Domestic Church Media conference invites Catholics to authentic discipleship
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By Rose O’Connor and Maria Paz Duarte | Correspondents
“You gotta love being Catholic!” Jim Manfredonia said with profound enthusiasm during the 2013 East Coast Catholic Family Conference held Sept. 21 in the Sun National Bank Center, Trenton. Jim and his wife, Cheryl, proprietors of the Domestic Church Media Foundation, served as hosts of the second annual conference which brought together hundreds of Catholics hungry for the word of God.
To see photo galleries on this story, click here and here.
Attendees wholeheartedly agreed as they gathered in the arena to hear inspiring speeches by Eternal Word Television Network personalities Ralph Martin, Johnnette Benkovic, and Dr. Ray Guarendi; enjoyed performances by local musicians, and participated in the recitation of the Rosary, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and celebration of Mass. Guests had the opportunities to visit select Catholic vendors situated throughout the arena during the day-long event.
The conference, entitled “Follow Me: A Call to Authentic Discipleship,” was presented by Domestic Church Media Foundation, the non-profit Catholic lay apostolate which established the first full-time area Catholic radio stations, WFJS 1260 AM and WFJS 89.3 FM. Both stations are affiliates of EWTN, the global Catholic Radio Network. Contributors include Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., who hosts an hour-long live call-in talk show entitled “The Shepherd’s Voice” every first Friday.
Speaker Ralph Martin, president of Renewal Ministries, reminded the audience that the difficulties they experience daily are not obstacles but rather ways to get closer to God. Martin, whose organization stresses evangelization as a path to holiness, proposed these challenges were, instead, reasons to surrender to God’s mercy and depend upon his strength.
People want to become holy immediately and think the future will be a better place, Martin continued. “This is a spiritual journey and there is no better journey than God’s, in which there is not a shortcut, but only the grace of Jesus Christ,” he stated.
Gloria Stevens and Frances Perleans of the Archdiocese of Newark declared Martin’s speech “amazing” and said they felt blessed to have attended the event. “It is very heartwarming to be here and listen to Dr. Martin, he makes me feel renewed in my faith to God and to my Catholic Church,” said Stevens. “I am so full of God’s grace now that I can’t be happier.”
“It’s neat seeing them in person, to put a face to the voice,” Therese Filacheck of St. Joseph Parish, Toms River, offered about seeing the “familiar faces” of the speakers who she listens to daily on the radio.
Filacheck who was joined by her husband, inlaws and two daughters, Anna, 5, and Catherine, 3, declared her family were “big fans” of EWTN and were excited to attend the conference to hear their favorite speakers, including Dr. Ray Guarendi, host of the radio show, “The Doctor Is In” and the television program, “Living Right with Dr. Ray” on EWTN. The father of 10 children ages 14 to 26, Guarendi also is a clinical psychologist, author and public speaker.
Johnnette Benkovic, founder and president of the Catholic evangelization apostolates “Living His Life Abundantly” and “Women of Grace,” told the audience the Holy Spirit had inspired them to attend the conference. We need to cooperate with God to become holy, she maintained, and the power of hope can lead us to salvation.
“There are enormous challenges in life,” Benkovic warned. “However, if we put our true faith in our Lord Jesus, that’s our true hope.”
Both Guarendi and Benkovic spoke of the trials, tribulations and joys of raising children in the faith and the importance of strengthening the role of the family in our world today. “It’s good to have a conference like this to help affirm this belief and help us teach the faith to our children. We as families need to come back to the faith and have the strong foundation in our faith so that we are able to share it and teach it to our children,” Stacie Martinez of Bridgewater noted as she cared for the youngest of her six children and visited vendors.
The conference concluded with Mass celebrated by Father Tim Beyer, spiritual director for Domestic Church Media Foundation. In his homily, the priest discussed his work in another role, that of vice postulate for the beatification and canonization cause for Maria Esperanza de Bianchini (1928-2004).
Monica Quaste, respect life and social justice coordinator from St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square, reflected on the significance of participating in family oriented events such as the East Coast Catholic Conference.
“I think it’s important for our kids to see that they are not alone,” Quaste said, gesturing to the faithful gathered in the Sun Arena. “This brings us together; it gives us a sense of community and a connection to one another.”
