Dioceses set to launch ‘Joy of Love and Family Conference Series’

MADISON  The Office of Family Life of Paterson joins the other four dioceses in New Jersey this month in launching “The Joy of Love and Family Conference Series 2021” — an online “tool kit” of videos to encourage individuals and families to rely on their Catholic faith when facing the joys and struggles in many stages of life.

Thursday, June 24 will be the official launch of the virtual conference, which will add four to six new 30-minute videos each month until November. The topics will cover many stages of life, including: Family Healing, Families with Young Children, Married and Single Adults, Newly Married, Young Adults and the Golden Years [see story on page 2 for video titles]. They can be found at www.lightingheartsonfire.org. Sponsoring the conference are the Newark Arch­diocese and the dioceses of Paterson, Metuchen, Camden, and Trenton.

In honor of the Year of the Family, as declared by Pope Francis for this year, the conference will feature exclusive video content from a broad spectrum of Catholics — from internationally known speakers, such as Jason Evert, to prominent local faithful in the sponsoring dioceses. Eniola Hons­berger, director of the Office for Family Life in Paterson, will draw on her own experiences in a video, “Being Fruitful and Multi­plying without Kids,” to be posted in November. Also relating her experience, Lindsay Schlegel, a speaker, author, podcaster, and parishioner of St. Vincent de Paul in Stirling will talk about “We Will See Our Little Ones Again Up Above: A Mother Speaks on Miscarriage,” set for October.

“These videos in the conference make up a tool kit for families. They give them encouragement and ongoing formation in their faith by presenting different speakers, who address the concerns of people at different stages of their lives,” said Honsberger, adding that the free registration to the website gives individuals, families, and parish groups access to the videos, each of which will end with a list of further resources. The release of the videos a few each month “gives people time to digest them and to continue conversations among themselves,” she said.

The Office of Family Life of Metuchen is leading the launch of the conference, which is being held virtually rather than in an in-person event, due to ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. Other sponsors include the N.J. Catholic Conference, the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for the Study of Marriage and Family, Living Stones Inc. and Focus Marriage Ministries.

Honsberger’s video, “Being Fruitful and Multiplying without Kids,” is scheduled for release in November. For it, she will draw on her suffering though nine years of infertility with her husband, Brian, director of programs and operations at St. Paul Inside the Walls: the Diocesan Center for Evangeliza­tion in Madison. The Honbergers’ story ends happily with the birth of their sons, Anuoluwa, 2 and half years old, and Aaron, 1, she said.

“It can be frustrating and heartbreaking to see the gift and beauty of life that children are and not be able to participate in God’s creation, especially as a Catholic,” Honsberger said. “But in those nine years of infertility, Brian and I were fruitful. It requires a shift in your mentality and an understanding that we might not be participants in God’s creation at the moment but we are participating in Christ’s redemption, which is just as important,” she said.

A married mother of five children, ages 10 months to 10 years, with another son in heaven, Schlegel is a Catholic speaker, author of the book “Don’t Forget to Say ‘Thank You’: And Other Parenting Lessons That Brought Me Closer to God,” and host of the podcast, “Quote Me.” She and her husband suffered the miscarriage of their second child in 2012. She already has taped her talk, “We Will See Our Little Ones Again Up Above: A Mother Speaks on Miscarriage,” a 34-minute video, showing her on a sofa in a conversational setting.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to talk about this topic, even if it’s difficult,” said Schlegel. She told The Beacon that she found comfort in talking to people and blogging about her experience and by starting a support group for women, who have experienced miscarriages in St. Vincent’s. “In the video, I talk about how my suffering deepened my faith. I also give tips on how to heal and ideas on how to minister to people, who have had miscarriages. We need to support each other. I hope it helps other families that have experienced it,” she said.

Visit www.lightingheartsonfire.org and click the “Joy of Love and Family Life Con­fer­ence” prompt to register to receive notifications for when specific videos in the series are available. There is no fee to register for this conference. This registration is good for all dates in the virtual conference series. Freewill offerings are greatly appreciated.
 

Family Healing

“We Will See Our Little Ones Again Up Above: A Mother Speaks on Miscarriage” by Lindsey Schlegel, author of the book “Don’t Forget to Say ‘Thank You’: And Other Parenting Lessons That Brought Me Closer to God,” to be released in October.

“Family Healing after Suicide” by Missionary of the Immaculate Conception Father Chris Alar, director of the Association of Marian Helpers, The National Shrine of The Divine Mercy, in Stockbridge, Mass, set for October.

“Accompanying and Healing the Wounds of Adult Children of Divorce” by Daniel and Bethany Meola, co-founders of Life-Giving Wounds, which helps young adults and adults with divorced and separated parents give voice to their pain and find deep spiritual healing, set for October.

