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Jul 30, 2017
Catholic Influencers&middot Faith

Catholic Speakers for Retreats, Days of Reflection, and Parish or School Events

SpeakersImage

Amy Brooks

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Philadelphia, PA and surrounding areas

Presentation Topics:

The Power of Prayer in the Pro-life Movement (the Spiritual Adoption Prayer);

Prayer Journaling*;

Considering Adoption to grow your family? What you need to know to get started.

Finding Yourself and Your Mission through Your Interests and Talents.

**How to “Be Yourself”; Who you are meant to be and why you are so important!

*Prayer Journaling is in the form of a hands on workshop!  This is a fun faith and fellowship event!

**This topic is geared toward Middle Schoolers and can also be presented to high school students.

Audiences:

Parish Communities,

School Students;

Teachers on Retreat or Days of Reflection:

High School and College Pro-life groups;

Women’s Prayer Groups;

and couples interested in pursuing adoption.

Contact info: 

Email Amy at [email protected]

Website: Prayer Wine Chocolate

Amy Cattapan

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Chicago, Illinois

Presentation Topics:

  • For students in grades 4 and up—“Be Not Afraid! God Has a Plan for Your Life, Too!” (an author talk at schools about how God called me to be a writer)
  • For students in grades 4 and up—“How to Pack a Punch in the Plot of Your Story” (a 40-minute writing workshop)
  • For writers and artists—“How to Tap Into Your God-Given Creativity” (a 90-minute workshop and presentation)
  •  For teachers, catechists, and youth ministers -“Instagram for Education and Evangelization”
  • For teachers, catechists, and youth ministers—“Pinterest for Planning: A Gold Mine of Info”
  • For writers—“Author Newsletters: Your Direct Marketing Plan”

Depends on topic, see above.

Contact:

[email protected]

Website link: www.ajcattapan.com

Kimberly Cook

Profile PicVirginia (VA/DC/MD)

Presentation Topics:
Femininity, Motherhood, Postpartum Depression,
Conversion,
Natural Family Planning (from a mental health and theological perspective),
The Church and Morality.
Audience:
women, faith groups
Contact:
[email protected]
Website:
TheLionOfDesign.com

Jeanie Egolf

JeanneE

Columbus, Ohio

Presentation Topics:

First Communion pep talk The Real Presence and Molly McBride;

2. Vocations awareness,

3. Putting your faith to work: life as a Catholic author/illustrator.

Audiences: Grade school students.

Contact:

[email protected]

Website:

Molly McBride and the Purple Habit

Michelle Gelineau

20216994_1806546519362114_1237042423_nMinneapolis, Minnesota Willing to travel in the U.S.

Presentation Topics:

Knowing Jesus Christ in a powerful, life-changing and personal relationship;
Learning about Christ’s love for you, the barriers that come between your relationship together,

Personal reflection, guided prayer with worship music
Contact:

[email protected]

Website:
www.givehim5.com

Michele Faehnle & Emily Jaminet

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Columbus, Ohio but will travel anywhere

Presentation Topics: 

  • Divine Mercy for Moms: Sharing the Lessons of St. Faustina
  • Our Friend Faustina: Lessons of Mercy for a Woman’s Life
  • Families of Mercy: Living out the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy in family life
  • A Day Hemmed in Prayer: Our Faith Journey as Catholic Women
  • The Friendship Project: Deepening and Developing our Relationships
  • Preparing Our Hearts for Christmas: Allowing Advent to Draw Us Closer To Jesus
  • Balancing Technology and Family Life
Idea audience:
Women but also do mixed groups for all presentations
Contact:
Michele Faehnle – [email protected]
websites: www.divinemercyformoms.com and www.thefriendshipprojectbook.com

Allison Gingras

Massachusetts.  Will travel anywhere.

AllisonG

Presentation Topics: 

Forgiveness and the Peace of Forgiving

Faith in the Every Day, Ordinary of Life

The Hope of Trusting in God

Seeking JOY!

Prayer and The Rosary for the Busy and Unfocused

Audience:  Women of any age.

Contact Information:

[email protected]

Call or Text: 508-243-1133

Website: Allison Gingras: Reconciled to You

Julia Harrell

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Washington, DC metro area; willing to travel pretty much wherever if travel expenses are covered. I do require some lead time for significant travel. 

