Homeschool conference for local Catholic families

Courtesy photo

+ Enlarge

LAYTON — The Catholic Homeschool Association Conference will be held June 6 at St. Rose the Lima Parish in Layton. 

With the theme “Let your light shine: the vocation of Catholic Homeschooling,” the conference will present speakers such as the Most Rev. Thomas Daly, Bishop of the Diocese of Spokane, Wash.; Emily Brown, founder of Fiat Life Coaching; Lila Rose, president of LiveAction.org; and Erika Ahern, Co-Host of Catholic Vote LoopCast. 

The event, which is open to adults and teenagers, will also present a variety of panelists.

Those attending the conference will have opportunities for camaraderie, prayer and having answers to their questions about homeschooling, said Pat McCavanagh, a St. Rose of Lima parishioner, who is organizing the conference. 

“For the teens attending, we are hoping that  through listening and participating in the Teen Track they will connect with other Catholic homeschoolers and pray with other Catholic families,” said McCavanagh, adding that she also hopes that the youth who attend will leave with a renewed sense of faith.  “For our adult participants, we are hoping that they will meet other like-minded families, receive the formation they are looking for and receive answers to any questions they have about homeschooling,” she said. 

The conference is important because “there are families that often feel isolated and alone while going through their homeschool journey, especially us Catholics in Utah since we are a relatively small group,” McCavanagh said.

The conference will give participants a chance to get to know each other and make connections, she said, noting that homeschool conferences are frequent in Utah, but this is the only one that will be exclusively Catholic. 

Having the conference at St. Rose of Lima Parish was possible because of the interest that the community showed and the support of her pastor, Father Gustavo Vidal, she said. 

Fr. Vidal “has seen my children grow up being homeschooled and now my grandchildren,” McCavanagh said. “When I reached out to the Catholic homeschool community in Utah to see if they would be interested in a conference, they said yes, and I then asked Fr. Vidal if we could use St Rose’s facilities. He said yes.” 

WHAT: Catholic Homeschool Conference 

WHEN: June 6

WHERE: St. Rose of Lima Parish, 210 Chapel St., Layton  

COST: Free

For information, contact Pat McCavanagh, mccavanagh@gmail.com