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By Mike Moran | The Michigan Catholic
Third annual ‘Life is a Gift’ to feature author Peter Kreeft, local speakers
DETROIT — For the third consecutive year, the Archdiocese of Detroit will host the Life Is A Gift Conference at Detroit’s Sacred Heart Major Seminary on Jan. 26.
The conference will focus on a pro-life message, spotlighting the theme “The Courage to Defend Life” and topics such as abortion.
“It all surrounds the theme of defending life and having the courage because that’s also the virtue. It’s all hand-in-hand with what we’re called to do as Catholics,” said Socorro Truchan, coordinator of the archdiocesan Marriage, Family and Pro-Life Office.
The day will begin with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron, who three years ago called for the conference to help celebrate life and spread the pro-life message.
The conference was started “as a way to showcase the sanctity and dignity of all human life across all stages of life, from conception to natural death,” said David Grobbel, associate director of Marriage, Family and Pro-Life for the archdiocese. “Each conference has highlighted different aspects of the gift of all human life.”
Following the Mass, there will be presentations by three keynote speakers: Kimberly Young, interim superintendent of archdiocesan Catholic schools; Peter Kreeft, a well-known Catholic author and professor of philosophy at Boston College; and local Franciscan Fr. Alex Kratz.
Young, whose presentation will focus on the responsibility of parents and educators in forming children in the virtues, hopes her speech first reaches out to parents.
“My hope is that participants will have a greater realization of the impact our lives and decisions have on young people and how we can us the virtues to model the Gospel values for children,” Young said. “Parents and teachers will be able to leave the session with practical ways to share the cardinal virtues with children.”
Young also hopes participants will focus more on life, rather than death.
“Our world lives in stark contrast to the Gospel values,” she said. “The Life Is a Gift Conference reminds us that our work is about life, not death. The Life Is A Gift Conference is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and live our Catholic faith.”
Kreeft will give two keynotes, the first focusing on the battle being waged against the culture of life by using satire in wit. The second keynote will aim to dismantle the pro-abortion argument.
After a presentation by Young and two by Kreeft, Young will announce the winner of the Life Is A Gift Student Contest Awards.
“Students created art, wrote songs, created videos and compositions based on the theme ‘Courage to Defend Life,’” Truchan said. “We have a bunch of different things that depict our theme.”
After the winners are announced and lunch is served, the audience will have an opportunity to ask questions to the speakers.
That will offer “feedback on real-life situations and concerns, to create dialogue on the spectrum of pro-life issues,” Grobbel said.
Lastly, Fr. Kratz will speak on the theme of the conference.
Organizers expect about 300 people to attend the event. Grobbel said he hopes those attending would come away with “a greater sense of confidence and empowerment to articulate the pro-life ethic and to engage the battle for the culture of life” and “for parents and educators to appreciate the importance of their roles to instill and develop in our children the virtues needed to oppose the cultural influences that seek to settle for less than the truth in pursuit of the good.”
The conference costs $40 and includes lunch and a light breakfast. A complete schedule, including topics and breakouts, can be found at www.aod.org/lifeisagift.
What: Third annual ‘Life is a Gift’ Conference
When: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 (Mass at 7:30 a.m.)
Where: Sacred Heart Major Seminary, 2701 Chicago Blvd., Detroit
Cost: $40
Register: Visit www.aod.org/lifeisagift or call (313) 237-5894. Registration ends Jan. 21.
