From the very beginning of our Lord's ministry, his was a clarion call to "Repent and believe the Gospel" for "the Kingdom of God is at hand!" (cf. Mark 1:15) This calling is not just to a one-time emotional experience; rather, to a lifetime of conversion--taking up of the cross, as Jesus said in Luke 9:23--and on-going growth "in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ" (II Peter 3:18). Valerie Staples' testimony is a powerful witness to this truth and has been an inspiration to both to turn to the Lord in repentance and to learn and love their faith.
Valerie is a cradle Catholic and native Southern Californian who felt very close to God in her childhood. But as a teen she began to take her faith for granted like so many of us do. At one point she was even a self-professed "cafeteria catholic".
This would all change when Valerie had her Catholic Faith challenged by a friend who was a self-proclaimed "fundamentalist" and "bible scholar". And it was not just Valerie, but she and her two sisters were each challenged by well-meaning friends who wanted them to leave the Catholic Church of their youth. It was during this time their father introduced them to the science of apologetics. It was then that Valerie fell in love with her Catholic faith all over again. And it would only be a few years later when Valerie would meet and marry one of the most famous modern catholic apologists in the United States, Tim Staples. The rest is, as they say, history!
Valerie has been a guest speaker with Magnificat, is a regular speaker with MOM's ministries in Southern California and is a full-time homeschooling mother of 7, one of whom is autistic! Valerie has a degree in Liberal Arts but is a student of philosophy and theology. She has been a facilitator with ENDOW (Education on the Nature and Dignity of Women) study groups and was the Director of Goretti Girls for six years (a San Diego based catholic fellowship ministry for teens). She is also a Director of Marketing with Legal Shield Services, and was Ambassador Secretary with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Orange County.
As anyone who knows Valerie would tell you, she has a passion for sharing her Catholic Faith. And if you invite her to speak at your parish or Catholic event you will discover just how inspiring and contagious Valerie's passion truly is!
Speaking Topics:
-Our Lady of Guadelupe: The 1500's were a tumultuous time for Holy Mother Church. Because of the Protestant Revolt, some five-million people rejected our Lord's Church! At this same time period though, Heaven intervened by way of an apparition of our Heavenly Mother. By Her miraculous intercession in December of 1531, not only were the Catholic Spanish missionaries saved from certain death, but millions of Aztecs Indians entered the flock of our Lord and his one and only true Church. Discover how this amazing historical event changed the face of the Church forever! (The main emphasis of this talk is on the dignity of life and the family, so it's great for pro-life or Marian conferences)
-St. Catherine of Sienna: St. Catherine of Sienna was, although never formally educated, one of the most brilliant and holy women of the medieval times. She is considered a Patroness of Italy but her influence didn't just lead her brothers and sisters of Italy to a closer relationship with Christ. As God would have it, by her holiness and humility she even influenced the Pope! Her life story is one that can inspire all of us to have a closer relationship with our Lord and encourage us to better learn the truths of the Faith so as to, as Catherine put it, "set the world on fire." (This talk is great for women's conferences.)
-Humanae Vitae: The Transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people collaborate freely and responsibly with God the Creator. It has always been a source of great joy to them, even though it sometimes entails many difficulties and hardships.
With this simple statement Pope Paul VI wrote one of the most prophetic and impactful Papal Encylicals ever released. The Sexual Revolution had already begun and our country was in moral and political chaos. Our Pope prophesied that if contraception were to become the norm, divorces would increase, abortions would increase, there would be a general decline in respect for women and there would be a general breakdown of the family.
Come hear how embracing the teachings of the Church as laid out in this most powerful document, can lead to greater joy in family life, a strengthening of marriages and a return to moral sanity. By sharing the truths of the Church on human sexuality, we can all be part of the answer to some of the major problems that ail our nation!
-"What is Love?" In today's day and age, the media is all about teaching our youth that love is just about how you "feel" about someone else, in a romantic context of course! But it's so much more than that! Learn about the four different types of love that were recognized by the ancient greeks and were emphasized by the greatest christian minds of all time. When we love as God wants us to love, we can experience a greater peace of mind and joy in any station of life we are in; whether we are single or married.
