Dear Friend of the Conference,
The Religious Formation Conference (RFC) is busy preparing for the 2021 Congress, to be held November 4-7 in Chicago. In addition to a full program of keynote speakers and seminar presentations, there will also be three Pre-Congress sessions on November 4 and a Post-Congress session on November 7. Our theme embodies the call to Arise and give witness to Christ's Good News of justice, love, and peace.
The Congress keynote speakers will be Sr. Mary Pellegrino, CSJ and Fr. Peter Phan, PhD. We are also thrilled to have Sr. Lynn Levo, CSJ with us to present at the Post-Congress day. Additional information about all our presenters and the 2021 Congress can be accessed online at: www.relforcon.org/arise
I invite you to consider being a sponsor of this important event for the initial and lifelong formation of vowed religious men and women in the United States and their associate partners.
While the COVID-19 pandemic means we may need to modify plans for November, we are committed to providing a safe and engaging Congress experience this fall. We predict gathering in person in some capacity and making Congress content available to those who may not yet feel comfortable traveling (e.g., livestreaming, recorded sessions, etc.). Contingency plans continue to be explored. Regardless of format, we’re excited about our outstanding line-up of speakers and look forward to this time together.
We anticipate approximately 300 will gather in person or virtually for this year’s event. Your support of the RFC enables us to keep our fees as affordable as possible, while also meeting our expenses. Sponsorship also makes Congress more accessible to those who could not afford to attend otherwise. We believe that online access will broaden our outreach to international audiences as well.
Please click on the Congress sponsorship form for more information on sponsorship opportunities. You can use this online form to make your sponsorship selection and submit it electronically to RFC staff. Once we receive your sponsorship, conference organizers will be in touch about next steps. We encourage you to make sponsorship selections as soon as possible as options tend to fill up fast.
All of us at the RFC are most grateful for your ongoing support. We look forward to partnering to make this year’s Congress a meaningful event for all those in the religious life and our formation communities.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me via email at edauwer@relforcon.org or by phone at 773.675.8362 if you have any questions. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Ellen Dauwer, SC
Executive Director
Picture at right: Chicago Water Tower