Event Type : Youth & Young Adult

Father Eric Scanlan presents, “St. Teresa of Avila: Saint, Mystic, Carmelite Reformer”

St. Teresa of Avila was recognized as the first woman doctor of the church by Pope Paul VI in 1970. At the time, this honor had been given to only 30 saints of the Roman Catholic church. St. Teresa earned this place in the church for her reform work and mystical ideas on mental prayer, inspiring generations of Christians.

Deacon Kevin McKenney presents, “I was in prison, and you visited Me.” – Mt.25

This verse is from Matthew 25:36. It is part of a passage where Jesus speaks about the importance of caring for others, emphasizing that acts of kindness and compassion towards those in need are seen as acts of kindness towards Him.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane presents, “A Q & A Session”

Most Reverend Bishop Frank J. Dewane serves as the spiritual leader of approximately 250,000 Catholics in the 10-county Diocese of Venice in Florida. He was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006 as the second Bishop of the Diocese.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane was named Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Venice in Florida by Pope Benedict XVI on April 25, 2006, and on January 19, 2007, he was installed in his current role as Bishop of the Diocese.

In addition to holding a degree from the University of Wisconsin, Bishop Dewane also completed studies at The American University in Washington, D.C., as well as from Pontifical Gregorian University and Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, both in Rome.

Prior to entering the seminary, Bishop Dewane worked for the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) in Moscow, Russia, and then for a subsidiary of PepsiCo in New York City.

Ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Green Bay in 1988, Bishop Dewane was appointed in 1991 to serve as a member of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York City, during which time he represented the Holy See at several international conferences. In 1995, he was transferred to the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum” and was later appointed Under Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

Bishop Dewane serves on the Ad Hoc Committee against Racism, and Subcommittee for the Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugees and Travelers for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Bishop Dewane previously served on several committees at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops including the Committee for Domestic Justice and Integral Human Development (past Chair), Committee for International Justice and Peace.

Bishop Dewane is a member of the Board of Directors of the Franciscan Foundation for the Holy Land, and is the Episcopal Liaison for Catholic Charities, USA.

Mr. Joshua Mazrin Author of Led by the Immaculata: St. Maximilian Kolbe’s Spiritual Battle Plan for Marian Consecration

St. Maximilian Kolbe is one of the most well-known and well-loved saints of all time. Many are familiar with the story of his selfless act at Auschwitz, where he sacrificed his own life to save a man who was a husband and father. But do you know about Kolbe’s deep love for Mary, whom he called the Immaculata? How he surrendered everything to Our Lady to grow in holiness and align his will to the will of God? How he consecrated his life to Mary?

In Led by the Immaculata, Joshua Mazrin, a Kolbe devotee and Mariology expert, will

introduce you to St. Maximilian Kolbe, explain the meaning of consecration and the objectives of the Knights of the Immaculata, walk you through the fourteen doable and practical steps of the consecration, and provide a step-by-step plan for completing the consecration.

Kolbe taught that by giving our lives completely to Mary, the Immaculata, she would direct our will to the will of the Holy Spirit–that is, the will of God. Kolbe wanted this message shared far and wide and so founded the Knights of the Immaculata with the goal of consecrating as many people as possible to Mary and her son.

Each step of the consecration journey is explained in practical and theological terms, making it accessible to all, regardless of vocation or age. While Kolbe initially targeted men, the principles of holiness are equally relevant to women. The book concludes by empowering you–men and women alike–to be evangelists for the Immaculata and the Gospel and to be spiritual leaders in your family, workplace, and community.

Led by the Immaculata invites you to embrace a deeper devotion to Mary and emulate Kolbe’s path to holiness through the practical application of the fourteen steps in your daily life.