Discipleship Conference echoes theme of hope

The third annual Discipleship Conference, held Aug. 9 at the Oklahoma City Convention Center, welcomed more than 1,000 attendees from across the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City for a day of formation, fellowship and faith-filled encouragement. The event offered a dynamic opportunity for Catholics of all backgrounds to grow as disciples and be equipped to become disciple-makers in their parishes and communities.

Centered around the theme of hope – aligned with the Church’s current Jubilee Year of Hope – the conference featured inspiring talks, sacramental celebrations and joyful community-building.

Three major takeaways defined the experience:

1. Hope-filled teaching rooted in the Gospel
Speakers delivered rich and relevant messages to a packed audience. Heather Khym opened hearts with her talk, “Encountering Christ in the Gospels,” while Karlo Broussard, D.Phil. explored the “Splendor of the Catholic Faith.” Roxane Salonen offered guidance on “When Loved Ones Leave the Church,” providing a compassionate and hopeful perspective. The day culminated in a stirring keynote by Father Dave Pivonka, who charged attendees to embrace “Mission and the Holy Spirit” with renewed zeal.

2. A living witness to the Sacramental Life
The sacraments were at the heart of the conference. Archbishop Paul Coakley celebrated daily Mass, anchoring the event in the Eucharist. Throughout the day, nearly one-third of attendees took part in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and many spent quiet moments in Eucharistic Adoration, encountering Christ in profound and personal ways.

3. A joyful gathering of the Church in Oklahoma
From youth to seniors, and attendees of every background, the convention center was filled with the joy of the Catholic faith. Breakout rooms buzzed with lively discussions, the public space was filled with mission-driven ministries and vendors, and attendees captured moments of fun at the Pope Leo cut-out photo booth. The joy of discipleship was contagious – and unmistakable.

In an unlikely pairing of events, the convention center also hosted an Oklahoma Tattoo Convention two floors below. Some of their attendees wandered curiously into the discipleship event, where they were met by smiling volunteers and warm invitations to explore. One of these interactions was later described as a "Divine appointment," a reminder that the joy of a disciple is often the most powerful invitation to faith.

“During the Discipleship Conference, I had a powerful and unexpected encounter with a gentleman who had clearly come from the tattoo convention happening two floors below,” said Erika Martinez, a conference volunteer and the archdiocesan coordinator of Hispanic ministries. “He wandered into our event space, and I greeted him with a smile. Curious, he asked what kind of event this was. I shared that it was a Catholic conference focused on discipleship and told him he was more than welcome to look around.

“He paused and quietly said, ‘I was baptized Catholic, but I haven’t been to church in a very long time.’ Then he added, almost to himself, ‘I don’t even know why I came up here.’ I looked at him and simply said, ‘Maybe the Lord has something here for you.’

“I handed him a welcome bag and offered to accompany him into the main ballroom, where Father Dave Pivonka was about to give the final keynote. As we entered, the music began and he just stopped. ‘Wow,’ he whispered, visibly moved. He stayed for a while, taking it all in.

“I didn’t get his name, but I truly believe the Lord led him to us that day. I’m grateful I was there to welcome him. I pray that whatever seeds were planted in that moment will take root in his heart and that he will be open to the Lord’s gentle invitation to come home.”

The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City Discipleship Conference was held on Aug. 9 at the Oklahoma City Convention Center. The conference featured Fr. Dave Pivonka, president of Franciscan University of Steubenville; Tim Glemkowski, executive director of Amazing Parish and the National Eucharistic Congress; and Heather Khym, a well-known Catholic podcaster and friend of the Archdiocese of 
Oklahoma City. Photos Chris Porter/Sooner Catholic.