Kathy’s Talks

Some of Kathy’s most popular presentations are listed below and can be shortened or expanded depending on your time frame.  New talks may be developed on request.

Editor’s note: A few of Kathy’s selected presentations are included below. Because of her many grandmother duties, her speaking schedule has been reduced, but if you are interested in inviting her to speak to your parish or organization, reach out via the “contact” tab. The sponsoring site covers airfare from the Bay area, CA, stipend, hotel, meals, and ground transportation. 

Those Feisty Gospel Women!
Women were there at every juncture of Jesus’ life: from his conception to his resurrection. Over time, they may have been edited out of the gospels, or their roles diminished, so let’s resurrect their stories. We can re-imagine their lives, using an ancient Midrash technique. Then we’ll make the link to our lives: what do they teach us today? Come for reflection, surprise and a new approach to reading the gospels.

The Gift of Grandparenting: a Spirituality for Older Adults
Why are some people given the chance to grandparent? Maybe to grow closer to God later in life, or to be a compassionate influence for a child. This talk affirms what grandparents do naturally—love the grandkids with God’s own free-from-judgment love, mirror their beauty. While not skirting the challenges and difficulties, it shows how for many, unique small people are sent to teach exactly what we need for life’s final chapter. In Grandparent School, there are no tests nor grades, but what stakes could be higher than contributing to the growth of a healthy human being? We’ll explore the spirituality that underlies that miraculous process.

And that spirituality isn’t only biological. Father Richard Rohr coined the term “grand parent” (with a space between words) to refer to people who’ve grown so spacious and comfortable, children and adults feel safe around them. “All you have to do is meet one such shining person and you know that he or she is surely the goal of humanity and the delight of God.” We all know a few who don’t have their own grandchildren, yet become jewels like that!

Advent: A Season of Surprises
Here comes another Advent and we aren’t up to it. The thought of digging through boxes in the basement, finding the Advent wreath, mustering the energy to shop for gifts may leave us drained. We were numb and cozy in our safe routines; how will we ever find the time or the resources to do more? Alone, we won’t. Isaiah offers comfort: we are the clay; God is the potter. With exquisite care and a tender hand, God shapes us into something useful or beautiful. Achieving the perfectly orchestrated holiday doesn’t matter. What matters is watching for God in every situation, being attentive to small signs and fingerprints. This session is designed to sharpen awareness and bring a reflective calm into a busy time.

The Arts: Bridge between Generations, Window on the Gospels
For over 2000 years, Christians have learned their faith from stories, stained glass, music, sculpture, drama and painting. These arts speak to different age groups, learning styles and educational levels. Furthermore, they offer a way to engage respectfully with a multicultural world. We are made in the image of a creative God; appreciating human creativity draws us closer to this Creator. In a world where communication can be difficult, artistic expression opens windows to each other and forms us for community. The gap between generations can be bridged by beauty, which touches the imagination and moves the heart. Come discover ways the arts can enhance faith formation. We’ll explore the lectionary readings of this season through participative, imaginative activities. Experience familiar gospels in unique ways which prompt new insights, then bring this approach to your own parish settings.

The Art of Faith
We’ll take as our starting point a quote from Ephesians: “We are God’s work of art” (2:10). Then we’ll explore what that means. How do we collaborate with God to craft an artful life? How do humans made in God’s image become most fully themselves when creating? After establishing the foundations in intersections of art and faith, we’ll look at arts such as music, teaching, touch, transformation, friendship, graceful aging and writing.

Prayer in Chaos, Commotion and Clutter
Are you too busy to pray? Yet do you feel a nagging need for it? Many people share the dilemma–longing for a spiritual center that gives meaning and depth to even the craziest days. Yet at the same time we know the need for prayer, we also face tremendous constraints on time. This session explores how prayer can occur in ordinary ways and commonplace locations–in settings where we’re stressed as well as in tranquil retreats. How can springboards to prayer occur in packed schedules? How can we then help others to find the seeds of the sacred in the ordinary experience? We’ll look at ways to move beyond our stereotypes of prayer, see our work as prayer, and adapt traditional prayers to contemporary settings.

Women of Mercy
The art of Michael McGrath has given the quality of mercy a human face. His mural “Women of Mercy” shows a sisterhood of hard-working women-from Teresa of Avila to Thea Bowman–who inspire us today.

When Brother Mickey painted the Woman of Mercy at Merion Mercy Academy near Philadelphia, he did not work alone. The students who studied these models in theology class helped paint them in art class. The whole community got involved, and their enthusiasm shows in their vibrant work. This presentation will show Brother Mickey’s art on slides or power point while at the same time Kathy Coffey highlights some of the women and their relevance today. For the audience, the spiritual and corporal works of mercy will take on new meaning-and a human face.