Upcoming Events

The Power of Words

Alice is available to speak to your parish group or organization. Please contact her about available dates for speaking at conferences, retreats, parish missions and book signings.

See former event topics

Updates

Former Events

Regional and National Conferences

• Star-Spangled Saints: Holding 'Catholic' and 'American' Together. Paul Boudreau. St. Gabriel Church. Charlotte, NC. February 2018.
• Year of Mercy Congress. Diocese of Scranton, PA. University of Scranton. Scranton, PA.
  "Mercy has a Door" and "God's Story and Your Story." October 2016.
• 8th Annual Catholic Women's Conference. Sponsored by Diocese of Springfield, MA. Bellamy Middle School. Chicopee, MA.
  "God's Story and Yours." April 2015.
• Los Angeles Religious Education Congress: See. Anaheim, CA.
  "A Prophet for All Seasons: the Biography of Isaiah" and "Just Say No: Naysayers in the Bible's Wisdom Books." March 2015.
• Mid-Atlantic Congress. Baltimore, MD.
  "A Prophet for All Seasons: the Biography of Isaiah." February 2015.
• Northern California Faith Formation Conference: Alive in the Spirit/Vivos en el espiritu. Jointly sponsored by the Archdiocese of San Francisco and the Dioceses of Monterey, San Jose, Oakland, and Stockton. Santa Clara, CA.
  "Isaiah: The Authorized Biography of the Most Famous Prophet Ever" and "Is That What It Says? Why One Bible Just Isn’t Enough." November 2013.
• Johannes Hofinger Conference: Catch the Faith, Pass It On. Archdiocese of New Orleans, LA. New Orleans, LA.
  "Ten Things You Gotta Know About the Bible" and "Isaiah: The Man Behind the Words." January 2013.
• Johannes Hofinger Conference: Do This in Memory of Me: Believe, Belong, Become. Archdiocese of New Orleans, LA. Kenner, LA.
  "Spiritual Autobiography: Augustine's Journey and Ours," "Eucharist: Passengers or Participants?" and "Just Say No: Naysayers in the Bible's Wisdom Books." January 2012.
• Keynote address and workshop: Diocese of Charleston Fire at the Beach Conference. Hilton Head, SC.
  "Eucharist and Story" and "Prophets: Mystics or Madmen?" September 2011.
• Catechetical Leadership Retreat Days: Written in the Flesh—God's Story and Ours. Holy Names Retreat House. Houston, TX.
  "Saved By the Story," "Sacred Story and Our Story," "What Does It Mean to Be Church?" and "Eucharist: Passengers or Participants?" August 2011.
• Catechetical Conference: God So Loved the World. Holy Names Retreat House. Houston, TX.
  "Miracleworkers or Madmen? Those Pesky Prophets!" and "Ten Things You Gotta Know (and Teach) About the Bible." February 2011.
• Northern California Faith Formation Conference—Empowering Those in Ministry: Word of God Coming to Life/La Palabra de Dios es Vida. Diocese of Monterey, San Jose, and Archdiocese of San Francisco, in association with the Diocese of Oakland and Stockton. Santa Clara, CA.
  "Listening to God's Word" and "Forgiveness: It's Personal." November 2009.
• Los Angeles Religious Education Congress. With co-presenter Rev. Paul Boudreau. Anaheim, CA.
  "Everything I Know About Sin I Learned From Zombie Movies." March 2009.
• Catechetical Conference: The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church Conference. Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, TX. Houston, TX.
  "God’s Story and Ours" and "Biblical Friends We All Could Use." February 2009.
• Keynote address: NAPRC (National Alliance for Parishes Restructuring into Communities) Conference. Spirit of Christ Church. Arvada, CO.
  "Jesus is the Question, Not the Answer." July 2008.
• Johannes Hofinger Conference. Archdiocese of New Orleans, LA. New Orleans, LA.
  "Kingdom Coming, All the Time" and "Justice, Jesus, and You." January 2002.
• FallFest Young Adult Congress. Archdiocese of San Francisco, CA. San Francisco, CA.
  "Will Catholics Be 'Left Behind?' and Other Legends of the Apocalypse" and "Kingdom Coming, All the Time." October 2001.
• Keynote address: Parish Nurses Conference. Diocese of Toledo, OH. Toledo, OH.
  "Biblical Healing and the Call to Wholeness." April 1998.

