Internationally known scholar, lecturer and columnist Father Ronald Rolheiser will speak on “Living the Ups and Downs of Our Faith” at the Upper Room Spiritual Center’s 18th annual Spirituality Conference Nov. 9 at Georgian Court University, Lakewood.

This is a return visit for Father Rolheiser, a Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate and president of the Oblate School of Theology, San Antonio, Tex. In 2006, nearly 400 faithful from throughout the diocese and beyond, attended the conference where he spoke on “Mysticism and Mystics in Our Spiritual Lives Today.”

Mercy Sister Maureen Conroy, one of the Neptune center’s three spiritual directors, said hundreds again are expected for the conference during which she anticipates, Father Rolheiser will speak “from his heart” about  what is real faith, what is genuine doubt and the dark nights of the soul.

She expects Father Rolheiser to draw from his own “recent and profound experiences” struggling with the major health issue of cancer during his talk.

“He was supposed to (speak at the conference) two years ago but had to cancel because of his battle with cancer,” said Sister Maureen. She noted that Father Rolheiser, whose column appears in more than 70 newspapers worldwide including The Monitor, has shared his spiritual sense of that battle in his writings.

Author of numerous books including “Prayer: Our Deepest Longing,” “The Holy Longing” and “The Restless Heart,” Father Rolheiser’s talk is likely to be “very timely for these days when so many have experienced ‘dark nights of the soul’ through economic struggles, storms and fires,” she said.

“People have been through a lot of hardships and he speaks right to the heart of the matter and inspires people with his talks and his writings. He encourages people to keep their strong faith even in desert times.”