More than 1,200 women from across state receive encouragement, experience Christian sisterhood at Lansing conference
LANSING — They came from all seven dioceses in the state of Michigan. Some who attended this year's Michigan Catholic Women's Conference in Lansing even traveled across several states to hear a message about their value in the kingdom of God.
On Saturday, Oct. 10, more than 1,200 women — and some with babes in their arms — spent the day pondering questions from the Lord: “Would you open your heart a little more to me? Would you receive me? Would you spend a little more time with me?”
Sarah Kaczmarek, instructor and online facilitator with Encounter Ministries, gave the keynote address for the annual event, which is jointly sponsored by the seven Catholic dioceses of Michigan. This year theme was, “The Heart of Feminine Holiness,” based on Pope St. John Paul II’s 1988 apostolic letter, Mulieris Dignitatem.
The participants were called on to celebrate their sisterhood with Christ, and to encounter him in deeper way. “You are a crown of creation,” Kaczmarak said, inviting the 1,200 attendees — including more than 200 women from the Archdiocese of Detroit — to draw closer to Jesus.
Fr. Joe Krupp, a priest of the Diocese of Lansing and syndicated columnist and podcast host, invited the women to consider what they’re looking for, especially when going into confession. “99.9 percent of the time, I have an expectation” of how things will go, Fr. Krupp said, before adding, “the sins we confess are symptoms of a deeper thing.”
The priest, who is also pastor of Holy Family Parish in Grand Blanc, said despite humanity's brokenness, the Lord doesn't find his children too challenging.
“God doesn’t want to treat symptoms, he wants to treat the disease,” Fr. Krupp said.
Through a comedic retreat into a story about his cat, Fr. Krupp related an everyday experience with the need to surrender wholeheartedly. In the tale about a feral cat who would not be caught, Fr. Krupp said he learned he also needed to allow God to "catch" him.
“Lord catch me. You feed me, you care for me,” Fr. Krupp said. “Lord, just catch me and fix whatever’s broken in me.”
Fr. Krupp, like speaker Sheri Wohlfert who followed him, said people have a hard time surrendering to God out of fear. It is in that surrender, however, that healing comes.
“God wants us in heaven more than anything,” Fr. Krupp said. “He will not leave you alone, exposed and ashamed.”
The daylong event at the Lansing Center featured not only speakers, but confessions and Eucharistic adoration. A handful of women also took to the stage to share their testimonies of conversion and of God’s love in their lives.
“I am only the brush, He is the master,” said Anasthasia Tan, an artist whose inspiration comes from Scripture.
Tan shared how her love of scripturally inspired art helps not only her faith, but that of others. “Someone out there may need to be reminded of God’s love for them,” Tan said, presenting an image she painted during the conference.
Karen Ervin, principal of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic School in Plymouth in the Archdiocese of Detroit, said she accepted an invitation to speak this year because she wants to help strengthen women in their dignity.
“We need to build one another up,” Ervin said, adding, “So often we get caught up in the tsunami of the culture. My personal invitation is to let go of our fear and to surrender to the Lord.”
Cheryl Quin, one of the conference organizers, said women from all walks of life have been invited to the annual event. At the first conference in 2012, it was simply a diocesan event with about 300 women, Quin said.
Deb Amato, former chief of staff to Lansing Bishop Earl A. Boyea, encouraged Quin to expand the offering, including inviting women from all over the state.
“A group of deacon’s wives approached the bishop, saying, ‘We have all these men’s conferences; we want one just for women,’” recalled Quin. A group from the Diocese of Lansing visited other women’s conferences to get ideas, and brought them back to the bishop.
“Bishop (Boyea) has a heart for women,” Quin said, adding he backed the project, and has been part of it every year. “We’re so blessed,” she said.
This year's conference sold out to a limit of 1,200 women for the third time, but Quin said the conference still has room to grow.
“We want to get to 1,800,” Quin said, adding if there’s enough interest, the group can take over the whole first floor of the Lansing Center.
Each year, a planning committee gathers to discern the topic for the next event, pulling together a program to suit women of all ages. Accommodations were made so that nursing mothers could bring their babies, with the conference accessible to strollers and carriages.
Erin Looby-Carlson has emceed the event since it’s inception and said she’s impressed that the women come together each year to discern what the Lord wants to say.
“It’s not uncommon to hear women say that it’s been life-changing. Women leave here renewed and take this into their homes and their daily lives,” Looby-Carlson said.
“Indeed we are blessed by all the women here today,” Bishop Boyea commented before celebrating Mass at the close of the day.
The keynote speaker for next year's event, to be held Oct. 9, 2027, will be Debbie Herbeck, with a theme to be announced later. Quin said the planning committee will be gathering soon to pray about and discern what that will be. Anyone willing to be a parish ambassador, or to participate as a volunteer can find details here, or on the website at michigancwc.org.