Diocesan Workshops, Retreats, and Events

• Star-Spangled Saints. Vallombrosa Center. Menlo Park, CA.
  "American and Catholic: Holding Two Big Ideas Together," "Saints-in-Waiting II: More Farm Picks (Sr. Thea Bowman; Venerable Rafael Cordero Molina; Military figures: Lafleur, Maginn, Kapaan, Capodanno, Schmitt, Washington, Cummings; Venerable Mother Maria Kaupas; Julia Greeley; Dorothy Day)," "Brick By Brick I: Westward Ho! The Frontier Church (Elizabeth Seton, Philippine Duchesne, Theodore Guerin, John Neumann, Francis Seelos)," "Saints-in-Waiting I: Who's Next in the Constellation of Wow? (Fr. Augustus Tolton, Venerable Fulton Sheen, Paulist Isaac Hecker, Venerable Michael McGivney, Rose Hawthorne Lathrop, Venerable Henriette De Lille)," "Holiness, What's That?" "Missions: From the Rising of the Sun to Its Setting (Isaac Jogues and Rene Goupil, Kateri Tekakwitha, Junipero Serra)," "Brick By Brick II: Boldly Going Where Angels Fear to Tread (Damien de Veuster, Marianne Cope, Frances Cabrini, Katharine Drexel) ," "The Beatified: One Miracle to the Big Time (Capuchin Solanus Casey, Fr. Stanley Rother, Sr. Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, Charlie Rodriguez Santiago)," "From Who? to Hallowed: How You Get on the Roster of Saints," and "Mystics Or Misfits? Outliers in the Cause of Holiness." July 2018.
• Guided Retreat Week: Star-Spangled Saints. St. Edmund's Enders Island. Mystic, CT. June 2018.
• Guided Retreat Week: The Holy Mirror: Discovering Ourselves Through the Lens of Scripture. Vallombrosa Center. Menlo Park, CA. August 2017.
• Guided Retreat Week: The Holy Mirror: Discovering Ourselves Through the Lens of Scripture. St. Edmund's Enders Island. Mystic, CT. June 2017.
• Workshop: Future Dreaming: 21st Century Possibilities for the Church. The Oratory at Rock Hill. Rock Hill, SC. May 2017.
• RCIA Symposium on Conversion. Diocese of Charlotte, NC. St. Mark Church. Huntersville, NC.
  "Pastoral Implications of Conversion." September 2016.
• Indiana Priest Retreat: The Preacher’s Heart: The Care and Feeding of the Man Who Is the Priest. Diocese of Evansville, IN. St. Meinrad Abbey. Evansville, IN.
  "How to Build a Bridge," "Priesthood, the Problem," "On Being Present to a Mystery," "The Freedom of the Priest," "Preaching 101," "The Preacher’s Goal," "Trust," and "The Preacher’s Heart." June 2016.
• Visions in Faith. The Oratory at Rock Hill. Rock Hill, SC.
  "Star-Spangled Saints: American and Catholic, Holding Two Big Ideas Together," "Imaging and Imagining the Saints: How Holy Faces Are Made," and "Fearless: Stories of the American Saints." November 2015.
• Holy Land Tour. Cosponsored by U.S. CATHOLIC Magazine and Catholic Theological Union of Chicago. Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Galilee, Nazareth; other locations.
  "In the Footsteps of Jesus." January 2015.
• Mission Department Retreat. Roper Saint Francis HealthCare Mission Department. Johns Island, SC.
  "Traveling Through the Dark: Story, Journey, Community, and Meaning." September 2014.
• Visions in Faith. Sponsored by the Rock Hill Congregation of St. Phillip Neri. The Oratory at Rock Hill. Rock Hill, SC.
  "Keeping It Real in the Realm of Religion." June 2014.
• Cardinal Newman Lectures. The Oratory at Rock Hill. Rock Hill, SC.
  "What We Say to Children About God" and "Grownups Need Faith Lessons Too." February 2013.
• ODREO Conference (Archdiocese of Cincinnati Directors of Religious Education): Disciples Are Forever Students. Mt. Sterling, OH.
  "What Makes a Teacher Catholic?" "What Does It Mean to Be Church?" "Hospitality: Not an Option, It’s Our Charism," and "Great Teaching Moments in the Bible." October 2012.
• Living the Beatitudes Spirituality Conference. Sponsored by Mayslake Ministries. Glen Ellyn, IL.
  "There Because It’s True: The Beatitudes Are Not Kidding." October 2012.
• Religious Booksellers Trade Exhibit (RBTE). St. Charles, IL.
  "Isaiah: How I Came to Write an Authorized Autobiography of a Long-Dead Hebrew Prophet." May 2012.
• 11th Annual Augustinian Lecture at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine. St. Augustine, FL.
  "Autobiography as Spiritual Journey: Augustine's Confessions and Ours." August 2010.
• Summer Biblical Institute. The Oratory at Rock Hill. Rock Hill, SC.
  "Lips that Speak the Mind of God: Isaiah, the Man and His Generations." July 2010.
• Diocese of San Bernardino Awards Dinner: A Night of Inspiration and Appreciation. Presented by the Office of Small Faith Communities. Diocese of San Bernardino, CA. San Bernardino, CA.
  "Cycle C: Luke's Turn to Tell the Story." December 2009.
• Scripture: Discovering Our Place in the Story. Sponsored by the Cincinnati Religious Educator Association (CREA). Cincinnati, OH.
  "The Ministry of Word and Story," "Teaching as a Spiritual Work of Mercy," "Sacred Story and Your Story," "Women in Salvation History," and "Ten Things You Gotta Know About the Bible." August 2009.
• Year of Saint Paul. Diocese of San Bernardino, CA. Temecula, San Bernardino, and Beaumont, CA.
  "The Pauline Year: Why We Should Care About Saint Paul." November 2008.
• Ministry Formation Day. Diocese of Superior, WI. Superior, WI.
  "The Gospels Are NOT the Biographies of Jesus" and "Why We Should Care About Saint Paul." September 2006.
• Catechist Day. Diocese of San Bernardino, CA. San Bernardino, CA.
  "Teaching God to Children (And Other Fine People)" and "Adult Faith Formation: What, Why, How." September 2005.
• Christian Life Academy. First Presbyterian Church. Ann Arbor, MI.
  "The Gospels Are NOT the Biographies of Jesus" and "Lessons From the Cross." March 2004.
• Fall Lecture Series. Franciscan School of Theology. Berkeley, CA.
  "Mind If I Join You? Lay People Enter the Conversation of Church." September 2001.

