Each spring, the Diocese of Portland invites women around the state to take a day for themselves, away from the busyness of the world and towards Christ.

“What I try to tell women is that this is an experience for everybody. It’s not just for young moms. It’s not just for older women. It’s not only single women or those who are married. It’s not any of that. Whether you’re introverted or extroverted, it doesn’t matter,” says Keren Morin of Grand Isle.

The experience is the Maine Catholic Women’s Conference, which will be held on April 18 at the St. John’s Community Center in Brunswick. Now in its 13th year, the conference is a joy-filled opportunity for women aged 16 and older to come together to celebrate their Catholic faith. This year’s theme is “Walking Together in Faith and Doubt.”

“Maine is so rural that there aren’t that many spiritual opportunities for women, so having the women’s conference is a way for women to have a spiritual day for themselves, to have some spiritual growth. I think that’s important for us,” says Gloria Ouellette of Richmond. “Whether it’s your relationship with God, your relationship with Jesus, or your relationship with the Holy Spirit, however you identify it for yourself, I think it’s important to have this focus for that one day, to eliminate the outside noise for that one day.”

Keren and Gloria are both longtime attendees of the conference, and both currently serve on the planning committee for it. Keren first attended at the invitation of a friend. Living in the St. John River Valley, she says it grew into a girls’ weekend downstate with the conference at the pinnacle of it. She found the experience so spiritually rewarding that not only did she continue to attend the conference, but she took on the role of emcee for five years.

“I think after that first experience when I went, I realized that I was a better person when I came back. I am a better mom. My batteries are a little bit more recharged,” says Keren. “I discovered there is something missing in my life, and this is a really great way to fill it.”

She says the conference made her aware of the need to take care of more than just her physical well-being.

“I love [Pope John Paul II’s] Theology of the Body, and it’s this whole idea that we’re not just a body and then a soul separately. Our soul, our body, and our mind, it’s all combined,” she says.   

While it’s great to come with friends, Keren and Gloria emphasize that women should not hesitate to attend by themselves. 

“We will make sure they are all set and have a place to sit at lunch. We will connect them with other people who are there who maybe are from their parish or from their area. Every woman is welcome,” says Keren.

They say they have come away with friendships that stretch across the state.

“What’s always so wonderful about the women’s conference is that it really does attract people from all over the state, which is just beautiful,” says Gloria.

“It's just been so neat to see these connections be made every year and to see the women grow,” says Keren.

Each year, the planning committee strives to find a dynamic keynote speaker who will share a message the women can internalize and carry forward. This year’s featured presenter is Christine Eberle, an author whose focus is on connecting spirituality and Scripture to everyday life.

The conference will also feature a witness talk, the opportunity for the sacrament of reconciliation, prayer time, vendor booths, and a closing Mass celebrated by Bishop James Ruggieri.

The cost to attend is $75. A limited number of scholarships are available. For more information, visit www.portlanddiocese.org/mcwc or email  Hannah.Gonneville@portlanddiocese.org.