Fr. George Corrigan’s keynote, Mission in the 3rd Millennium: A Franciscan Perspective, will explore the meaning and evolution of Christian mission through a Franciscan lens. Drawing from the life and charism of St. Francis of Assisi, he will trace the Church’s understanding of mission from its beginnings through Vatican II, the New Evangelization, and into the challenges and opportunities of the third millennium. Fr. George will invite participants to consider what authentic Franciscan mission looks like today and how parishes can embrace a spirit of evangelization, outreach, and discipleship in an ever-changing world.

Session 1: 

Rev. George Corrigan, OFM is a Franciscan friar of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He entered the Franciscans through Holy Name Province, the community that served St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Raleigh for many years. 

A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Fr. George served in the U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarine program before pursuing a successful career in information technology. Following his business career, he served as a lay missionary with Franciscan Mission Service in Nairobi, Kenya, an experience that led him to enter the Franciscan Order. He made his final profession in 2006 and was ordained to the priesthood in 2007. 

Fr. George holds degrees in Mathematics, Physics, Business Administration, Information Technology, and Divinity, as well as a Master’s Certificate in Franciscan Studies. His capstone project focused on “Franciscan Mission in the Third Millennium,” making him especially well-suited to address this year’s Convocation theme. 

Before ordination, Fr. George served twice as an intern at St. Francis in Raleigh. He later served for 13 years at Sacred Heart Parish in Tampa, Florida, including nine years as pastor. Since 2020, he has been Parochial Vicar at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Triangle, Virginia. 

An avid swimmer known affectionately as “Aquaman,” Fr. George also enjoys writing, maintaining his blog, FriarMusings.com, and serving as his parish’s webmaster. 

Gladys Whitehouse will present on “Have You Given Up on the Synod? A Fresh Perspective on Synodality the Franciscan Way.” The Synod may be over, but the journey is not. Explore what synodality means for the Church today and discover how the life of St. Francis challenges us to listen deeply, walk together, and build a Church rooted in encounter and shared mission.

Gladys Whitehouse is a Secular Franciscan and long time parishioner. For decades, Gladys served the Catholic congregation here at St. Francis of Assisi, eventually being named coordinator for evangelization. She helped grieving families prepare their loved ones’ funerals and prepare couples for marriage and parents for their children’s baptisms but could not officiate at any of these rites. Her tireless work led some in the community to refer to her as “Deacon Gladys”.

Jim Wahl will present on “Between Absence and Presence: The Eucharistic Life of St. Francis of Assisi.“ What does the life of St. Francis teach us about the Eucharist and the presence of God? Through stories from Francis’ life, Scripture, and personal experience, this session explores how prayer, solitude, service, and encounter shaped a radically Eucharistic way of life—one in which what seems absent can become most deeply present.

James (Jim) Wahl has been on staff at St. Francis since 2010. He is the Director of Music and Liturgy and has served as a pastoral musician since high school and professionally since 1997. Before moving to the East Coast, he ministered at parishes in California and Arizona, including the Cathedral of Phoenix. Aside from his role at St. Francis, Jim composes and presents children’s music for World Library Publications, a division of GIA. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music, a Master’s degree in Liturgical Music Composition from St. John’s University in Minnesota, and is currently working on a PhD in liturgical theology from the Durham University in the UK.

Trevor Thompson will present on “Learning to Love with St. Francis: A Franciscan Vision for Marriage and Relationships.” This session explores how St. Francis did not set out to teach people how to have better marriages. He devoted his life to the deeper work of following Christ, allowing every joy, loss, relationship, and hardship to become an invitation to conversion. In this session, we’ll explore how Francis’ writings – including the Rule, the Rule for Hermitages, the Canticle of the Creatures, and stories from the Franciscan tradition – offer a compelling vision of relationships as places of spiritual formation. Drawing on Franciscan spirituality, depth psychology, and years of work as a couples therapist, we’ll consider how marriage, family life, and everyday relationships become sacred containers in which we learn humility, freedom, service, and the joyful art of becoming more fully ourselves in Christ. 

Trevor Thompson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist whose vocation has centered on accompanying people through the joys and challenges of life and relationships. Before entering private practice, he spent more than 25 years in Catholic ministry and education, serving in parish ministry—including most recently at St. Francis in Raleigh—teaching theology and spirituality at the high school and university levels, and leading retreats and adult faith formation programs. Today, Trevor works with individuals and couples in private practice, helping people cultivate healthier relationships, greater self-awareness, and deeper lives of meaning. His work is informed by both psychology and spirituality, particularly the Franciscan vision of human dignity, contemplation, compassion, and the sacredness of creation. He holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, a Master’s degree in Franciscan Spirituality from St. Bonaventure University, and a Doctor of Ministry from Duke Divinity School. Trevor and his wife have been married for 25 years and are the parents of four children. They live on a small homestead in Pittsboro, North Carolina. 