Seasonal Missions and Parish Events

• Lenten Parish Mission: Power and Passion. The Church of the Holy Family/St. Columba Church. .
  "Why We Tell the Long Old Story," "Humility in an Age of Power," and "Passion." March 2018.
• Lenten Parish Mission: Stop Going to Church! (BE Church Instead). St. Mary Church. Portland, CT. February 2018.
• Day of Recollection: Holy Women of Salvation: Mary and Her Role Models. St. Edmund's Enders Island. Mystic, CT.
  "Women in the Bible: Matriarchs and Miracle Moms, Villainesses and Victims" and "Images of Mary: Woman of Mystery, Wife of Joseph, Mother of God, Divine Collaborator." December 2017.
• Day of Recollection: Want to Be a Prophet? St. Edmund's Enders Island. Mystic, CT.
  "Lips That Speak for God: What's It Like to Be a Seer?" and "Miracle Workers or Madmen? Those Pesky Prophets!" September 2017.
• Lenten Parish Mission: Humility in an Age of Power. Christ the King Church. Kingston, RI.
  "Humility in an Age of Power." March 2017.
• Lenten Parish Mission: Faith in an Age of Power. St. Francis Xavier Church. Hunt Valley, MD. March 2017.
• Lenten Parish Mission. St. Mary Church. Portland, CT.
  "Growing Up Catholic." March 2016.
• Laetare Sunday Communion Breakfast. Sponsored by St. Mary's Church Catholic Women's Club. Franklin, MA.
  "Mercy has a Door." March 2016.
• Lenten Parish Mission. Sponsored by Ss. Peter and Paul Church/St. Lawrence Church. Hoboken, NJ.
  "Love is the Answer," "Why We Tell the Long Old Story," "Power and Passion," and "Getting Relationships Right: Mystery Solved." February 2016.
• Advent Retreat Day: Behold, All Things Are New! Sisters of the Presentation Motherhouse. San Francisco, CA.
  "How to Begin," "The Door of Mercy," and "Not Words, But Deeds." December 2015.
• Lenten Parish Mission: Finding Our Place in the Story of Faith. St. Matthew Church. Charlotte, NC.
  "Saved By the Story," "God's Story and Your Story," "A Woman's Place Is in the Story," and "Ten Things You Gotta Know About the Bible." March 2013.
• Lenten Parish Retreat. Athens, GA.
  "Transfiguration for Amateurs." March 2012.
• Lenten Parish Retreat. Ann Arbor, MI.
  "Lessons From the Cross." March 2012.
• Love is the Answer: A Lenten Parish Mission. Syosset, NY.
  "Why We Tell the Long Old Story," "Power and Passion," and "Getting Relationships Right: Mystery Solved." March 2011.
• Parish Mission. St. Paul the Apostle Church. Westerville, OH.
  "Are We Church Yet?" November 2010.
• Retreat. Sponsored by the Sisters of Saints Cyril and Methodius. Villa Sacred Heart. Danville, PA.
  "Prophets: Miracleworkers or Madmen?" August 2010.
• Lenten Retreat Hour. St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. Desert Hot Springs, CA.
  "Ten Lenten Stories." March 2010.
• Parish Mission. Presented by Word and Faith Alive (WAFA) Ministries. Sts. Simon and Jude Church. Huntington Beach, CA.
  "Fulfilled in Your Hearing: God's Word Is Alive Today." January 2010.
• Advent Retreat Hour. St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. Desert Hot Springs, CA.
  "Full of Grace: Mary's Job Description—and Ours." December 2009.
• Lector Workshop. St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. Desert Hot Springs, CA.
  "The Ministry of Word and Story." October 2009.
• Parish Mission: Are We Church Yet? Spirit of Christ Church. Arvada, CO.
  "Saved By the Story," "What Does It Mean to Be Church?" "Sacred Story and Your Story," and "What's So Great About Being Catholic?" October 2009.
• Parish Mission. St. Andrew Church. Gibbsboro, NJ.
  "Why We Should Care About Saint Paul." June 2009.
