Speakers

Welcome to the Catholic Women’s Conference!  We are thrilled to present to you a conference with Catholic speakers who will inspire us and lead us into the depths of God’s love for us. Please scroll below to learn more about each of our speakers and what they will share with us during their talks.

For speakers and talk descriptions in Spanish, visit our Spanish Track page at catholicwomensconference.org/espanol.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Morning Keynote in English: Sr. Anna Laura Karp, O.P. Nashville Dominican Sister of Saint Cecilia, Nashville, TN

Talk Title: Real Beauty in an Artificial Age: Radiating the Beauty of Christ

Talk Description: In an age saturated with artificial intelligence, filtered images, and digital illusions, what does it truly mean to be beautiful? In this opening keynote, Sister Michaela explores beauty through a Catholic lens, emphasizing truth, goodness, participation in divine glory, and a path of evangelization that reveals God. She will reflect on how women, by baptism and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, are called to be living icons of Christ’s love in the world, shining with His light in their families, parishes, and communities. Come be encouraged to shine with Christ’s light: to let the Eucharist shape your gaze, to cultivate a contemplative heart that discerns the beautiful from the counterfeit, and to embrace the real beauty that flows from your unique and unrepeatable identity as beloved daughters of the Father. Our beauty, when grounded in truth and ordered to love, is not merely genuine; it is radiant.

Afternoon Keynote in English: Colleen Carroll Campbell

Talk Title: The Heart of Perfection

Talk Description: Spiritual perfectionism – an obsession with flawlessness rooted in the mistaken belief that we can earn God’s love – can drain our joy, burden our faith, and shapes the way we judge ourselves and others. In this closing keynote, Colleen will introduce the “perfectionist trap” and offer a liberating vision drawn from her acclaimed work The Heart of Perfection. Drawing on the lives of the saints, Colleen reveals how many holy men and women were themselves recovering perfectionists who found true freedom in Christ. Blending their stories with her own experiences, Colleen sheds light on the perfectionist trap, offering practical, grace‑filled insights for letting go of pressure and embracing the peace that comes when we allow God, not our efforts to perfect our hearts. In this closing keynote, you will be invited to resist the pressure to perform and perfect and instead rediscover the peace, trust, and authentic discipleship that flourish when we let Christ perfect our hearts.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

1. Breakout Speaker: Samantha Kelley, founder of FIERCE Athlete

Talk Title: Theology of the Body: Understanding Who You Are

Talk description: In a world that presents the body as expendable, beauty as artificial, and standards as unattainable, come discover how God has destined YOU for meaning, truth, and purpose. We will discuss your true identity, the purpose of your body, God’s design for your life, and how to find the ultimate meaning and happiness that God made you for.

2. Breakout Speaker: Katie Weiss, founder of Behold Visio Divina

Talk Title: Unveiled: Seeing Ourselves Through God’s Eyes – Visio Divina prayer session

Talk description: Rooted in the theme Real Beauty in an Artificial Age, this small group breakout invites women into authentic freedom by learning to behold themselves and others through the loving gaze of God. Katie will lead a Visio Divina prayer experience that opens the heart to healing from the cultural lies that distort our understanding of beauty. This gentle, contemplative session will name and tend the wounds caused by disordered self image, perfectionism, and comparison, creating a sacred space for women to encounter the truth of their identity as daughters of the Father. Through prayer, sacred imagery, and quiet reflection, participants will rediscover that true beauty is not manufactured or earned but received – a gift bestowed by the One who created us in His image and calls us good. Come and rest in a peaceful, prayerful pause, allowing Christ to restore your vision, renew your heart, and draw you deeper into communion with the God who delights in you.

3. Breakout Speaker: Catherine Rose, author of A Return to Beauty: Ancient Catholic Wisdom and Modern Fashion

Talk Title: A Return to Beauty: Fashion Trends to Truth

Talk description: What we wear speaks not only to who we are, but to whose we are. Grounded in the Church’s understanding of the human person as created in the image of God, this session explores clothing as an expression of prayer, witness, and restoration. Drawing from her book A Return to Beauty: Ancient Catholic Wisdom and Modern Fashion, Catherine weaves together sacred tradition, magisterial teaching, and personal testimony to show how dress can participate in the sanctification of everyday life. Women will be introduced to a Catholic vision of beauty rooted in modesty, dignity, and virtue, and will receive practical guidance for cultivating a wardrobe that reflects their baptismal identity and feminine vocation. Join us to rediscover fashion as a pathway to recovering reverence for the body, joy in our womanhood, and a deeper conformity to Christ in the ordinary moments of daily life.

4. Breakout Speaker: Naomi Levis, wife and mother

Talk Title: Motherhood in the Digital Age: Breaking Free from Comparison

Talk description: In a world shaped by endless scrolling and curated highlight reels, many women may find themselves drawn into envy, self-doubt, and quiet comparison or discouragement. Social platforms thrive on perfect images, while motherhood is full of very real chaos, mess, and imperfection. This becomes fertile ground for envy, insecurity, and the fear that we are not “enough.” Even when we use social media as a helpful tool: seeking advice, community, or parenting resources, the endless stream of information can feel overwhelming. Without the steady reminder of our identity and our vocation, this constant exposure can subtly undermine confidence in our ability to be good and holy mothers. And yet, holy mothers are exactly what the world needs. This talk explores how to reclaim peace, purpose, and holiness amid digital noise; how to re-center our vocation in God’s love; and how to recognize the sacredness of the hidden, ordinary moments that define motherhood today.

Keynote Speakers 

Saturday, October 24, 2026
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

National Shrine of
Our Lady of Czestochowa
654 Ferry Road
Doylestown, PA

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