Pope Francis has called upon consecrated religious to "wake up the world" by living their special calling to be prophets of joy. The vocation to radical discipleship will be the focus of the 2015 IRL National Meeting.
We are pleased that Raymond Cardinal Burke has graciously accepted our invitation to give
the keynote address on Friday, April 10, 2015. His Eminence will speak on "Martyrdom for the Faith Today".
At the National Meeting's Saturday banquet dinner, Mother Agnes Mary Donovan, S.V., founding member and superior general of the Sisters of Life, is to receive the 2015 Pro Fidelitate et VirtuteAward. We wish to recognize Mother's deep commitment to the consecrated life and her bold witness to the Gospel of Life and building up the Civilization of Love.
We are also delighted to announce that Most Rev. Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, will be the principal celebrant of the closing Mass on the morning of Sunday, April 12.
Throughout the weekend, there will be excellent speakers on many facets of the consecrated life. They include
Rt. Rev. Austin G. Murphy, O.S.B., Abbot of St. Procopius Abbey in Lisle, Illinois
Mike Aquilina, award-winning author and television host, Vice President of The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology
Sr. Therese Marie Iglesias, T.O.R., Vocation Director of the Franciscan Sisters Third Order Regular, Toronto, Ohio
Amanda Houska, director of the web movement Imagine Sisters
Dan Burke, Executive Director of EWTN's National Catholic Register and founder of Catholic Spiritual Direction
Brandon Vogt, content director for Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and founder of StrangeNotions.com
Rev. Adam McDonald, S.V.D., Vocation Director of the Society of the Divine Word Chicago Province
Mike Zak, founder and director of the Here I Am Lord national vocations conference
Dawn Eden, popular blogger, speaker and author, and convert from Judaism
Cy Laurent, founder and Executive Director of The Labouré Society
Sr. Beth Ann Dillon, D.S.M.P., Vocation Director of the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence
Mother Agnes Mary Donovan, S.V., and Rev. Norbert Wood, O.Praem., will speak at the Special Session, Friday morning, April 10, exclusively for priests, religious and other consecrated persons.