• Retreat. Sponsored by the Sisters of Saints Cyril and Methodius. Villa Sacred Heart. Danville, PA.
  "Why We Should Care About Saint Paul." May 2009.
• Lenten Parish Mission. St. Mary of the Woods Church. Chicago, IL.
  "Can We Talk About Forgiveness?" March 2009.
• Lenten Parish Mission. St. Thomas the Apostle Church. Naperville, IL.
  "Love is the Answer," "Why We Tell the Story," "Power and Passion," and "Forgiveness: Can We Talk?" March 2009.
• Women's Daylong Retreat. Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Parish. Beaumont, CA.
  "A Retreat Day with Mary Our Mother." January 2009.
• Advent Retreat. St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. Desert Hot Springs, CA.
  "All I Want For Christmas Is Forgiveness." December 2008.
• Advent Parish Mission. Old St. Mary Church. San Francisco, CA.
  "Forgiveness: All I Want For Christmas Is to Get Off the Hook." December 2008.
• Fall Parish Mission. St. Jude Parish. Mountain Top, PA.
  "Why We Tell the Story," "Meekness in an Age of Power," and "Don't Waste Your Passion." October 2008.
• Ecumenical Talk. St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. Desert Hot Springs, CA.
  "Bob & Moses & Jesus & Alice: A Jewish-Catholic Dialogue." April 2008.
• Advent Retreat Day. St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. Desert Hot Springs, CA.
  "Waiting in Joyful Hope With Mary Our Mother." December 2007.
• Paulist Center Author Series. Old St. Mary Church. San Francisco, CA.
  "Explaining God—To Children and Other Fine People." October 2007.
• Lenten Parish Mission. St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. Desert Hot Springs, CA.
  "The Paschal Mystery Unfolds: Seven Testimonies by Eyewitnesses." March 2007.
• Seasons of Faith Series. Sts. Simon and Jude Church. Huntington Beach, CA.
  "Being Catholic in Public: Our Six Secret Strengths." February 2007.
• Bible Study Workshop. Marywood Spirituality Center at Holy Family Church. Woodruff, WI.
  "Exploring the Sunday Readings," "What Does the Bible Have to Do With Us?" and "Our Story and Our Community." September 2006.
• Lenten Parish Mission. St. Francis of Assisi Church. Ann Arbor, MI.
  "Fearfully, Wonderfully Made," "Humility in an Age of Power," and "Power and Passion." March 2006.
• Advent Parish Mission. St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. Desert Hot Springs, CA.
  "What Are We Waiting For?" December 2005.
• Advent Parish Mission. St. Agnes Parish. Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.
  "Room for Dreaming," "Salvation as Women's Work," and "We Five Kings." December 2005.
• Workshop: God's Story and Ours. Good Shepherd Parish. Huntsville, AL.
  "In the Beginning Was the Story," "Are We Church Yet?" "Teaching God to Children (And Other Fine People)," and "Why Be Catholic? Reasons to Rejoice." November 2005.
• Tertiary Franciscans Conference. Sponsored by San Damiano Retreat. Palm Springs, CA.
  "How to Rebuild Today's Church." June 2005.
• Lenten Parish Mission. St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. Desert Hot Springs, CA.
  "Four Faces of Lent: Desert, Journey, Passion, and Change." March 2005.
• Stumbling Blocks to the Spiritual Life. Vallombrosa Center. Menlo Park, CA.
  "Wonderfully Made," "Stewards of All That We Are," "Getting Relationships Right," "Serving God and Money," and "Roused By a Living Word." October 2004.
• Holy Week Mission. St. Agnes Church. San Francisco, CA.
  "Why We Tell the Long Old Story," "The Meaning and Purpose of Power," and "Have Passion, Will Use It." April 2003.
