Epiphany

Women from across Michigan are invited to come together for a day rooted in The Heart of Feminine Holiness—to encounter Christ, deepen their faith, and experience the gift of sisterhood in Him.

Throughout the day, women will be encouraged and inspired through powerful Catholic speakers, uplifting praise and worship, and the celebration of Holy Mass with our bishops. Together, we will reflect on the beauty of the feminine “genius” and the fruits of feminine holiness, as so beautifully affirmed by Pope St. John Paul II.

The conference will be held on October 10, 2026, at the Lansing Center in Lansing, Michigan.

Sheri Wohlfert is a passionate, joyful, coffee-loving daughter of God! She uses her great sense of humor and her deep faith to help others discover the joy of being a child of God. Her roots are in Kansas, but her home is in Westphalia, Michigan. Sheri and her husband Dave have been married more than thirty years. She is the mother of three adult children and the grandmother of three adorable little humans! Sheri has a degree in Secondary education from Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas and a Masters degree in Elementary Education from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Keri Tarrant is a Catholic evangelist, speaker, and retreat leader with a deep love for Jesus, Our Lady and the mission of the Church. She is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in education and has also studied at Ave Maria college. She tells us about St. Athanasius Parish in Harrison, MI and their upcoming Women’s Retreat this Saturday October 3rd.

Dr. Leisa Marie Carzon and Sr. Deirdre Byrne, M.D. will be speaking October 6th at the Downriver Focus on Life Dinner at Crystal Gardens in Southgate. Click here for more information and to register!

Dr. Leisa Marie Carzon is the best-selling author of Sister, Soldier, Surgeon: The Life and Courage of Sister Deirdre Byrne, M.D., She is president and chairman of the board of a Catholic medical clinic, an assistant professor of education and Catholic School Leadership Graduate Program director at Madonna University, President of Plymouth Right to Life, and founder of the St. Thomas Aquinas Scholarship Fund for Religious. As Michigan’s former State Director for Catholic Vote, she led their nation’s largest grassroots group for rallying the 2020 prolife vote.

She has served as a development executive and as a consultant for Catholic nonprofit organizations. Her nationwide research initiatives in the field of Catholic school leadership led to a new model of Catholic School Leadership and her research in collaboration with the Cardinal Newman Society have significant implications for Catholic education.

We are talking about this Sunday, October 4th, being National Life Chain Sunday.It started back in 1987 and has grown each year. Debbie Bloomfield will tell us all about it and how listeners can participate at 100+ locations in Michigan.Many Life Chains continue to be held throughout the U.S. and Michigan. 20 will be held Downriver and more in metro Detroit. The national website lifechain.org map shows the whole USA participating as links in the chain of prayer. Thousands of people will be praying and witnessing to the value and Sanctity of every life along major roadways.

Debbie Bloomfield is the Michigan Life Chain coordinator. – “I’ve been an activist all my life. My volunteer activities center on faith, pro-family and pro-life. My husband is Deacon Richard Bloomfield. We are parishioners at Our Lady of the Scapular in Wyandotte where he is deacon. I’ve been involved with Call to Holiness since it began in 1996, first with the youth conferences and now as vice president.”

The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer by Fr. John Bartunek is a work praised as substantive, meditative, and flexible — a practical guide to Christian meditation followed by prayerful commentary on all four Gospels in their entirety.

Every reflection in the app is drawn from its pages. Many readers want both: the treasured volume for the shelf and the study desk, and the app for the daily commute and the quiet moment. Click here to get the app!

Fr. John Bartunek, LC, S.Th.D, is a priest of the Legionaries of Christ. He received his BA in History from Stanford University in 1990. He comes from an evangelical Christian background and became a member of the Catholic Church in 1991. After college, he worked as a high school history teacher, drama director, and baseball coach. He then spent a year as a professional actor in Chicago before entering religious life in 1993. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 2003 and earned his doctorate in moral theology in 2010. He has taught moral theology at various ecclesiastical institutions at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. He provided spiritual support on the set of Mel Gibson’s film, The Passion of the Christ, and wrote Inside the Passion, the film’s only authorized, behind-the-scenes explanation.

