Jenny Snarski
Catholic Herald staff

A young priest of the Diocese of Superior will speak on the theme of “Living Water” at a diocesan women’s conference in July, and a popular speaker will return to the diocese to offer an evening keynote the night before.

Fr. Isaiah Schick will be one of two speakers at the two-day Superior Diocesan Council of Catholic Women’s 76th Annual Convention, this year held at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in New Richmond.

The event begins with the SDCCW’s open board meeting at 2 p.m. on Thursday, July 23, which includes messages from the outgoing president, Bishop James P. Powers and the SDCCW’s spiritual advisor. There is a social hour at 5 p.m. and banquet at 6 p.m. with keynote address by Yen Fasano at the 45th Parallel Distillery in New Richmond.

Friday is the primary convention day, and doors open at 8 a.m. with a welcome given at 8:45 a.m. Keynote address begins at 9 a.m. Golden Rose recipients, teenage girls recognized for their contributions to their community, will be introduced at 10:15 a.m., followed by the Mass and Pax Christi Award announcement at 11 a.m. with Bishop Powers. Following lunch, the bishop and spiritual director both present messages before raffle winners are announced and closing remarks given at 3 p.m.

The convention organizer is Diocesan Council President Bridgette Adler. Adler took the helm in 2023, making this her fourth convention to plan. Grateful for the opportunities in these past years and the women she has met, she is always humbled by the volunteers whose efforts make these events possible.

She hopes her efforts will lead other women closer to Christ, particularly through the offerings for this year’s convention.

Fr. Schick will be the featured keynote speaker for the main portion of the convention on Friday. Ordained in May 2023, Fr. Schick has been serving the Rice Lake cluster parishes as his first pastoral assignment. The convention will be one of his final events in the diocese before he begins graduate studies in Canon Law at the Catholic University of America in the nation’s capital.

“Give me a Drink: Quenching the Thirst of God,” will be the priest’s talk title, drawing on the convention’s “Living Water” theme. Fr. Schick will explore the profound spiritual meaning behind Christ’s words, “Give me a drink” and the mystery of God’s call to deeper communion with him. Participants will discover how Christ’s words reveal a divine thirst that longs to transform our hearts and renew our mission as Catholics today.

After Adler received positive feedback on featuring a speaker for the Thursday evening banquet, the SDCCW chose to do so again in 2026. Fasano will present this year’s banquet keynote, “Stop Drinking from Puddles: There is a Deeper Well.”

Addressing the many “puddles” we spend our lives drinking from—seeking peace, worth and rest in places that were never meant to satisfy—Fasano will offer reflections on Christ’s invitation to “Living Water.” Through humor, honesty and hope, she will lead attendees to discover how God meets us in our thirst and leads to the deeper well of his love, where true renewal begins.

Fasano headlined the 2024 diocesan convention and also spoke at the National CCW convention in Minneapolis in 2022. She is the executive director of Bethany Center for Prayer and Renewal in Scandia, Minnesota. A mother of three teenage children, she is a national speaker and retreat leader who is passionate about women encountering their true identity in Christ.

This event is open all Catholic women, whether registered members of their parish CCW or not. There are multiple participation options: Thursday only, Friday only, or both days.

One “big change” for this year, Adler shared, will be the presence of more honored guests. In the past, Pax Christi award finalists are invited and recognized, but this year all Pax Christi nominees are specifically invited. As usual, the finalists will be greeted by Bishop Powers after the Mass, at which time the award winner will be announced.

In addition to the customary silent auction and raffles, arrangements are being made for vendors.

One of these is Mary Henseler, owner and artist of “She Sells Sanctuary,” who has also been at diocesan conventions before. Coming from the Twin Cities, Henseler takes vintage items and repurposes them into religious jewelry and other artwork. To see her work, visit shesellssanctuary.square.site.
Information and registration details are at sdccw-wisconsin.weebly.com.

Yen Fasano (Submitted photo)

Fr. Isaiah Schick (Diocese of Superior)