Presentation Topics:
Virtue education and it’s role and place in the larger topic of character education.
More specific topics include virtue and storytelling, the role of literature in moral/ethical formation, and the role of virtue in a diverse and pluralistic culture.
Ideal Audience:
Kids/teens AND parents/teachers/catechists. Obviously, the approach and details of the content differ depending on the age of my audience. When speaking with a younger audience, I love to talk about what virtue is, why it’s the key to an exciting and fulfilling life, and how to “train” like a saint. I’m also excited about speaking to adults to work with children and teens about the ways they can form them in virtue, and why that’s so important.
Contact Info:
 [email protected]
Website:
 www.julia-harrell.com

Christine Henderson

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Kansas City area and willing to travel within an hour radius of this metro area.

Topics: Every presentation includes a captivating story about one of the glorious saints. The saint’s story is then applied to whatever topic I am asked to speak upon. Prayer life as a busy mom (Saint Zelie Martin), First Communion/Honesty (Blessed Imelda Lambertini), and Forgiveness (Saint Maria Goretti) are just some of the many topics I can present to your group. I speak to adults and/or children. Interested in a family talk/activity? How about an “Evening with the Saints” where I will tell a few saint stories the whole family will enjoy and also have a couple of fun saint activities to do?

Please contact me via email at: [email protected]

My website is: www.PlayingwiththeSAINTS.com

Sterling Jaquith

Sterling-Headshot-Small

Boise, ID – willing to travel to the continental U.S. and maybe Canada

Presentation Topics:
I teach women very practical ways to strive for sainthood.  I have a talk about overcoming spiritual dryness. I also have several talks about Catholic minimalism. I often tailor these talks or create custom ones for Catholic homeschoolers.
Ideal audience:
Catholic women who are interested in personal development
Contact info/Website:
http://sterlingjaquith.com/

Ginny Kochis

Ginny

Northern Virginia/DC Metro area; willing to travel within a one hour radius of Springfield, VA.

Topics:

Gifted and Twice Exceptional Homeschooling; Homeschooling; Catholic Homeschooling: Catholic/Christian Womanhood;

Motherhood; Building Connections through Family Literacy;

Writing Workshops and classes.

Ideal audience:
Homeschool groups, Women’s groups,
Catholic/Christian writers’ groups.
Website: 

Not So Formulaic

Virginia Lieto

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Harrisburg, NC (willing to travel across US)

Topics: 
Morality (virtues my specialty);
Prayer and Spirituality
Ideal audience:
Catholic Adults looking to learn more about their faith
Contact info:
 [email protected]
Website link:
 http://virginialieto.com

Melody Lyons

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Northeast Ohio; willing to travel.

Presentation Topics:

Restoring Joy to Your Homeschool
Homeschooling During Difficult Times
Becoming the Healer in Your Home
Self-Care in a Life of Christian Service
My Conversion Story
Blogging for Christ: Monetizing Without Selling Your Soul
God’s Design for Our Bodies: A Natural Approach to Family Wellness
Ideal Audience:

My ideal audience is anyone open to the healing power of Jesus Christ in their lives… and perhaps even those who have never considered the possibility of Christ as Healer. My message resonates strongly with women who are struggling in the midst of the married vocation; but I have found that men are also extremely receptive for themselves, their families, and their wives.

One surprisingly receptive audience is young adults who have not yet discerned their vocation. Many are already experiencing a spiritual, physical, and emotional need for healing and deeply desire to enter into a life of service as healthy and joyful people.
Contact Information
I welcome speaker inquiries at [email protected] or through the contact form on my website here: https://www.theessentialmother.com/speaking/
Website:
https://www.theessentialmother.com/
https://www.theessentialmother.com/

Carmela Martino

PR BW portrait

Chicago; will travel up to 3 hours driving distance from Chicago.

Presentation Topics/Audiences:

Writing and the research process (students in grades 4 – 12)

What it takes to be a published author (Adults interested in learning about writing)

Contact information:

[email protected]

Website:

http://www.carmelamartino.com/bio.htm

Jeanette Marie Pascua

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Jeanette is a Creighton FertilityCare Practitioner

Riverside, California and am willing to travel a 3 hour radius for now.

Presentation Topics: NFP (the science and morality aspects); Theology of the Body; Sexual Morality.I also present a “10 practical ways to be Pro-life” talk.

Audiences: RCIA groups, Pre-Cana couples, Youth groups, Young adults and Marriage ministers.
Best way to contact me for now is through my website: http://www.restorefertilitycare.com/get-started

Samantha Povlock

SamanthaS

Located: Chicago, open to travel anywhere in the U.S.

