January Ministry Conference will draw hundreds of faithful

If someone wants to learn about the Catholic faith or just gain a deeper understanding of it, the 26th annual Ministry Conference in Corpus Christi is the place to go.

About 800 people from 69 parishes in the Diocese of Corpus Christi are set to attend the conference, Margaret Alarilla, director of religious education for the diocese, said. The year's theme is the "The Family Fully Alive."

Alarilla has co-chaired the event for the past five years with Jaime Reyna, director of youth ministry for the diocese.

The conference is set to take place from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 10, 2015, at the American Bank Center, and will feature 14 nationally-recognized speakers on topics ranging from "Laughter: The Sanity of Family," to "Faithful Citizenship and the Family."

The conference is open to all people wanting to know more about the Catholic faith.

Pre-registration for the conference ends Dec. 5, for $30 per person. Workshop options will be available on the day of the conference, when registrations will be accepted for $40. The registration fee includes a hot meal and parking, Alarilla said.

The day will begin with Bishop Michael Mulvey celebrating Mass, followed by keynote speaker James Healy, director of the Center for Family Ministry of the Catholic diocese of Joliet, Ill. Healy will speak on "Making Happiness a Habit: Four Steps to a More Joyful Marriage."

After the keynote address, the first workshops will be offered, followed by lunch. The second and third workshop sessions will take place after lunch.

This year's conference includes a Youth track; a Spanish track; and childcare for children aged three to 10.

The children's ministry will feature the Catechesis of The Good Shepherd, a Montessori-based approach to formation, Alarilla said. This ministry will take place while everyone else meets in workshops throughout the day.

Speaker Roy Petitfils will give three workshops for the Youth Track, including "YOLO" (You Only Live Once)-Making Your One Life Count;" "What Young People Want Us to Know but Don't Tell Us;" and "It is What it is, but it Can be What You Make of It."

Three speakers will give workshops in Spanish and English. Hector Molina, Catholic speaker and apologist with more than 20 years experience in professional pastoral ministry and leadership in the Church, will speak on "Fishers of Men or Keepers of the Aquarium."

Rita Martinez, an educational consultant with Loyola Press, with 31 years experience as a youth minister and Catholic schoolteacher, will give a workshop on "Forming, Maintaining and Empowering Catechists in Your Parish."
Victor Valenzuela, a national religion consultant for bilingual resources at William H. Sadlier, who has 25 years of experience in Catholic ministry, will speak on "Five Ways to Incorporate Families in Religious Education."
Other speakers and topics at the conference are:

• Marco Crawford: "Faithful Citizenship and the Family;"
• Madonna Healy: "Families are Called to Dance, Even if Someone is Out of Step;"
• Ray Guarendi: "Laughter: The Sanity of Family;"
• Monica Gatlin: "One Family's Life as the Domestic Church;"
• Angela Franks: "Gospel of Life: Persons Fully Alive;"
• Father Jeffrey Kirby: "Our Christian ABC's: Acknowledgment & Adoration; Believing and Belonging; Conversion and Community;"
• John Leonetti: "Mission of the Family;" and
• Kevin Prevou: "Working Together to Create a Culture of Safety: Protecting Our Youth From Cyber, Physical, Social and Verbal Bullying" and "We Are Family­Imperfect, Messy and God's Greatest Gift."

For more information about the conference, go to www.diocesecc.org.