Immaculate Mary Divine Mercy Pro-Life Conference scheduled

PARK CITY — Inspirational speakers, Catholic music and 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration will be included in the Immaculate Mary Divine Mercy Pro-Life Conference, Oct. 1-3 in Park City.

"It’s such a beautiful weekend," said Shelley Luna, who has attended the annual event for the past eight years with her husband. Both are members of Saint Thomas More Parish. "We’ve always come away from it feeling refreshed and renewed spiritually and strengthened spiritually. It’s a time to be away from everything; to listen to inspiring speakers and also gives you time to reflect and pray."

For youth there will be special speakers and activities. Children up to the sixth grade will go to the Trinity Academy in Park City. Those in seventh grade and older will go to a retreat based on that used by the Blessed Sacrament Parish confirmation team, said Phil Hofstetter, who is heading the youth activities for the Pro-Life Conference.

"The focus of it is ‘My Heart, Christ’s Home," said Hofstetter, a member of Blessed Sacrament Parish. The day-long youth retreat, highlighted by Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, will focus on moral dilemmas that young people face. "It’s not something they’ll be bored with," he said. "It’s not going to be way churchy. They’re going to have a fun day and I think they’ll get a spiritual boost from it."

Speakers for the adult conference will be Father Wade L.J. Menezes, a member of the Fathers of Mercy and host of the EWTN segment series "The Crux of the Matter"; Father Wayne Dawson, now a parish priest in California and previously a priest in Cape Town, South Africa; Deacon Alex Jones, the senior minster at a Pentecostal church and an Evangelical/Charismatic church in Detroit, Mich.; and Mary Ann Kuharski, a wife, mother, author, speaker and president of PROLIFE Across America.

Musical performers will be Annie Karto, Deacon Mattie Henry and Matthew Baute.

For a complete schedule, visit www.immaculatemaryaz.org. For information, call Roseva Van Patten, 307-733-2245. Registration fee is $70 per adult before Sept. 1; $80 after. Children under 14 are free.