One conference will come to Vancouver Convention Centre March 5
By Agnieszka Krawczynski
The B.C. Catholic
Caption: Angele Regnier
An annual conference that encourages the laity to engage in the Church’s mission is taking its cue from Pope Francis.
This year’s One Conference, which annually sells out at 1,000 tickets, is themed “In the Father’s Mercy.”
“We want to move the laity to their call to mission out in the world,” said Patrick Gillespie, the event’s speaker chairman.
He said the theme, which changes every year, will focus on the Jubilee Year of Mercy this time. “If the universal Church calls for something, we draw attention to that.”
This major event, at the Vancouver Convention Centre March 5, will include Mass, exhibits, live music, and world-class speakers on the topics of mercy, leadership, and mission.
“In years past, mission has usually meant ecclesial, in-house parish things,” Gillespie said.
But there’s more to the Church’s mission than being an altar server or leading Liturgy of the Word with children, he said. This conference aims to inspire and cultivate leaders among the people in the pews, whether they are active on the parish level or not.
“It’s for any Catholic who cares about the mission of the Church and wants to do something about it.”
Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, will take the stage first to welcome everyone and give an opening address.
Next up will be Angele Regnier, the co-founder of Catholic Christian Outreach. She and her husband started that ministry to university students more than 25 years ago and recently received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal from Pope Francis for their efforts.
“There’s a mix with the speakers we have, of both the mercy of God in general, but also as being leaders,” Gillespie said.
Regnier will share personal stories about leadership as well as seeking forgiveness and reconciliation in a talk titled, “Mercy Leads to Freedom.”
After lunch, Ken Yasinski will take the podium to tell the crowd about the life-changing experience of being mugged at age 19 and staring death in the eyes.
That experience taught him what really mattered in life. The father of three from Saskatoon is expected to encourage participants to “live with an eternal perspective” and share how God’s mercy helps the faithful evangelize.
The final speaker of the day is a vocal advocate for freedom for victims of sexual slavery, and jail time for those who exploit them. Gwendoline Allison, a lawyer who has appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada against prostitution in the Bedford case, will give a talk on “The Face of Mercy.”
“She’ll be speaking about the dignity of the human person,” said Gillespie. “She’s been pretty passionate and a huge advocate in Vancouver for that.”
A member of the anti-human-trafficking committee launched by Archbishop Miller, Allison will talk about how people can serve those they care about in concrete ways. “It’s something she’s living out.”
Dozens of exhibitors will have information on corporal and spiritual works of mercy on display, as their booths showcase ministries from reaching out to the poor or imprisoned to prayer and discerning religious life.
The energetic duet “A Guy and a Girl,” and the All Saints’ Chamber Choir will perform during the conference.
Registration is $45. More information is available at www.rcav.org/one.