Ann O’Hara will present on “St. Francis of Assisi: Rooted in Prayer.” St. Francis of Assisi lived over 800 years ago and yet we still remember him and look to him today. Why? – because he yearned for what we yearn for – a deeper relationship with God. During our time together we will explore how St. Francis found this union with God through prayer and reflect on what this might mean for our own prayer life. 

Ann O’Hara has spent much of her life immersed in liturgy, both as a cantor and as a lay leader of liturgy at St. Francis of Assisi. She holds a master’s degree in pastoral ministry from Heythrop College in London and has served as a certified Master Catechist in the Diocese of Raleigh. After retiring from NC State University, Ann could be found ministering on a retreat team, where she shared presentations and lead prayer.

She and her husband, Rob, have made Raleigh their home for over 35 years and enjoy travelling to Northern Virginia and Asheville to spend time with their children and grandchildren.

Fr. Peter Tremblay will present on “21st Century Franciscan Preaching: “Preach at All Times, Use the Pulpit Only When Necessary!” What does it mean to preach the Gospel in the 21st century? In the spirit of St. Francis, our witness is not limited to what happens from a pulpit. Today, social media has become one of the places where people encounter ideas, engage difficult issues, and search for meaning. This session will explore how we can use these platforms to share our faith and engage the world around us, particularly through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching. Together, we will consider how Franciscan spirituality calls us to be thoughtful, authentic, and courageous witnesses of the Gospel in the digital world.

Fr. Peter Tremblay has been the Associate Chaplain for Catholic Life at Elon University since 2016.  He is a member of the Franciscan religious community. He was ordained a Catholic Priest in 2012.  Peter served as an associate pastor at St. Paul Church in Kensington, CT as well as a theology and philosophy teacher at Archbishop Curley High School in Baltimore, MD.   

Fr. Peter earned a Masters of Divinity degree from the Washington Theological Union is 2011.  He has published an online blog article entitled “God of Love in a Quantum Cosmology”.  Additionally he has served as a retreat director, preacher, and speaker.  He has preached retreats on forgiveness, Christian Hope, Biblical Escatology, A Christian’s Response to the Contemporary World, and spoken on Science and Religion, Postmodern philosophy and Catholic Theology, Contemporary Moral Issues among many others. 

Peter has served many areas of the University beyond Catholic Life.  He has been an active advocate for mental and emotional health, served as a resouce for the Office of Student Care, the Office for Student Conduct, and Counseling Services.  He works hard to advance the multi-faith work of the Truitt Center especially Jewish and Catholic interfaith activities.   

Angela Flynn will present on, “For the Connector: RCIA/OCIA – what’s the difference?“ You may have noticed that RCIA has become OCIA—but what does the change really mean? This session will explore why the Church moved from the “Rite” to the “Order” of Christian Initiation of Adults and what that change reveals about the journey of faith. Discover how OCIA recognizes the many important moments along the path to Baptism and full initiation into the Catholic Church, while offering a more flexible and personalized approach to accompanying people on their faith journey. 

Angela visits us from Holy Infant in Durham, NC. Angela is the new Director of Liturgy and Music. She has ministered in the Diocese of Raleigh for the last thirty years. She has served parishes in Fayetteville, Sanford, and Durham, spending 13 years as the Director of Liturgy and Music at Immaculate Conception Church in Durham. Most recently Angela has been coordinator of worship and ministry at Duke University Chapel and Dean of Campus Ministry at Cristo Rey Research Triangle High School.

Additionally, she has given time to research and study in the fields of adult initiation and the sacraments of initiation. Angela has been called upon to present nationally at workshops on those topics. She is coauthor of A Guide to the Period of the Catechumenate (LTP, 2024).

Sr. Helen Santamaria will present on, “

Sr. Helen Santamaria, a member of the Loretto Community, has devoted her life to the mission of “working for justice and acting for peace.” Her ministry has focused on education, advocacy, and responding to the needs of those who are most vulnerable, particularly the poor, homeless, and immigrant communities in El Paso. 

Sr. Helen served as Director of Development and President of Loretto Academy, where she inspired students to embrace leadership and service. She later founded Villa Maria, a safe and supportive community for women experiencing difficult and desperate circumstances, providing a place for healing, dignity, and a path toward renewed independence. 

Throughout her ministry, Sr. Helen has served on numerous civic and nonprofit boards, worked to improve access to health care and community resources, and volunteered with organizations serving people experiencing homelessness. She continues to serve her community through pastoral ministry, spiritual direction, and advocacy for those in need. 

In recognition of her lifelong commitment to civic leadership and service, Sr. Helen was inducted into the El Paso Women’s Hall of Fame. Her life and ministry reflect a deep commitment to justice, peace, compassion, and the dignity of every person.