• Workshop: Who Do You Say That I Am? Three Reflections on Jesus and the New Testament. Disciples of Christ First Christian Church. Fullerton, CA.
  "The Jesus of History," "The Jesus of the Church," and "Jesus and Tomorrow." February 2003.
• Parish Mission. Mission San Luis Rey. Oceanside, CA.
  "Teaching God to Children (And Other Fine People)." January 2002.
• Parish Mission. St. Catherine Church. Kapaa, Kauai, HI.
  "Apocalypse Now, or Soon?" "Bible 101: Get a Grip on the Big Book!" "Teaching God to Children (And Other Fine People)," and "Kingdom Coming, All the Time." December 2001.
• Parish Mission. Mission San Luis Rey. Oceanside, CA.
  "Teaching God to Children (And Other Fine People)." September 2001.
• Lenten Speaker Series. St. Stephen Church. San Francisco, CA.
  "Jesus, Justice, and You." March 2001.
• Inspirational Talk. Newman Hall/Holy Spirit Parish. Berkeley, CA.
  "Women in the Church." February 2001.
• Days of Recollection. St. Catherine of Siena Church. Burlingame, CA.
  "Written in the Flesh: God's Story and Ours," "Seven Windows on Grace," "Finding the Jubilee," and "Kingdom Coming." November 2000.
• Retreat. Marywood Spirituality Center. Arbor Vitae, WI.
  "Written in the Flesh: God's Story and Ours," "Seven Windows on Grace," and "Finding the Jubilee." October 2000.
• Parish Mission. St. Joseph Church. Battle Creek, MI.
  "God's Story and Ours" and "Kingdom Coming." October 2000.
• RCIA Miniseries. St. Catherine of Siena Church. Burlingame, CA.
  "Can the Bible Be User-Friendly?" October 2000.
• Good Friday Service. Newman Hall/Holy Spirit Parish. Berkeley, CA.
  "What Are We Doing With Our Passion?" April 2000.
• Good Friday Service. St. Catherine of Siena Church. Burlingame, CA.
  "Seven Last Words." March 1999.
• Parish Mission. Newman Hall/Holy Spirit Parish. Berkeley, CA.
  "Speaking the Fire." December 1998.
• Parish Mission. St. Catherine Church. Kapaa, Kauai, HI.
  "Our Place in the Story," "Holy Places, Holy Hours, Holy People," and "Speaking the Fire." October 1998.
• Parish Mission. Mary, Star of the Sea Parish. Honolulu, HI.
  "Our Place in the Story," "Holy Places, Holy Hours, Holy People," and "Speaking the Fire." October 1998.
• Easter Season. St. Joseph Basilica. Alameda, CA.
  "Speaking the Fire." April 1998.
• Easter Season. St. Joseph Church. Battle Creek, MI.
  "Speaking the Fire." April 1998.
• Good Friday Service. St. Rita Church. Fairfax, CA.
  "Seven Last Words." March 1997.
• Advent Retreat. Old St. Mary Church. San Francisco, CA.
  "The Second Coming" and "The Women of Salvation History." December 1996.
• Advent Parish Mission. Our Lady of Loretto Church. Novato, CA.
  "The Second Coming" and "The Women of Salvation History." December 1996.
• Advent Parish Mission. St. Rita Church. Fairfax, CA.
  "The Second Coming" and "The Women of Salvation History." December 1996.
• Good Friday Service. St. Rita Church. Fairfax, CA.
  "Seven Last Words." April 1996.
• Pentecost. St. Michael Church, Hamilton AFB. Novato, CA.
  "Speaking the Fire." June 1995.
• Lenten Parish Mission. St. Michael Church, Hamilton AFB. Novato, CA.
  "How to Plant a Lenten Garden." March 1995.
• Lenten Parish Mission. St. Michael Church, Hamilton AFB. Novato, CA.
  "Being and Doing: Which Is the Right Attitude for Lent?" March 1994.
• Lenten Parish Mission. Christ the King Church. Old Lyme, CT.
  "The Church, a People on Mission," "Jesus, The Man of Suffering," "The Guilt of Us All: Sin and Conversion," and "The Way of the Servant, the Way of the Cross." March 1989.