Catholic author, speaker, and teacher Mary Sharon Moore, Christ-centered to the core, is a storyteller of the reign of God, delivering powerful programs and conference keynotes. Mary Sharon ignites the heart, mind, and spirit of individuals and audiences to the mission of the Church--to remain in Christ and to reveal him everywhere. Mary Sharon Moore is dedicated to equipping laity to be the public face of Christ. She believes deeply that every one of us is anointed for a purpose, for a work of justice and love in this world, unique to our gifting and mission.
"Because I am a committed follower of Jesus, my community and the people in my town matter to me," writes Catholic author, teacher, and storytelling evangelizer Mary Sharon Moore in her book Dare to Believe, Rise Up to Act. "And because I care about my world, I care about my church--which includes you, the laity."
Mary Sharon Moore is fully dedicated to calling forth the anointing and mission of the laity in the world today. She believes that "together we have a mission, a particular and urgent work of justice and love to do in our world, in our place and time."
Her most powerful statement to date, Mary Sharon's Dare to Believe, Rise Up to Act parish package of events helps pastoral leaders, faith formators, and laity of all ages to embrace the power of their anointing to be "real presence" of the risen Christ in the world they touch.
Rich in storytelling, clear in teaching, and energizing in message, Mary Sharon Moore gives laity, families, and pastoral and catechetical leaders alike a straightforward path through apprenticeship (discipleship) to assignment (mission), where the demands of the Gospel are real.
For over twenty years Mary Sharon's guiding image has been Jesus' invitation to Peter to get out of the boat and to walk to him on the uncertain surface of the stormy sea, in the darkest hour. Peter hoists himself out of the boat and begins to walk toward the One who calls him.
We are in similar circumstances in our times, notes Mary Sharon--the same stormy sea, the same darkest hour. And the same Lord calls us, now, to hoist ourselves out of our boat and walk, despite the impossibility of it all, toward the One who calls us.
Mary Sharon's Dare to Believe, Rise Up to Act seven-event parish package creates a "Dare to believe" culture among parish leaders and laity alike. She encourages local parishes to join together to create a powerful regional impact--when times are good and in times of unexpected crisis.
Mary Sharon has a master's degree in theological studies from the Franciscan School of Theology, with a focus in liturgical spirituality. She has been speaking, teaching, and evangelizing, throughout the Pacific Northwest and nationwide, since 1998. Mary Sharon has written eight books, and her numerous articles have appeared in Catholic and other publications. Her spiritual direction practice spans the United States and Canada.
Event planners love Mary Sharon because she is so organized and easy to work with, from early planning to delivery to follow-up.
Beyond her Dare to Believe suite of events, Mary Sharon offers a full complement of parish missions, retreats, staff development days, plus day, evening, and weekend events for singles, families, and youth.
For a full description of Mary Sharon's events, please download her Catalog.
Speaking Topics:
Parish Mission: Anointed for a Purpose: Based on Mary Sharon’s most popular book, this mission offers rich insight and encouragement for baptismal mission for men and women in every stage and state in life, and for youth growing as disciples.
Talks include:
- Becoming Anointed: Growing into sacramental life
- Living Anointed: Growing into mature relationship
- Remaining in Christ, Revealing Him Everywhere: Being church for our 21st century world
Parish Mission: Conformed to Christ: Drawing from Mary Sharon’s book of the same title, this mission helps participants to recognize the many invitations and entry points into mature, responsible life in Christ.
Talks include:
- Invitations
- Your Apprenticeship Begins
- Being Sent
Parish Mission: Poor, Like Jesus: Inspired by Pope Francis’ words that “we first must be evangelized by the poor,” Mary Sharon shares her own journey into “a poverty that enriches others.”
Talks include:
- Becoming Human
- Becoming Poor
- Becoming Whole for the Sake of the World
Parish Mission: Summer School for the Soul: “Remind Me Why Church Matters”: With real-life stories and insights that open hearts, Mary Sharon ignites the fire of love for Jesus, for sacrament and scripture, reminding everyone of why church still matters.
Talks include:
- Why Confirmation Matters
- Why Faithfulness Matters
- Why Church Matters in Our 21st Century World
Retreat for Women: Beatitudes with Grit and Grace: A rich immersion in the “blessed” way of life which equips women for the heavy lifting and spiritual challenges of life in the world they inhabit.
Talks include:
- Ways of Being with God
- Ways of Being with Others
- Ways of Being in Our World
Retreat for Women: Courageous Conversations: A weekend exploration of the kinds of speech that can hold women back from the honesty of their experience and the fullness of their call to anointed life in God.
Talks include:
- Hidden Invitations and Holy Announcements
- The Bold Work of Waking Up
- Interior Conversations and Truly Free Speech
- Walking on the Uncertain Surface of Your Life
- The Conversation That’s Waiting for You
Retreat for Women: Nothing is Impossible with God: A lovely Advent retreat which speaks equally to the challenge and invitation to move from the many forms of brokenness and incompleteness to a courageous life of fruitfulness and grace.
Talks include:
- From Barren Spaces to Fruitfulness
- From Broken Spaces to Wholeness
- From Hopeless Spaces to Possibility
- From Forsaken Spaces to Invitation
- Learning to Walk on the Uncertain Surface of Your Life
Retreat for Midlife and Elder Years: Fresh Invitations for Midlife and Beyond: An insightful, hope-filled, inspiring retreat for men and women of retirement age, empty-nesters, and those who are ready to give themselves with renewed vigor to a greater mission.
Talks include:
- How Do You Get to Wholeness?
- Reading Your Invitations
- Learning to Walk on the Uncertain Surface
- The Grace of Being Apprenticed by the Lord
- Invitations Revisited
Retreat for Midlife and Elder Years: Anointed for a Purpose in Midlife and Beyond: Based on Mary Sharon’s work in the area of lifelong anointing, and uniquely shaped for those in mid and later years who are ready to touch that sacramental anointing in new ways.
Confirmation Youth Talk: You Are Anointed for a Purpose!: Mary Sharon has a keen ability to get to the heart of the vocational conversation, geared for youth audiences. With lavish use of scripture and stories of other young people’s remarkable good in the world they touch, these talks are pure joyful moments of evangelizing, educating, and encouraging.
