Maine Catholic Women's Conference draws more than 200 participants.

You are enough. You’re worth it. And you are loved just as you are.

That was the message that keynote speaker Danielle Bean shared with more than 200 women gathered on Saturday, March 16, for the 11th Maine Catholic Women’s Conference.

“My message to the women here today is that Jesus loves them in a deeply intimate, personal way. It is so important that we focus on that as primary,” said Bean. “He is always inviting us into a deeper relationship with him, and he just wants us to love him back. He is just asking for that gift of ourselves in return.”

The conference, which was held at the Holiday Inn By the Bay in Portland, brought together women from around the state to celebrate their faith and to connect with one another.

“I came to grow closer to Christ, to take a minute and to take a break from life and spend time with God and hear what he has to say,” said Hillary Blanchard from the Parish of the Precious Blood in Caribou. “You get to gather with your other sisters in Christ and to focus on him, go to confession, go to Mass, do it all in one day, and grow closer and build fellowship.”

“We’re always so busy, and this is a chance to be with each other,” said Vanessa Rehmeyer from St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Bangor.

“I couldn’t wait to get here this year because last year was so awesome, and this year is going to be even greater. Every year, it just gets better and better. I love it,” said Therese Peaslee of St. Michael Parish in Augusta, who has come for the past nine years. “I just get rejuvenized, filled.”

“It’s the sharing of faith with like-minded people, meeting new friends, making new family,” said Diane Young of All Saints Parish in Brunswick, who was attending for the first time. “Look at all these people. How happy must that make God?”

“I came last year, and I know how amazing it was,” said Dancile Nshimirimana, who serves as outreach coordinator for Prince of Peace Parish in Lewiston and who brought other members of the African community with her to the conference. “As the African community, we meet with other people, but it’s so nice when you see everyone from the diocese get together. You find new friends and make new connections.”

Some of those in attendance said they were particularly drawn to this year’s conference because of the opportunity to hear from Bean, the featured speaker. She is a wife, mother, author, speaker, and host of “Girlfriends,” a podcast for Catholic women.

“I love Danielle Bean. I started following her podcasts last year, and we have a moms’ group at home, and we get together every two weeks, and we discuss one of her podcasts. So, I am so excited to hear her speak. It’s just great,” said Bethany Bellamy from the Parish of the Precious Blood.

“I’ve just seen her work, read her work for about 20 years. She’s fantastic, so she was the draw,” said Ruth Rogers of St. Paul the Apostle Parish.

In her presentations, Bean reflected on the theme of the conference, "Loved as I am." She shared the stories of women in the Bible and talked about the messages we can still take from them today. She pointed, for instance, to the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well.

“The first lesson that we can draw is the fact that Jesus seeks us where we are,” Bean said. “He wants a real relationship with each of us – the same way that we expect that out of our human relationships with other people, the people we know and love best. We don’t want a polite relationship. We don’t want an only on Sundays relationship. We want a real relationship. That is what Jesus is seeking from you when he is seeking you where you are in the midst of your daily chores."

Bean also recalled the story of Mary and Martha, which Bean said is all about the unique struggles that women experience.

“How many of us are so busy and distracted with our many things that we’re missing Jesus standing in our living room. Jesus is the people in your life whom he’s put there for you to love and serve,” she said. “People are more important than things. Worship is more important than work.”

The women in attendance said that Bean’s message resonated with them.

“We’ve all heard those Scriptures before, but she made them relatable so that you could actually put yourself in these scenes in a very memorable way,” said Rogers.

“I really liked that she said you are loved where you are,” said Blanchard. “It’s through Christ, that you are enough. You are enough not because of how magical you are now but because of what he can do through you.”

In addition to Bean’s keynote addresses, the conference also included witness talks, eucharistic adoration, the opportunity for the sacrament of reconciliation, vendors’ booths, and a closing Mass celebrated by Bishop Robert Deeley, who told the women that they are called to bring God’s love into the world.

“I hope that this day has been a source of joy for all of you as you have prayed together and drawn strength from being with ‘sisters in Christ,’” the bishop said. “May you return home with a newfound joy in faith and family.”

Laura Rodrigues, a first-time attendee from the Parish of the Holy Eucharist in Falmouth, used the word “marvelous” to sum up the day.

“To be with other sisters in Christ, the witness talks, the fellowship and friendships at table, the new connections made, it was all just glorious. And the sound of women’s voices raised in praise really just capped off the day,” she said. “This was my first one. I’ll be back!”

The conference is presented by the Diocese of Portland’s Office of Lifelong Faith Formation in cooperation with the Maine Catholic Women’s Conference Planning Committee.