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By Rose O’Connor and Maria Paz Duarte | Correspondents
“You gotta love being Catholic!” Jim Manfredonia said with profound enthusiasm during the 2013 East Coast Catholic Family Conference held Sept. 21 in the Sun National Bank Center, Trenton. Jim and his wife, Cheryl, proprietors of the Domestic Church Media Foundation, served as hosts of the second annual conference which brought together hundreds of Catholics hungry for the word of God.
To see photo galleries on this story, click here and here.
Attendees wholeheartedly agreed as they gathered in the arena to hear inspiring speeches by Eternal Word Television Network personalities Ralph Martin, Johnnette Benkovic, and Dr. Ray Guarendi; enjoyed performances by local musicians, and participated in the recitation of the Rosary, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and celebration of Mass. Guests had the opportunities to visit select Catholic vendors situated throughout the arena during the day-long event.
The conference, entitled “Follow Me: A Call to Authentic Discipleship,” was presented by Domestic Church Media Foundation, the non-profit Catholic lay apostolate which established the first full-time area Catholic radio stations, WFJS 1260 AM and WFJS 89.3 FM. Both stations are affiliates of EWTN, the global Catholic Radio Network. Contributors include Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., who hosts an hour-long live call-in talk show entitled “The Shepherd’s Voice” every first Friday.
Speaker Ralph Martin, president of Renewal Ministries, reminded the audience that the difficulties they experience daily are not obstacles but rather ways to get closer to God. Martin, whose organization stresses evangelization as a path to holiness, proposed these challenges were, instead, reasons to surrender to God’s mercy and depend upon his strength.
People want to become holy immediately and think the future will be a better place, Martin continued. “This is a spiritual journey and there is no better journey than God’s, in which there is not a shortcut, but only the grace of Jesus Christ,” he stated.
Gloria Stevens and Frances Perleans of the Archdiocese of Newark declared Martin’s speech “amazing” and said they felt blessed to have attended the event. “It is very heartwarming to be here and listen to Dr. Martin, he makes me feel renewed in my faith to God and to my Catholic Church,” said Stevens. “I am so full of God’s grace now that I can’t be happier.”
“It’s neat seeing them in person, to put a face to the voice,” Therese Filacheck of St. Joseph Parish, Toms River, offered about seeing the “familiar faces” of the speakers who she listens to daily on the radio.
Filacheck who was joined by her husband, inlaws and two daughters, Anna, 5, and Catherine, 3, declared her family were “big fans” of EWTN and were excited to attend the conference to hear their favorite speakers, including Dr. Ray Guarendi, host of the radio show, “The Doctor Is In” and the television program, “Living Right with Dr. Ray” on EWTN. The father of 10 children ages 14 to 26, Guarendi also is a clinical psychologist, author and public speaker.
Johnnette Benkovic, founder and president of the Catholic evangelization apostolates “Living His Life Abundantly” and “Women of Grace,” told the audience the Holy Spirit had inspired them to attend the conference. We need to cooperate with God to become holy, she maintained, and the power of hope can lead us to salvation.
“There are enormous challenges in life,” Benkovic warned. “However, if we put our true faith in our Lord Jesus, that’s our true hope.”
Both Guarendi and Benkovic spoke of the trials, tribulations and joys of raising children in the faith and the importance of strengthening the role of the family in our world today. “It’s good to have a conference like this to help affirm this belief and help us teach the faith to our children. We as families need to come back to the faith and have the strong foundation in our faith so that we are able to share it and teach it to our children,” Stacie Martinez of Bridgewater noted as she cared for the youngest of her six children and visited vendors.
The conference concluded with Mass celebrated by Father Tim Beyer, spiritual director for Domestic Church Media Foundation. In his homily, the priest discussed his work in another role, that of vice postulate for the beatification and canonization cause for Maria Esperanza de Bianchini (1928-2004).
Monica Quaste, respect life and social justice coordinator from St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square, reflected on the significance of participating in family oriented events such as the East Coast Catholic Conference.
“I think it’s important for our kids to see that they are not alone,” Quaste said, gesturing to the faithful gathered in the Sun Arena. “This brings us together; it gives us a sense of community and a connection to one another.”