2008 Illinois Catholic Homeschool Conference and Vendor Fair
Friday and Saturday, May 23-24, 2008


DOWNLOAD the Conference Brochure in PDF Format (756 KB)

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For quicker news and updates, visit our conference blog at www.ilchc.blogspot.com!


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*If you have sent email inquiries to the ilchc.org addresses teachingthetruth, websmaster, or olog within the past few weeks please resend them. We have been experiencing email problems and not received them. Thank you for understanding!

*Pre-registration by mail is now closed. However, you can still pre-register for the Conference and get the preregistration rate through Tuesday, May 20 in three easy steps:

1. Download our Registration Form in Microsoft Word.
2. Fil it out electronically.
3. Email registration @ ilchc . org (remove the spaces) and attach your form.

You will pay at the door enjoying smoother, quicker registration and the pre-registration prices.

ILCHC KEYNOTE SPEAKERS...

Conference Mass Celebrant and Homilist:

FATHER PABLO STRAUB, C.SS.R.
Father is a missionary priest of St. Alphonsus’ Redemptorist Order who is celebrating his priestly Jubilee in 2008! After his ordination in 1958 in the Hudson Valley, Father spent twenty years evangelizing towns, cities, and villages all over Puerto Rico. Father has spent the last twenty years in rural Mexico, where he helped found two new missionary and contemplative religious orders. In the United States, Mexico and Guatemala, Father Straub directs missions, retreats, and Marian Eucharistic Conferences, and is a frequent presence on on Mother Angelica’s EWTN and on Mexican Catholic television. Known as the "Crucifix Priest," Father Pablo has a special devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, a great love for the Blessed Virgin Mary, and a deep fidelity to the Holy Father. He hears confessions during his missions from before sunrise to beyond midnight, preaches with a quiet passion borne of love, and finds time to write an occasional Catholic tract for laity. Father has produced many audio and video recordings of the Catholic Catechism and Rosary meditations, including the very popular 32-lesson, "Catholic Family Catechism" DVD series. He is a strong supporter of homeschooling, and even says that he "homeschoools the novices of his religious order"!

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Friday Keynote 1:
"The Balancing Act: Schoolwork, Housework, and a Spiritual Life"

VIRGINIA SEUFFERT
A native of New York and homeschool mother of 12, Virginia ("Ginny") currently resides in Illinois. While in New York, Ginny lectured, debated, and wrote numerous articles for the Pro-life Movement. After moving to Illinois, she became a founding member of the Network of Illinois Catholic Home School Educators (NACHE), helped establish the "Round Table," (a Catholic home school leaders discussion group), and was a founder and officer of the Catholic Home School Network of America. Ginny has been on EWTN, lectured at Catholic conferences throughout the US and Canada, and authored numerous articles on such topics as homeschooling, teaching virtues, and household management. She also authored a chapter on Home Management in Dr. Mary Kay Clark's book Catholic Home Schooling: A Parents Guide.

Friday Keynote 2:
"Teaching the Truth to Our Children: The Challenges and the Rewards"

MONSIGNOR DAN DEUTSCH
Msgr. Deutsch is pastor of the vibrant Holy Cross Parish in Batavia, IL. He grew up in St. Charles, IL with 5 brothers and sisters. Raised and educated in a strong Catholic faith, Monsignor graduated from Northern Illinios University with a degeee in finance and economics and worked in Chicago at the Mercantile Exchange trading Eurodollars for several years. But his heart was experiencing the pull of his vocation. "All the while, even from my earliest days, I felt a great attraction to the priesthood," he says. "Finally, I realized that God was not going to stop pursuing me so I let go of the life of a bond trader and began my journey to the priesthood." After being accepted by the Diocese of Rockford, Msgr. Deutsch attended the University of St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, IL for his formation and was ordained a priest in 1994. He has been pastor of Holy Cross since 2001, and was just named a Monsignor by Pope Benedict in March 2008!

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Saturday Keynote:
"How Parents Can Be a Model of Christ for Their Children"

FATHER FRANCIS J. "ROCKY" HOFFMAN
Since 1998 Father Frank "Rocky" Hoffman has been Chaplain of Northridge Preparatory School in Niles, Illinois, a college prep school for boys in grades 6-12. He has worked with youth for over 25 years and served as chaplain of Aquinas Academy in Pittsburgh before coming back to Chicago as chaplain of Northridge Prep. Ordained as a priest for Opus Dei in 1992 by John Paul II, he holds a doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (Rome), a B.A. from Northwestern in History and an M.B.A. from Notre Dame. For the past 12 summers he has been Chaplain for the YSI (Youth Service International) Mexico Summer Service Projects in isolated and impoverished areas of Mexico. Fr. Rocky is a nationally known speaker appreciated for his sense of humor and ability to explain the faith in simple and inspiring ways. He is also an accomplished jazz musician on the piano and sax, and a weekly guest on Relevant Radio.

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