Conference Adoration Experience

(Photo Credit: Columbus Catholic Women's Conference, Facebook)

This past February, along with over 3000 other women, we attended the Columbus Catholic Women's Conference. The talks by Fr. John Riccardo, Carrie Daunt, Sr. Mercedes Torres, Sarah Swafford, & Mary Guilfoyle were uplifting & inspiring. In addition, there were various vendors sharing their ministries & religious materials, an Adoration chapel for private prayer, & relics of St. Padre Pio available for veneration.

Fr. John Riccardo also led an hour of Adoration. We prayed & adored Our Lord as Father walked around the conference seating area with the Blessed Sacrament. In his talk later that afternoon, he spoke of how powerful it was for him to process with Our Lord around the room. He said that each time he turned the monstrance toward someone or a section of those in attendance, it was not of his own choosing, but Our Lord leading him. 

The procession touched me in a way I'd never experienced before. At times, the Host in the monstrance appeared to me to have a crack through the middle. (see photo above) Yet, when Fr. Riccardo arrived near our section & turned the monstrance toward me, the Host was perfectly whole, not a single crack. I believe that Our Lord was telling me that I was broken in ways that only He could make me whole again. What a comfort to me! While my brokenness may not be as severe as many others may suffer, there is comfort to be found knowing that He alone is my healer.

(NOTE: I now know that the Host was not cracked. It was just the light reflecting through the gold bar of the monstrance behind the Host, but even so, Our Lord used this as a message which was a great comfort to me.)

I found this beautiful prayer for healing at Catholic Mass Times.

Prayer for Healing of the Soul
Lord, source of all healing, I surrender to You my thoughts, my memories, and my wounds from the past. You know my heart better than anyone, and only You can heal it completely. Restore peace in me, give me a new heart, and teach me to live in Your love. Free me from bitterness, resentment, and fear. May Your Holy Spirit renew my being and make me a witness to Your love. Amen.

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If you'd be interested in listening to any of the speakers from this year's Columbus Catholic Women's Conference, you can find the links to them at our local Catholic radio station's site: St. Gabriel Radio. That same link will also lead you to the Columbus Catholic Men's Conference, where this year's speakers were Dcn. Harold Burke-Sivers, Dr. Ray Guarendi, & Mark Hartfiel. I listened to their talks & found them just as inspiring, especially Dcn. Harold's. He is so on fire for our Faith!

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