Anchored in Hope: Idaho’s First Catholic Marriage Conference to Launch in October

Left: Christopher and Wendy West, Center: Dr. Scott and Kimberly Hahn, Right: Johnny and Lorissa Horn

Day of renewal, teaching, and celebration will feature local and international keynote speakers, including Scott and Kimberly Hahn.

Bishop Peter F. Christensen believes that marriage is the crucial vocation that needs to be strengthened and has made it a top priority in his pastoral outreach as the Catholic bishop of Idaho. With the great success of the annual Catholic men’s and women’s conferences hosted by Salt and Light Catholic Radio, it is time for the Diocese’s Marriage and Family Life Office to offer a one-day conference for married couples living out their marriage vocation in the post-modern and secular world that is often confused about the definitions of marriage and family life.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Anchored in Hope.” As we celebrate this year of Jubilee as Pilgrims of Hope, we are asked to make a fresh start through forgiveness and mercy. The late Pope Francis emphasized this in his letter inaugurating the Holy Year:

In a special way, I would like to mention families. In the face of so many difficulties, they are often the first to suffer. Yet families are also the first place where hope is passed on, day by day, through love, mutual support, and forgiveness. May the Jubilee be a time when families rediscover the joy of their vocation to be a sanctuary of life and a sign of God’s faithful love in the world. (Spes non confundit, 21).

Pope Leo XIV recently reiterated the Church’s perennial teaching on marriage and the family when he said, “Peace is not merely the absence of conflict but a gift that demands our commitment. It is up to governments to build peaceful societies, above all by investing in the family, founded upon the stable union between a man and a woman” (Address to Diplomatic Corp, May 16, 2025).

More than ever, we need to redouble our efforts to bring people together to see that they are not alone in the hard work they are doing to sustain loving and life-giving marriages. The Church must support the family founded on the stable union between a man and a woman. The Church needs to strengthen those who are walking this path because it is not easy, and hosting a day-long conference to discuss, share, and network is crucial for the ongoing life of this local Church.

The Diocese is pleased to welcome this year’s international keynote speakers: Dr. Scott and Kimberly Hahn of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology and Christopher and Wendy West of Theology of the Body Institute. These well-known international speakers will share insights from their own Catholic marriage journeys and offer key insights for marital happiness and renewal, drawn from the Sacred Scriptures and the teachings of Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.

At 11:15 a.m., Bishop Peter F. Christensen will celebrate Mass and preach at the conference and honor those celebrating milestone anniversaries. The emcees of the conference are Johnny and Lorissa Horn, who bring great energy and passion for marriage and family life ministry. While we are launching this conference during the Jubilee year, we hope to make it an annual event, drawing couples from around the Diocese to participate and strengthen their marriages together.

Our after-lunch speaker will be the Diocese’s very own, Fr. John Mosier. Before becoming a priest, he was married for 14 years. Tragically, his wife died of cancer. Father John brings his experience of life, love and loss to his pastoral ministry as he serves married couples and families as the pastor of St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Boise.

This year, we are combining the first Catholic marriage conference with our annual Milestone Anniversary Mass, which celebrates couples in our Diocese who are marking 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 and 55 years (or more) of marriage.

“Anchored in Hope: The Idaho Catholic Marriage Conference” will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at the Boise Centre in downtown Boise from 9 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. The day includes keynote talks, Milestone Anniversary Mass, confession, lunch and book sales. Space is limited. Early bird rates will apply from mid-June to the end of August. Following the conference, a post-event reception will be held (registration required).

The cost is $150 a couple for the whole conference day and includes lunch. Please see the registration page for more information about registration options. You can also contact the Marriage and Family Life Office of the Diocese of Boise, the event's sponsor, by calling 208-350-7555 or emailing tcampana@rcdb.org.

Special registration rates are available for couples celebrating one of these milestones. There is an option for couples who wish to attend Mass and have lunch, but do not want to stay for the entire conference.

Childcare will be available at a reduced rate for families who do not have family or friends to help with childcare. Childcare spots are limited.

For more information or to register, visit: https://dioceseofboise.regfox.com/idahocatholic-marriage-conference