NCPD PARTNERSHIP 2013 KEYNOTE ADDRESSES AND TOPICS.............

In a forty hour period on November 1-3, at the National Catholic Partnership for Disability Convention 2013, "Where Faith And Disability Meet", in Houston, Texas, we were provided 4 Keynote Addresses - one Friday night; one Saturday morning; and two on Sunday morning.  I will blog about each of those four presentations today through Friday, as I continue to share with you the first fruits of my initial participation in an NCPD annual convention, as one of the 235 attendees from 71 American Dioceses who were there.  I begin today with Keynote Speaker  John Foppe.  God's Unconditional Love, and his personal belief in it derived from his own life experiences as a person born without arms, is at the heart of the message John Foppe delivered to us at the NCPD Partnership 2012 Convocation on Friday night November 1, at the Houston Marriott West Chase Hotel.  John Foppe is the CEO of 'Visionary Velocity Worldwide, who currently serves as the President of the St. Vincent De Paul Society, in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Missouri.  He is also a lontime corporate motivational speaker on working with Disabilities.  He spoke of the inherent birthright of all God's children to have the right to answer the twofold Call to Wholeness and Holiness.  A determination and fulfillment he has found in his own life, work. and ministry.  John delivered a solid testimony to his unwavering confidence in the possibilities and opportunities for the inclusion of the Disabled in the Community of Believers, derived from their Human Dignity as creatures of a benevolent and compassionate God of All Creation.
He himself shines forth being an outstanding representative of what persons with disabilities can add to the life and ministry of the Catholic Christian Church.  As a fellow amputee I greatly empathized with the astonishing opening Keynote Address.  Kudos to John Foppe !!!  May his Faith filled Ministry and Successful Work continue to inspire and enlighten others to embrace the presence and participation of the Disabled in the Church, the One and universally Inclusive Body of Christ in the World.............Father Troy David Powers