WHOLEHEARTED CATHOLIC
About
Us
Our Story
Wholehearted Catholic Women’s gathering began when a few women responded to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to provide a vehicle of encounter with Jesus. In 2015, just months after the death of her oldest son, Alisa Kostecka offered the first of two Catholic women’s retreats. While the men of the diocese had an annual conference, there was nothing for women. Brian Kraut, Director of Evangelization from the Diocese of Spokane, offered encouragement and connected her with Michelle Oresky, then a Youth Minister and engineer who had gone to Alisa’s retreats but was also sensing the Holy Spirit leading her to enquire about a women’s conference. Brian brought the two women together in the Spring of 2017 and Wholehearted was born and the first conference took place in February of 2018 at St. Thomas More in Spokane.
Wholehearted 25
Team
Alisa Kostecka
Lindsey Klemmer
Diana Cassidy
Elaine Appel
Paola Davila
Jocelyn DiLucca
Our Mission
We are Catholic women who share a love for Jesus and gather to be encouraged and equipped to live life joyfully, wholeheartedly, and abundantly as beloved daughters of God. We gather to be sent. Empowered and anointed by the Holy Spirit, we believe every baptized person is sent into their community to proclaim the Good News that is so good it can’t be hidden under a bushel basket of fear, busyness, or laziness. We are committed to enkindle the warmth from our hearts to give the light of Jesus to this world. From here, we don't go home to do great things, but to do small things with great LOVE.
GATHER We gather as women to offer encouragement in our vocations and equip participants to be a light to the world starting in the home and radiating through each woman’s circle of friends and community, and out to the whole world. (think early Church in Acts)
ENCOUNTER We believe that a powerful encounter with Christ can help to live a wholehearted life that will cause others to wonder how they can meet this Jesus too. The WHOLEHEARTED Gathering will be a time to encounter Jesus in the sacraments and each other. (Think Samaritan woman at the well)
NOURISH The WHOLEHEARTED Gathering is not only a one-day affair with community, prayer, and sacraments - it’s also intended to encourage ongoing study and prayer as well as provide a launching point towards the parishes and communities of all attendees. Now that you have encountered, heard, and tasted, the expectation is that it is normal to continue to nourish, learn, study, grow, give, and live as a disciple of Jesus. We would like to include some of our favorite resources for nourishing our prayer and sacramental life.
FLOURISH Empowered and anointed by the Holy Spirit, every baptized person is sent into the world to proclaim the Good News that is so good it can’t be hidden under a bushel basket of fear, busyness, or laziness. The world needs God’s love and mercy NOW and we have been sent to flourish as God’s agent to bring it, so BRING IT ON!! A WHOLEHEARTED Catholic reaches outside her comfort zone to help others in need, we are here to connect with ways to direct our charitable efforts both simply in the home and with neighbors in our communities.