Catechists and parish ministry leaders gathered Aug. 20-22 at the Mary Mother of the Church Pastoral Center for formation, prayer and reflection.
The 2026 Catechetical Conference, themed “Back to the Well: Rediscovering Our Call to Serve,” drew inspiration from the Gospel account of the Samaritan woman’s encounter with Christ.
Timothy P. O’Malley, Ph.D., of the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame, opened the conference by challenging participants to consider the increasingly fast pace of modern life and its effects on families.
Brenda Cline, executive director of the Department of Parish and Diocesan Life, speaks with keynote presenter Timothy P. O’Malley, Ph.D., during the 2026 Catechetical Conference at the Mary Mother of the Church Pastoral Center in St. Francis. (Photo by Kelsey DeMarais)
Technology has made greater speed and efficiency possible, he said, but work, activities and digital demands can leave families little room simply to be present to one another.
“We’re not made for 5G,” O’Malley said. “We actually aren’t made to move that fast.”
Rather than adding more obligations to crowded family schedules, O’Malley said parishes can create spaces for prayer, contemplation, community and genuine leisure.
The conference also included Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, confession and workshops on family catechesis, sacramental preparation, ministry to young people and other topics.
Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob encouraged participants to use the conference to be renewed in Christ before returning to their ministries.
“Take time to receive anew the love of Christ, to be refreshed by his presence, and to allow him to renew your heart for the mission he has entrusted to you,” he wrote.