Presentation Topics:

Catholic feminism and ProLife feminsim

Ideal Audience: Young women (teens to young adults)

Contact me at [email protected]

FemCatholic.com

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Katie Sciba

Omaha, NE but travels nationwide for talks and retreats

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Topics:
Vulnerability, overcoming brokenness, finding bravery by God’s grace,
why prayer in marriage and as an individual is necessary for personal strength and happiness,
having a personal relationship with Jesus and the saints,
marriage and money (more topics are listed on my site: http://thecatholicwife.net/speaking/)
Ideal audience:
adult women with the occasional mixed audience
Website:
http://thecatholicwife.net/speaking/

Adrienne Thorne

Adrienne

San Diego area, willing to travel to Los Angeles area, possibly farther with travel compensation.

Presentation Topics

Catholic media literacy

Being a Catholic/Christian artist

Finding God in movies/TV,

Chastity in dating/marriage

Ideal Audience

Catholic young adults, but open to speaking to other audiences as well.

Contact:

[email protected]

Website link:

https://thorneintheflesh.com/

Lindsey West

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Northern California and willing to travel anywhere in the United States.

Presentation Topics:

For middle schoolers and high schoolers, I present on prayer, living the faith practically for middle schoolers and teens, apologetic topics as a re-vert to the Catholic faith, and Theology of the Body and relationships.

For Youth Ministry, Faith Formation, and other Parish Leaders, I present

Going deeper with middle schoolers, best practices in retreats, partnering with parents in ministry, ecclesial integration of disability communities, and autism inclusion.

Audiences: Middle school and high school youth groups and retreatants. The second audience(s) include primarily Youth Ministers and their Core Teams, Faith Formation Coordinators and their Catechists, as well as parish staff (particularly for the ecclesial integration and autism inclusion pieces).

[email protected]

Website link: autism and disability blog – www.uniquelycatholic.org or personal, broad ministry interest – lindseyawest.wordpress.com

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cecilia Escobedo says

    July 31, 2017 at 11:43 am

    What a great group of ladies and amazing resources.

    • Amy says

      July 31, 2017 at 1:39 pm

      Thanks Ceci!

  2. Kirby Hoberg says

    July 31, 2017 at 1:37 pm

    Thanks for putting these together Amy! It’s so nice to have a consolidated list. Occasionally someone will throw out an idea for an event that needs a speaker and going through individual websites can be a real time sink. This is super helpful!

    • Amy says

      July 31, 2017 at 4:31 pm

      Thanks Kirby!!!

  3. Jen says

    July 31, 2017 at 2:50 pm

    Awesome ladies! Great list 🙂

  4. Ginny says

    July 31, 2017 at 7:29 pm

    Beautifully done! You are such a blessing to this community, Amy!

    • Amy says

      August 2, 2017 at 3:56 am

      Thank you Ginny!!!

  5. Sara @ To Jesus Sincerely says

    August 1, 2017 at 8:16 am

    I hope to join the ranks someday!

    • Amy says

      August 2, 2017 at 3:56 am

      Definitely!

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Amy is the Co-Founder of CatholicsOnline.net

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GUIDE: How to Plan your Own Prayer Wine Chocolate Retreat

Be Yourself! Journal

Journal for tweens and teens

prayerwinechocolate

I’m Amy Brooks, I connect Catholics! Make Catholic friends that love a GNO! Attend a retreat, start a parish group! Author of Be Yourself Journals 🙂

When I was a little girl, I vaguely remember a sil When I was a little girl, I vaguely remember a silver and blue medal fastened to my school uniform with a pin. My mom put that medal on my uniform. I don’t remember asking any questions, but I still think that blue was so pretty.
Fast forward about 9 years, and another memory surfaces… my Dad took our family to a church in a neighborhood we had to drive to. I remember parking across the street and entering the front doors of the @miraculousmedal Shrine. I recall the pads of paper placed on the marble in front of the different statues. These little memo 📝 pads were notes to God, asking Our Lady to intercede for us. I loved that I could write an intention but that one of the suggestions was “for a Catholic boyfriend” I was 15, I checked that box.
But honestly, I wasn’t a “Mary” person when it came to prayer.
Any personal prayer addressed Jesus or God.
10 years later my friend’s Mom gave me a Miraculous Medal keychain. I put it on my keys and life went on…

And over a decade later… it was that shrine I went to with this big idea about a Catholic gift guide and a giveaway.

But confession, many times in between those years each and every time I was going through something hard,I visited that place.
I poured my hearts desires on those little memo papers.
I asked Our Blessed Mother to pray for me.
I begged God to answer my prayers.

And He did.

Without me knowing the details of the Miraculous Medal.
But that time I went in there with the gift guide and giveaway idea… I was asked if I was only going to write one blog post.

That question inspired a second.
I researched the Miraculous Medal and read that Our Lady promised graces, especially to those who wore it around their neck.

