CWR CONFERENCE 2021
October 5-8
The Guesthouse at Graceland
3600 Elvis Presley Blvd.
Memphis, TN 38116

REGISTER NOW!

CWR will hold its 2021 Annual Conference in Memphis, Tennessee, October 5-8 at the Guesthouse at Graceland. The annual conference is a unique professional education and networking opportunity tailored specifically to meet the needs of professionals who work on behalf of women religious.

Keynoted by Mary Pellegrino, CSJ, our conference speakers and presentations will provide vital insight for the work of advancing the mission of Catholic sisters in this time of transition and uncertainty. Sr. Mary’s talk, “From Strings to Yeast: Shifting the Narrative from Scarcity to Abundance,” will explore questions facing and renewed opportunities available to women religious and those engaged in the ministry of communication on their behalf. In addition to our plenary sessions, participants will have a choice from twelve workshop options in three tracks for: Communicators, Collaborators and Fundraisers.

The 2021 conference also provides attendees with the opportunity to gather in person for the first time in two years! After so many months of videoconferences and remote working, we are all looking forward to reconnecting with old friends and getting to know colleagues who share a common mission.

As we continue to emerge from pandemic, the health and safety of all CWR members remains our priority. CWR will continue to act in accordance with policies and directives provided by health and government authorities in order to safeguard the well-being of all attending conference.

SCHEDULE
A bird’s eye view of the schedule can be found here. Continue to check back as details are filled in, with the full slate of workshop options anticipated shortly. Attendees who register now will be notified via email once workshop options are available for selection.

REGISTRATION
Registration for Conference 2021 is now open! To coincide with our first chance to gather in-person for conference since 2019, this year non-members will be able to attend conference for the same registration fee available to CWR members. This one-time discount is extended in the spirit of collaboration as we emerge from pandemic and extend a warm welcome to all who join us in Memphis.

HOTEL
The Guest House at Graceland is the conference host hotel. Just steps away from Graceland Mansion itself, the Guest House blends style and Southern hospitality and is inspired by Elvis’s make-yourself-at-home warmth. Room reservations can be made online at the conference group rate of $169 per night using the Guest House’s dedicated CWR reservations page.

OUTINGS

• The Conference will officially kick off with a welcome reception at the Presley Motors Automobile Museum on Tuesday evening, October 5.
• On Wednesday night, conference goers will have the option to explore all that the Guest House has to offer – including two restaurants and a nightly Elvis movie at the Guest House’s 464-seat theater – or take advantage of the hotel’s shuttle service to downtown Memphis and Beale Street.
• Thursday afternoon, attendees will have the opportunity to visit the National Civil Rights Museum, an outing particularly resonant to the social justice mission of women religious.
• Attendees will have the option to purchase a ticket for a tour of Graceland at a reduced rate and visit the mansion Elvis called home before the conference begins on Tuesday or after it ends on Friday.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: MARY PELLEGRINO, CSJ
From 2008 to 2018 Sr. Mary served as Congregational Moderator of her community, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden, Pa. From 2015 to 2018 Mary also served in the presidency of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in the United States. In both of those roles Mary worked to support, encourage and promote the ongoing renewal of religious life in the face of unprecedented challenges and changes in the church, American society and the global community. Currently, Mary assists religious communities in planning for the future through the lens of mission in her role with the Religious Institutes Service Group of Plante Moran, PLLC. Prior to serving in congregational leadership, Mary served in vocation/formation ministries for her congregation as well as parish and campus ministries. Over the years Mary has written and presented extensively on topics related to vocation/formation and religious life. She holds a Master’s degree in Christian Spirituality and a certificate in Spiritual and Retreat Direction from Creighton University, along with a Master’s degree in Religious Education from Fordham University.

PHOTO – Blues Hall of Fame: Andrea Zucker