Kelly Wahkquist
(Travels from Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Kelly Wahlquist is a dynamic and inspiring Catholic speaker whose gift of weaving personal stories and Scripture together with practical advice allows her audience to enter more fully into what Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict have called us into – to be witnesses of our faith and part of the New Evangelization.
As Assistant Director of the Evangelization and Development Office for Parish Evangelization for the Association of Marian Helpers she over sees the Hearts Afire Parish-based Programs for the New Evangelization. This bold, vibrant approach is designed to help people live the complete Catholic life of Faith, Hope, and Christian Charity in the Sacraments through parish-based small group faith renewal programs. Working with parish groups, pastors, and directors of parish religious education she assists them in organizing, implementing, and running the fruitful Hearts Afire Programs in their parish communities.
Kelly is the Program Manager for the Archbishop Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute, an ongoing Catholic formation resource, at the St. Paul Seminary. This program serves Catholic adults of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, in Minnesota. Catholic participants deepen their knowledge of the Catholic Faith and further their spiritual formation in the study of Scripture and theology.
Kelly is a contributing writer for The Integrated Catholic Life™, an eMagazine about integrating faith, family, and work where she writes a blog called Hearts Afire, and also a contributing writer for CatholicMom.com, The Divine Mercy and The Marians of the Immaculate Conception websites. She is the editor of Catholicism 101, a program by Jeff Cavins on the basics of Catholicism.
Kelly travels the country speaking on the New Evangelization and the Hearts Afire Parish-based Programs in an effort to promote evangelization through various apostolates and pilgrimages. She enjoys speaking to all groups, but has a special affinity towards speaking at Catholic women’s conferences. She resides in Minnesota with her husband, Andy, and their three children, and is very active in their parish, Holy Name of Jesus. Her great passion is spreading the message of Jesus in the New Evangelization.
Speaking Topics:
- Our Supreme Role in the New Evangelization – Blessed John Paul II said, “Each believer in Christ has the supreme duty to proclaim Christ to all peoples.” If you believe in Christ, you have a duty, not just any duty, a supreme duty to evangelize. In this talk we will look at how we fulfill our vocation to evangelize and learn how to go from “evangephobia” to confident “evangelizer” by following the example of the ultimate model of the New Evangelization, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Not only is Mary the model disciple; she is the model evangelizer too. The joy and the humility she exudes in her prayer, the Magnificat, are virtues that we too must live in our evangelistic efforts. A closer examination of the Magnificat will help us take a look at how we can evangelize and courageously share our faith as Mary did.
- The Supreme Role of Women in the New Evangelization (adapted for women’s conferences with focus on the Feminine Genius) – Blessed John Paul II said, “Each believer in Christ has the supreme duty to proclaim Christ to all peoples.” As women, we have been created in a special way to do this, and as women in the New Evangelization, we find our vocation and mission in using this beauty bestowed on us in our creation to profess the faith in fullness and with renewed conviction, with confidence and hope. This talk will look at how we fulfill our vocation to evangelize and how we have been given the ultimate model of the New Evangelization to be our guiding star, Mary. Not only is Mary the model disciple; she is the model evangelizer too. The joy and the humility she exudes in her prayer, the Magnificat, are virtues that we too must live in our evangelistic efforts. A closer examination of the Magnificat will help us take a look at how we can evangelize and courageously share our faith as Mary did.
- Courageously Living Your Faith in the Year of Faith & Forever – Do you find yourself in a situation you never thought could happen to you? Are you struggling with how to endure suffering in your life? Ever wonder how you can live a life of faith in a world that seems to be loosing faith? All of it takes courage! Join us for a heartfelt and dynamic look at what courage truly is, how we can obtain it, and to whom we can look as true examples of how to live the “life you never dreamed of” with courage, renewed conviction, confidence, and hope!
- Letting the Peace of Christ Rule Your Heart in a World That Wants to Rule All of You – Pope Benedict XVI asked, “How can we experience peace within ourselves, in spite of problems, darkness and anxieties? ” Not only did he ask, but he answered, giving us the key to unlock the doors to the interior peace which we ought to have amid the sometimes tumultuous and confusing events of history, events whose meaning we often do not grasp and which disconcert us. With highlights on history and glimpses of humor we will look at some practical ways we can experience inner peace in a world ruled by constant chaos, confusion, and noise.
- Lighting Hearts on Fire for Christ: The Simplicity of Introducing Hearts Afire Parish-based Programs to Your Parish – Want a sure-fire way to transform your work, your marriage, your family, and your life? Are you ready to learn the quickest, surest, and easiest way to holiness? In our hectic day and time, Blessed John Paul II and Blessed Mother Teresa knew that the quickest way to be transformed into a saint is through a relationship with Our Blessed Mother, Mary.
The Hearts Afire Parish-based Programs for the New Evangelization, a bold and fresh approach to small group, parish-based, faith renewal is designed to help us be transformed in to saints by living the complete Catholic life of faith, charity, and the sacraments. The first part of the program is 33 Days to Morning Glory, an extraordinary 33-day journey to consecration to Jesus through Mary with four giants of Marian spirituality: St. Louis de Montfort, St. Maximilian Kolbe, Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and Blessed Pope John Paul II.
Since the launch of the Hearts Afire program on Divine Mercy Sunday, 2012, over 6,000 people have consecrated in hundreds of parishes in the United States and Canada, and hundreds more are in the process. Come and learn how simple it is to bring this life transforming retreat to your community. (www.AllHeartsAfire.org)
“Kelly came and spoke to us on our role in the New Evangelization. She is so inspiring and truly set our hearts on fire on the importance of bringing Jesus to anyone who will listen.”
~Madeline Miller
Transfiguration Catholic Church, Oakdale, MNKelly Wahlquist recently came to our St. Michael’s Parish in St. Cloud Minnesota and gave a talk on the “New Evangelization”. She was dynamic and inspiring weaving personal stories and scripture together with practical advice for us to enter more fully into what Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict have called us into – to be witnesses of our faith and part of the New Evangelization. I recommend her as a dynamic speaker for any event for those seeking to inspire their flock.
~Fr. Mark Innocenti
Pastor, St. Michael’s Parish, St. Cloud, MNOn December 13, 2012, Kelly Wahlquist gave a talk on Our Supreme Role in the New Evangelization at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii Parish in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where I serve as an Associate Pastor. Kelly’s talk was very well received by those who attended and we all appreciated her great sense of humor and deep spiritual insights. She was very relateable, has great stories to share, and had a timely message for this Year of Faith. We hope she will come back again to Kenosha. I would highly recommend her as a speaker.
~Fr. Angelo Casimiro, MIC
Associate Pastor
Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii Parish
Kenosha, WisconsinKelly Wahlquist is a dynamic speaker and is setting hearts on fire with her talks! She is funny, brilliant, engaging and powerful in her messages!
~Chris Pillizzi
Parish Coordinators at St. Anne’s in Pleasant Prairie for Women of Christ.