More graces? Yes please 

I wrote a post…” 5 Reasons Why I wear a Miraculous Medal and maybe You Should Too”.
Church Pop @churchpop asked if they could publish it.
It went viral… at least viral for me.

And a few weeks ago, I brought about 30 women there for a retreat.

I didn’t pursue Mary, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal… I pursued her Son.
My pursuit was sloppy.
Like any mother, she couldn’t resist helping me a little.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you
No one is EVER beyond God’s abundant love, generos No one is EVER beyond God’s abundant love, generosity and power.

#Hope #yearofhope #empireofhope #Godismerciful
10 years!!!!! #prayerwinechocolate #prayerwarrior 10 years!!!!!

#prayerwinechocolate #prayerwarriors #catholicsonline
Here it is!!! The 2025 Catholic Stocking Stuffers Here it is!!! The 2025 Catholic Stocking Stuffers Gift Guide!!!
Hope you find a gift that will raise a h art closer to Christ and find joy in sharing THE GOOD NEWS!!!

#Catholicgift #Catholicgifts
I’m so excited!!!! Who wants to see the whole list I’m so excited!!!!
Who wants to see the whole list ASAP!!

Comment “stocking”!!! 

Special appearances by @heavenshandmaid and @novenaroseco 

#Christmaslist #Christmascatalog #Advent #stockingstuffers #Catholicwoman #Catholicman #coffeeandJesus #CatholicsOnline
“This was the BEST RETREAT I have ever been to!” “This was the BEST RETREAT I have ever been to!” 

I forgot to create a feedback paper again, but thankfully one of the attendees made sure to tell me this before she left! Someone else told me later they overheard the same words in the ladies room!
Woohooo!!! I am so happy and grateful!!!

If you missed it, please know I have created resources for you so that you can make one of these events happen in your community!

I will be thanking the many sponsors of the 2025 Prayer Wine Chocolate Retreat all week… but let me give a few shout outs now!

@dr.monique.ruberu bought the chocolate candy we enjoyed with the wine!

Raina from @giveloveandblessings provided each attendee with a beautiful Rosary bracelet.

The Basilica Shrine of the Miraculous Medal @miraculousmedal provided a spectacular day for all of us. I am so happy this year’s retreat day was at this incredibly special and holy place.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you!

#Catholicretreat #Catholicpilgrimage #Catholicmom #Trustandhope #Catholicwomen
I did not plan to start a ministry that included a I did not plan to start a ministry that included an annual retreat…
But wow, God is so good!

The friends I have made and met through this work are such a blessing!!!

I’m sure glad you’re here reading this!

I’m so grateful for this mission… to foster, encourage and nurture friendships that put faith first.

Join me in making praying with friends just as normal as drinking wine with friends!
 
Let’s joyfully invite others to see the love God has for each one of us.
 
The adventure is just beginning!
@craftymom714 @lotvministry 

#trustandhope #prayerwinechocolate #Catholic
As a busy Catholic mom, I want to do as much as I As a busy Catholic mom, I want to do as much as I can to promote a culture of life…

Here’s one thing I can definitely fit into my schedule!
Follow  @sevenweekscoffee and keep loving them both ❤️❤️

#prolife #lovethemboth #Catholic #Adoptivefamily #JesusandCoffee
BACK IN STOCK!!!! AND… anyone who orders a Journal BACK IN STOCK!!!! AND… anyone who orders a Journal from me this weekend will get a physical Cozy Catholic Christmas catalog mailed with the Be Yourself Journal!!! 

This book is a fantastic gift for girls… ages 8 to 15!

Remember to give one when you are donating a toy this year too! If you pick a girl in this age range, add some gel pens and stickers and it’s the perfect gift!!

Amazon has it on sale now too!
It is TRULY a great gift!!!

Who wants one!??? I’ll put the link in my bio and in my stories!

#BeYourself #tweengirl #Middleschool #girlgifts #Catholic #Christian #Catholicfamily #Faithandfun #stayprayedup #slambook #genx
WIN a physical Cozy Catholic Christmas Catalog!! I WIN a physical Cozy Catholic Christmas Catalog!!
I want to send 5 of you this catalog through the good old fashioned mail!

Enter to win:

Follow @catholicsonline and @prayerwinechocolate 

Tag 3 friends!

That’s it! Do this by Sunday, November 8, 2025 and I will choose 5 winners!
Make sure your settings allow me to message you! 

