Three opportunities to enrich your faith in one weekend
January 14, 2025
By Ryan Johnson
The weekend of March 1 and 2 will be a blockbuster, from a Catholic perspective, as you can attend one or more of the following events in the Des Moines area. This will be the final weekend of Ordinary time before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday (March 5).
Saturday, March 1st
Scott Hahn, Ph.D. at St. Francis of Assisi
Scott Hahn, Ph.D. will give two inspiring talks on Saturday, March 1 at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in West Des Moines.
The day will begin with Mass at 8 a.m., followed by the first talk at 9:05 a.m. and the second talk at 10:50 a.m.
Hahn is a former Protestant minister who converted to the Catholic faith at the Easter Vigil in 1986. Since joining the Catholic Church, Hahn has written numerous bestselling books about the Catholic faith.
The event is free, does not require registration, and is open to families. To find more information about the event, visit www.sfaprays.com/hahn
FORGE Men’s Conference
Also on Saturday, March 1, FORGE will host a men’s conference at the Embassy Suites in Des Moines.
The conference begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. In less than the length of an average workday, attendees will hear from eight nationally renowned speakers, receive the sacraments (Mass and reconciliation), and build brotherhood with 1,000-plus other men.
Speakers include Superbowl champion Matt Birk, New York Times best-selling author Leonard Sax, Benedictine Father Boniface Hicks, Bishop William Joensen, evangelist Damon Owens and more.
John Bishop, Ph.D. founded FORGE to fight for families by empowering men to become saints. Last spring, FORGE was recognized by SENT Ventures as a Top 5 Emerging Catholic Non-Profit in the United States, and the conference is attracting attendees from throughout Iowa and the Midwest.
Sunday, March 2nd
El Paso Bishop Seitz at Drake University
St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Student Center at Drake University will welcome its first speaker in the inaugural Dialogue Series on Sunday, March 2.
Bishop Mark J. Seitz of the Diocese of El Paso, Texas, will give a talk titled “Broken at the Border” at 2 p.m. at Sheslow Auditorium in Old Main on the Drake University campus.
According to Dialogue Series committee member Aimee Beckmann-Collier, the theme of the new series is “Faith in Action for the Common Good.”
It invites people of all spiritual walks of life to listen, converse and then act to improve conditions that benefit all members of society. The event is free to attend.
Pre-Bishop Seitz visit
The Bishop Seitz visit is part two of a three-prong approach to providing opportunities to learn more about immigration and take action. Prior to his visit, on Feb. 2 at 2 p.m. there will be a panel discussion on the state of immigration in Iowa at the Catholic Pastoral Center, 601 Grand Ave., in Des Moines.
Featured speakers include immigration attorneys Lori Chesser, of Dentons Davis Brown law firm, and Yer Vang, director of immigration services for the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Also speaking will be representatives of Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services in Iowa, and Iowa Movement for Migrant Justice.
Post-Bishop Seitz visit
And after Bishop Seitz’s visit, on March 29 at 10 a.m. there will be an action workshop at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Student Center, 1150 28th St. in Des Moines.
There, people of faith are invited to learn about specific needs of refugees and immigrants and consider making a commitment to provide for some of those needs.
Organizations represented include Catholic Charities, Lutheran Services of Iowa, Iowa Movement for Migrant Justice, and the Refugee Alliance of Central Iowa.
Learn more at www.stcatherinedrake.org/dialogue-series