2019 GO! Gulf Coast Faith Formation Conference Request for Proposals

“I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.”  John 17: 20-21

Thank you for your interest in presenting at the 2019 GO! Conference. The theme for 2019 is "GO FORTH: That All May Be One." The conference will be held January 10-12, 2019 at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner, Louisiana. 

Jesus prayed multiple times that we may all be one as He is one with the Father (cf. John 17: 11, 21). This unity, even among the greatest challenges, is brought about through union with God and with each other.  Through God's grace, we will dive deeper into this invitation to come to our Lord, to learn from Him, and to abide in Him, so that we can GO FORTH into the world and foster true unity.

We hope to have many diverse and engaging presenters who will share their expertise with our participants.  A committee of directors will select formative and engaging presentations that will help our participants to grow in their own understanding of John 17:21  and to inform their ministries.   

We would like to offer practical presentations that will assist our participants in their ministries and everyday lives.  Our participants come from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, as well as many other areas.  They are Catholic school teachers, parish catechists, principals, administrators, clergy, youth ministers, RCIA teams, those who work for Catholic Charities, and many more. Our participants have expressed a need for practical "how-to" breakout sessions as well as sessions that help them to grow in their own faith lives. 

What does ecumenism and unity mean to us today?  If we want to work towards unity in our church, we must encounter those who are separated and often forgotten.  We encourage you to consider the ideas of welcome and encounter as a lens through which you create your presentation.  For instance, someone who presents on methods for elementary catechesis might include ideas on differentated instruction, multiple intelligences, special needs, unique family situations, racial harmony, etc. 

We would also like to have presentations that will inspire us to help find paths to reconciliation, healing, and renewed trust for those who have been hurt due to divorce, anti-immigrant sentiment, theological polarization, same-sex orientation, racism, breakdown of family/marriages, old age, disabilities, gender, poverty, abuse, incarceration and many other wounds.

For the past few conferences, we have been blessed to have all of our speakers sponsored by publishers, institutions, (arch)dioceses and individuals.  The conference does provide conference registration for its speakers, and we encourage our speakers to participate fully in the conference. Like NCEA and other conferences, we are unable to provide stipends, transportation, or hotel costs for our breakout speakers.  Keynote speakers will receive an honorarium if they are not sponsored by a publisher or other institution.  Please note that the selection committee will meet in early May. You will be notified of their selections no later than June 1, 2018.

The deadline for submitting your proposals is May 14, 2018. In addition, any potential speaker who did not speak at the GO! Gulf Coast Faith Formation Conference in 2018 (and does not work in the Archdiocese of New Orleans) must submit a letter of suitability from his/her ordinary, vicar general or chancellor in order to be considered. This letter must be received by May 14, so please request this as soon as possible.  This letter should be addressed and mailed to

Most Reverend Gregory M. Aymond, Archbishop of New Orleans, 7887 Walmsley Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70125

A photo of each potential speaker should be emailed to Aline Harbison at aharbison@arch-no.org by May 14, 2018.  Incomplete or late submissions will not be accepted.  All proposals must be completed online using the link at the bottom of this page.

We look forward to a great conference in 2019!

Submit your proposal now