The fine print:
-You must be 18 or older and have a U.S. mailing address.
-The deadline is Sunday, November 9,2025
~ This is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by Instagram 

#CreativeCatholic #Catholicgift #Catholicmom #Catholic #RomanCatholic #manyhailmarysatatime #Catholicgifts #stayprayedup
If we want to bring more of our loved ones back to If we want to bring more of our loved ones back to church… we need to invite them.

If we want our parish’s to have stronger communities, we need to meet the busy women where they are… and encourage faith filled friendships.

Praying the Rosary with others is powerful and life changing.
Let’s do this!
Who wants the link to learn more? Comment PARISH if you want more information!

#prayerwinechocolate #trustandhope #heartofthehome #Catholicparish #DRE #OCIA #Catholicfriends #catholicfellowship #Catholicwomen #Praytogether #PraytheRosary #faithandfriendship
October 2025…quickest month ever!!!! October 2025…quickest month ever!!!!
Wait for it. Discuss ⬇️ #EucharisticAdoration Wait for it.
Discuss ⬇️

#EucharisticAdoration
I needed candles. Yes, I NEEDED them! Jill’s can I needed candles. Yes, I NEEDED them! 

Jill’s candle company is called Contemplative Candles @contemplativecandles 

Jill’s candle company if featured in the @catholicsonline Cozy Christmas Catalog!!!

I definitely bought myself a gift… but it’s for the whole family!

Our homes are domestic churches ⛪️ 

I think the big Catholic influencers call it liturgical living ;)

@manyhailmarysatatime @onehailmaryatatime 

#Catholic #praytheRosary #Catholiccontent #Catholicwife #Catholicgift
“I can’t go this year, but next year I hope to!” “I can’t go this year, but next year I hope to!”

I hear this every year when I’m planning the Prayer Wine Chocolate Retreat.

And every year I think…” I don’t know if I’ll be able to do this again next year.”

Each year- each day- is a gift.
Getting to plan a retreat for women that truly serves their minds, their souls and their hearts is truly a gift.
But the truth is, I never know if I’ll be given this gift again.

Jesus reminds us all in the Gospels that we all really don’t know what will happen in the future.
I don’t know what next year will bring…

But I do know that when women attend a Prayer Wine Chocolate Retreat for a day, they say things like

“I needed this”
“I would have paid you more”
“It’s like Christmas for Moms”

I understand life is busy. I feel strongly that the busyness is a distraction from the stillness Our Lord is calling us to.

If you really can’t attend this year’s Prayer Wine Chocolate Retreat, may I make a suggestion?

Get out your calendar and schedule a day to go to confession,
A day to go to Mass that is not Sunday,
A day to get together with someone else to pray the Rosary out loud and a day to spend time with another woman that needs your prayers.

All of these things are available on November 15th.
There’s still time to register!

If you want to join us this year, comment “Register “ and I’ll send you the details.

If you definitely can’t make it, drop a prayer intention in the comments- or message me- and we will bring your intentions with us!

Photo credit 📸: my 8 year old daughter 

#busymom #busywife #busywoman #workingmom #Catholicwoman #Catholicretreat #catholicliving
I swear my laundry is multiplying… I need to get o I swear my laundry is multiplying… I need to get out as much as anyone..

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” —Lucy Maud Montgomery, Ann of Green Gables

#Catholic #Catholicauthor #beyourself
The 2025 Cozy Catholic Christmas catalog is out!!! The 2025 Cozy Catholic Christmas catalog is out!!! Want to see it?!! Comment ME! And I’ll send it to your inbox… or go to catholicinfluencers.com for it!!!

#earlyshopper #shopCatholic #Christiangifts
I know I NEED one!!! Join us for prayer and holy, I know I NEED one!!!
Join us for prayer and holy, humorous friendship!
Want details? Let me know!

#Catholic #Catholicwoman #Catholicretreat #pilgrimage
I have a LOT of situations! I heard if you revere I have a LOT of situations!

I heard if you reverently bless yourself with the sign of the Cross, demons flee.

Imma gonna go bless myself… a few times!

Who’s with me?

#stopscrolling #sayyourprayers
Tired? Need some peace? Want to refill your cup? Y Tired? Need some peace? Want to refill your cup? Yes to any of these? The good news is you can still register for the 2025 Prayer Wine Chocolate Retreat! It’s November 15th… just in time to recharge before the busyness of the holiday season is in full swing.

Schedule time for prayer, sacramental grace, holy friends and a meal you don’t have to cook!

Message me or comment if you would like more details!

Share if you have ever been to a Prayer Wine Chocolate Retreat and enjoyed it!

#retreat #Philadelphia #Philly #PhillyCatholic #Catholicretreat #holyfriends #catholicfellowship #Catholicfriends #Catholicwomen
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