Shawnee. Semtner has a tradition of taking her daughters, daughter-in-law and now granddaughters to the typically in-person annual conference.
“(I) enjoyed the first speaker and it’s true that she was a generation younger than (me), but the message that she had was a message that applies to everyone: pray according to the station of life we are in and how we are able,” Semtner said.
Vicki Middleton is a graduate student, mom, wife and active parishioner at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Mustang.
“This was my first conference, and it was a much-needed break with my fellow sisters in Christ from my parish. I enjoyed hearing the spirit-filled messages and look forward to attending for many years to come.”
Father Alex Kroll, associate pastor at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edmond and this year’s conference chaplain, reiterated the necessity of prayer in our daily life.
“We have to pray our vocation,” Father Kroll stressed. “If you start your day with prayer, time opens up throughout the day. Maybe you have a mountain of laundry, kids with sticky hands, your life is busy, there are obstacles. Offer him your first fruit and these obstacles are overcome with joy. Time opens up for everything else.”
Bishop David Konderla of the Diocese of Tulsa closed the virtual conference in prayer.
The pre-recorded conference garnered so many positive reviews, leadership extended the viewing link by two additional weeks, through March 14.
To donate or register for next year’s conference visit okcatholicwomen.com.
Eliana Tedrow is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
