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Sr. Briege McKenna, Fr. Don Calloway headline women’s conference

Elizabeth A. Elliott | Catholic Herald Staff Writer

Women gather at St. Joseph Church in Herndon for the annual women’s conference March 2. ELIZABETH A. ELLIOTT | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Fr. Donald Calloway shares his journey at the annual women’s conference March 2. ELIZABETH A. ELLIOTT | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Bishop Michael F. Burbidge speaks at the women’s conference March 2. ELIZABETH A. ELLIOTT | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Fr. Thomas P. Ferguson, vicar general and pastor of Good Shepherd Church in Alexandria, prays before the beginning of the women’s conference March 2. ELIZABETH A. ELLIOTT | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Bishop Michael F. Burbidge celebrates Mass at St. Joseph Church in Herndon for the annual women’s conference March 2. ELIZABETH A. ELLIOTT | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Poor Clare Sr. Briege McKenna speaks about miracles at the annual women’s conference at St. Joseph Church in Herndon March 2. ELIZABETH A. ELLIOTT | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Therese Bermpohl, director of the Office of Marriage, Family and Respect Life, introduces the speakers for the day. ELIZABETH A. ELLIOTT | CATHOLIC HERALD

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The sold-out annual women’s conference at St. Joseph Church in
Herndon featured Poor Clare Sister Briege McKenna; Congregation of Marian
Fathers of the Immaculate Conception Father Donald Calloway; and Mass
celebrated by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge March 2.

Sister
McKenna, author of Miracles
Do Happen
, celebrated a healing service the night before at All
Saints Church in Manassas.

During
his homily, Bishop Burbidge said in times of struggle, people don’t run away
from God, they run to God. “We are here today to ask God to hold us,
embrace us and heal us,” he said. “We do so mindful of the theme of
this conference, ‘Miracles Do Happen.'” 

Bishop
Burbidge said miracles continue to happen and the Eucharist is the greatest of
these miracles. 

“As
you come forward, entrust in Jesus anything in your life at this moment that is
in need of healing,” he said. “Believe, trust and go forth in joyful hope for the miracles Jesus will work in your life today and always.”

Sister
McKenna encouraged the attendees not to let fear get in the way of striving for
personal holiness. “Just do what Jesus wants you to do,” she said.
“The Holy Spirit is the grace needed to mediate the
Gospel.”  

Father
Don shared the story of his conversion to a Catholic priest from an angry,
drug-addicted teen.

Karin
Ebert, a parishioner of St. Timothy Church in Chantilly, is attending her third
conference. “I was looking forward to seeing Father Calloway.
“I realize there is still hope for the teens after hearing his
conversion story, that miracles do happen. It was very
inspirational.”

Sister
McKenna, 73, was born in Ireland and entered the convent at 15. She suffered
with rheumatoid arthritis and was transferred to her community in Tampa, Fla.
She was miraculously healed at age 24 and says she later received the gift
of healing.

Father
Don was rebellious when he was younger. He was into drugs, the Grateful Dead
band and wanted nothing to do with the church. His mother prayed and prayed.
One night after declining to go out with his friends, he took up the
book, The Queen of
Peace Visits Medjugorje
, and it changed his life. He converted to
Catholicism, eventually becoming a priest, and is the author of No Turning Back and
other devotional books.

The conference was co-sponsored by the Office of Marriage, Family and Respect Life and the Arlington Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. 

“I was blown away by the number of women who wanted to attend the
conference,” said Therese Bermpohl, director of the office. “We had to close
registration Jan. 19 because the conference was already full.

“The G-Force from Father Don’s dramatic conversion story was the
perfect balance to Sister Briege’s calm, prayerful witness to the healing love
of Jesus Christ present in the sacraments,” Bermpohl said.

“As Sister Briege said Friday night at the Eucharistic healing
service, the same Jesus who walked the earth over 2,000 years ago is before us
today in the Blessed Sacrament,” she said. “Every encounter with him is a
life-changing event.

“Father Don’s story is a powerful reminder that our prayers and
sacrifices can work miracles in the lives of those who are far from the Lord.
Never lose hope in Jesus.”

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