“The Single Life: Pickle Juice or Cham­pagne?” by Katrina J. Zeno, co-founder of Women of the Third Millennium, an international speaker on St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, and founding coordinator of the John Paul II Resource Center for the Diocese of Phoenix, Arizona, to be posted in November.

Single/Married Adults

“The Freedom of Authentic Femininity” by Cristina D’Adverso-Collins, director of Office of Family Life Ministry of the Metuchen Diocese, to be released in September.

“How to Save Your Marriage Before Meeting Your Spouse” by Jason Evert, a Catholic author and speaker, who founded Totus Tuus Press and Chastity Project, which promotes chastity primarily to high school and college students, set for July.

“Being Fruitful and Multiplying without Kids” by Eniola Honsberger, director of the Office for Family Life in Paterson, set for November.

“Called to Greatness: Authentic Mascu­linity” by Paul J. Kim, a nationally known Catholic speaker, to be posted in June.

Families with Young Children

“What St. Joan of Arc Can Teach Us about Motherhood” by Emily Wilson, a speaker, YouTuber, author, and musician, to be issued in September.

“The Greatness of Fatherhood” by Devin Schadtt, a husband, father, author, speaker, and co-founder of the Fathers of St. Joseph, an apostolate that works for the renewal of authentic fatherhood, set for June.

“Parenting Courageously: a Guide to Educating in Sexual Integrity” by Enza Cerami of Living Stones, which proclaims the Gospel for teens to young adults and inspires them to live out the call of chastity, set for August.

“Protecting the Family through the Rosary and Devotion to St. Joseph” by Father Donald Calloway of the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, author of the book “Consecration to St. Joseph,” to be posted in June.

“Raising a Son or Daughter with a Disability: Believing in Possibilities and Some Considerations from Other Parents and Our Faith” by Anne Masters of the Pastoral Ministry of Persons with Disability of the Newark Archdiocese, set for November.

“Porn: Seven Myths Exposed” by Matt Fradd, creator and host of the Pints with Aquinas podcast and author and coauthor of books, including, “Does God Exist? A Socratic Dialogue on the Five Ways of Thomas Aquinas,” set for June.

“Good News about Sex and Marriage” by Bill Donaghy, lecturer at the Theology of the Body Institute in Quarryville, Pa.; co-author of RISE Educator at Homeschool Connec­tions and adjunct faculty at Immaculata University, also in Pennsylvania, to be posted in August.

“Growing Your Family Culture” by Mike and Alicia Hernon of the Messy House Project, to be released in August.

“Educating Kids in the Faith” by Mark Hart, executive vice president of Life Teen International, set for August.

Newly Married

“The Freedom of Authentic Femininity” by D’Averso-Collins, to be released in September.

“Women’s Health and Fertility for a New Generation” by Dr. Monique Ruberu, Napro Technology trained OB/Gyn, a 40 days for Life campaign leader, author and speaker, set for July.

“Protecting the Family through the Rosary and Devotion to St. Joseph” by Father Calloway, set for June.

“Raising a Son or Daughter with a Disability: Believing in Possibilities and Some Considerations from Other Parents and Our Faith” by Masters, set for November.

“Called to Greatness: Authentic Masculinity” by Kim, set for June.

“Porn: Seven Myths Exposed” by Matt Fradd, to be posted in June.

“Growing Your Family Culture” by Mike and Alicia Hernon of the Messy House Project, to be released in August.

“Good News about Sex and Marriage” by Donaghy, set for August.

Young Adult

“The Freedom of Authentic Femininity” by D’Averso-Collins, to be released in September.

“Women’s Health and Fertility for a New Generation” by Ruberu, set for July.

“How to Save Your Marriage Before Meeting Your Spouse” by Evert, set for July.

“Good News about Sex and Marriage” by Donaghy, set for August.

“Called to Greatness: Authentic Masculinity” by Kim, to be posted in June.

“Emotional Virtue and Dating” by Sarah Swafford, founder of Emotional Virtue Ministries, set for July.

“Porn: Seven Myths Exposed” by Fradd, set for June.

Golden Years

“What St. Joan of Arc Can Teach Us about Motherhood” by Wilson, to be posted in September.

“The Greatness of Fatherhood” by Schadtt, set for June.

“Women’s Health and Fertility for a New Generation” by Ruberu, set for July.

“Growing Your Family Culture” by the Hernons, to be released in August.

“Caring for Loved One at the End Stage of Life” by Jennifer Ruggiero, secretary of the Secretariat for Family and Pastoral Life of Metuchen, set for November.