Topic: "The Yes of Mary: The Reason for Our Hope"
Fr. Mary David Hoyt is a brother and priest of the Congregation of St. John in Laredo. A native of Indianapolis, IN, and member of a family of nine children, he heard the call to the religious life in 1996 at which time he entered the brothers of St. John in Laredo. In 1997 he began his formative years as a brother in France, where he spent seven years in the congregation’s house of philosophy and theology. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2005 and spent a year in a rural parish in central France. He returned to the USA, to Laredo, in 2006 where he lives a religious life of prayer, study and ministry with his brothers.
Topic: "Women: Our Dignity, Our Mystery"
Born on a farm in Kansas, Ramie has eight younger brothers and sisters. Upon completing her degree in education, she taught not only a variety of ages, but also in several different countries. Ramie felt called to continue her studies and while at the John Paul II Institute for Studies in Marriage and Family in Washington D.C. she met her husband, Jake. Both Jake and Ramie graduated with their Masters in Theology in 2005 and got married that summer. After living and teaching in Puebla, Mexico, the Samours made their home in San Antonio. Ramie's beloved role is that of wife and mother to their son, Carlos Raymond, and she also helps her husband who is the Director of the Office of Marriage and Family Life for the Archdiocese San Antonio.
Topic: "Prove It, God!. . . And He Did!"
Patty Schneier is a housewife and mother of three from the Archdiocese of St. Louis. She and her husband Larry, are active members of St. Ferdinand Parish, where Patty is a cantor at Sunday Mass. Since October, 2003 Patty has been speaking at parishes and Catholic Conferences across the United States, sharing her personal testimony. Using song, scripture, and writings from her journal, Patty shares the story of her challenge to God and His daily response. The results were life changing! Her conversion marks the beginning of a totally new life in Christ, a renewed marriage, and a ministry in public speaking. With additional talks written specifically for teens, parents, and priests, she gives witness to the beauty of the Church’s teachings and her love of the Catholic Faith.
Topic: "The Role of Friendship in our Relationship with God and with Others"
Dr. Cooney-Hathaway is an associate professor of Spirituality and Systematic Theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit. She received her PhD from Catholic University of America and holds a certificate in Spiritual Direction from the Shalem Institute of Spiritual Formation. She is a former faculty member of Marygrove College, the Washington Theological Union, and adjunct professor at St. John’s Provincial Seminary in Plymouth. She has over twenty years experience as a spiritual director. Dr. Cooney-Hathaway travels nation-wide, lecturing on theology, spirituality and the relationship between human and spiritual development.
Topic: "Catholic Women: Pillars of the Present, Hope for the Future”
Terry Polakovic is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of ENDOW (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women). Founded in 2003, ENDOW is an international educational program that connects the authentic teachings of the Catholic Church with the "woman in the pew". In the past 5 years, over 2500 women have participated in the ENDOW Program, making it one of the fastest growing Catholic educational programs in the world today. By providing knowledge and fellowship in an intimate group setting, ENDOW fosters a sense of belonging and gives women an opportunity to understand and personalize their faith.
