Karl's Testimony
2012 Courage/EnCourage Conference
Audio Only – Karl gives his inspirational testimony of his experience, relating how getting involved in a life of sin, including drugs, alcohol, and pornography lead him away from the Church and into a homosexual lifestyle with all its loneliness and despair. He then shares how he came back from this darkness into the light of faith as he started to attend Courage meetings, which gave him the much needed support of spirituality and friendship.
Why Is There Sex?
In the opening keynote address for the 2013 International Courage Conference in Mundelein, IL, Dr. J. Budziszewski gives his talk titled, “Why Is There Sex?" He is a professor for Government and Philosophy at the University of Texas, Austin and specializes in natural law. His background as a Catholic who has converted from atheism and who now lectures every day to many young atheists in his classes gives him a unique perspective on what needs to be said to our modern youth to help them to live a chaste life.
Healing Sexual Wounds with the Help of the Saints
Dawn Eden, author of The Thrill of the Chaste, relates how the saints helped her to see her own self-worth in the eyes of God and so gave her the strength to live a Christian life.
Fearing the Lord ... and Not Being Afraid
The sixth speaker was Fr. Paul Scalia, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Courage and Chaplain for the Arlington, VA chapter. His talk was titled, “Fearing the Lord … and Not Being Afraid.” He makes the distinction between good fear of the Lord which is based on love and is a gift from God that brings us closer to Him verses a bad fear based on a false belief that God is an avenging God. Understanding this is key to developing a proper relationship with our all loving yet almighty God.
All Things For Good
Dr. Bill Consiglio, Founder and Director of HOPE Ministries, gives a hope-filled message that despite our brokenness and sins we can trust that God has a providential plan for our good. As Romans 8:28 says, “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”
Paul's Testimony
2013 Courage/EnCourage Conference
Paul gives his touching and powerful testimony of his deep involvement in the gay lifestyle and his difficult but grace-filled, miraculous climb out of this deep darkness, ending by returning to the Catholic Church after forty years, and living a Christian life with the help of his local Courage chapter.
The Joy of the Lord Will Be Your Strength
Fr. Paul N. Check, Executive Director of Courage International unfolds this topic starting with Luke 10:21 “In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.’”