Fr. John has contributed news commentary regarding religious issues on NBC, CNN, Fox, and the BBC. He is an accomplished author whose most widely known books are “The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer” and “60 Days to Becoming a Missionary Disciple“. His online Catholic Retreat Guides series are available in multiple formats on Regnumchristi.com. Fr. John resides in Atlanta, serving as Territorial Director for the Legionaries of Christ.

Join Maria V. Gallagher as she distills Sheen’s teaching and example, revealing his prescription for joyful living — something as relevant today as it was when he first appeared on TV screens across America in the 1950s. This book is a reminder that this holy priest was a keen cultural observer whose insights continue to provide enlightenment in our 21st-century world. By mining the gems of his writing and talks, we can find nuggets of knowledge that will lead us to experience joy not only in this world, but the next. Click here to buy!

MARIA V. GALLAGHER is an award-winning author, journalist, public speaker, and life coach, who now works to protect the rights of pregnant women, their children, the frail elderly, and people with disabilities. She is the author of the Encounters with Mary Rosary series and Mercy’s Power: Inspiration to Serve the Gospel of Life, all from Marian Press.

The United Saints of America? The “big S” saints — those raised to the altar by the Catholic Church — have traversed our land, sea to shining sea, from St. Isaac Jogues in the East to St. Junípero Serra in the West. To mark our nation’s 250th birthday, join veteran journalist and passionate storyteller Peggy Stanton on a tour of all 50 states and the District of Columbia, under the guidance of our patroness, the Blessed Mother, in search of the famous and not-so-famous shrines, those least recognized but with wonderful, intriguing back stories.

Peggy Stanton is also the author of “From the White House to the White Cross.” She’s a Dame of the Order of Malta. Peggy was ABC News’ first female Washington correspondent. She has hosted programs on Ave Maria Radio including Power from the Pews. Her first book was “The Daniel Dilemma: The Moral Man in the Public Arena.”

In December of 2012, Jennifer’s daughter, Catherine Violet, was tragically killed in the Sandy Hook school shooting. Fourteen years later, Jennifer takes readers on a journey as she writes about how she learned to forgive in the midst of unimaginable grief.

In this heartfelt memoir, she explains why. As she beckons the reader in her introduction, “Come sit with me awhile. I can assure you that this journey may begin in a place of brokenness, but ends in a sunrise of peace.”

Article she wrote: How God helped me forgive after my daughter’s death at Sandy Hook

Jennifer Hubbard is the president and executive director of the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary, which she founded in memory of her daughter. She is a national Catholic speaker and retreat leader.

Archbishop Sheen will be beatified tomorrow. Ignatius press has re-released “The Power of Love” for the occasion.

Bishop Sheen discusses the radical transformation of love from the Catholic perspective which has helped change the world as we know it. He embarks on a series of exquisite meditations on love – its nature, power and relevance for modern man. Written with his usual clarity and brilliance, this work gets right to the heart of the matter, presenting penetrating insights into the various aspects of love in such a way that the reader is stirred to a deeper realization of the crucial role love must play in his everyday life.

Mike Aquilina is the award-winning author of more than seventy books on Catholic history, doctrine, and devotion. His works have been translated into many languages. He has hosted eleven television series and several documentary films and is a frequent guest on Catholic radio. His website is fathersofthechurch.com.

Fr. Peterman tells us all about St. Anne’s in Warren and promotes their 53rd Annual Sausage Festival coming up this weekend!

Fr. Derik Peterman has joyfully served as pastor of St. Anne Catholic Parish and School in Warren for more than a year. He first felt called to the priesthood at age ten and later began seriously discerning his vocation while studying physics and competing on the track team at Michigan State University. After graduating, he entered seminary and was ordained a priest in 2019.

Before coming to St. Anne, Fr. Derik served at Our Lady of Sorrows in Farmington, Our Lady of Refuge in Orchard Lake and St. Gabriel Parish in Ida and Dundee. He is grateful to be part of the St. Anne community and takes great pride in the parish’s annual Sausage Festival, a beloved tradition that brings parishioners, school families and the wider community together.