NCCW official is keynote speaker for April 14-16 event at Holy Trinity Church in Jefferson City
By Emily Booker
Father Leo Patalinghug, “The Cooking Priest,” is the founder, host, and director of “Grace Before Meals.” He will be one of the speakers at the annual KDCCW convention April 14-16.
Women in the Diocese of Knoxville attending the 27th annual KDCCW convention will have a full plate of topics to discuss, from prayer and cooking to international aid and combating violence when the convention takes place April 14-16 at Holy Trinity Church in Jefferson City.
The theme of this year’s Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women convention is Seeking Hope, Sowing Grace, Sharing Mercy.
Beth Mahoney, spirituality commission chairperson of the National Council of Catholic Women, will serve as keynote speaker after the memorial Mass on April 14. Ms. Mahoney is the national mission director for Holy Cross Family Ministries, which seeks to support the spiritual well-being of the family through prayer.
She has served as a pastoral associate in the Diocese of Fall River in Massachusetts, as a college campus minister, and a minister of a shelter for abused women and children. She is the author of Grant Us Peace: Rosary Meditations for Those Who Mourn.
Father Leo Patalinghug, “The Cooking Priest,” is the founder, host, and director of Grace Before Meals, an apostolate to strengthen families through sharing meals.
He is a host on EWTN’s show Savoring Our Faith, and the co-host of the Sirius XM Radio show Entertaining Truth. Father Leo has been featured on the television networks ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, EWTN, and the Food Network, where he won the cooking challenge on Throw Down! With Bobby Flay.
Father Leo will be demonstrating his cooking skills at the convention while also offering up insight on how foods relate to Catholic Church teachings.
Cathy Bonner, who is from the Diocese of Orlando and is a member of the NCCW leadership training and development team and the creator of Women Healing the Wounds, an NCCW program to combat domestic violence, will be leading a workshop on April 16.
She has presented at conventions across the country and has been a guest of the KDCCW in the past, presenting with the LTD team.
June Lawrence
June Lawrence, development officer at Cross Catholic Outreach of Cross International, will be the keynote speaker at the convention’s closing luncheon after Mass on April 16. Cross Catholic Outreach is a Catholic ministry that serves the poorest of the poor internationally by channeling aid through dioceses, parishes, and Catholic missionaries, cost-effectively helping the poor break the cycle of poverty while advancing Catholic evangelization.
“This convention is a unique opportunity to connect with other women in the diocese and learn from these talented presenters about the work Catholics are doing around the world,” said Pat Ryan, KDCCW president. The National Council of Catholic Women and its KDCCW chapter act through membership to support, empower, and educate all Catholic women in spirituality, leadership, and service. Registration is available at www.kdccw.org. ■
