Calendar of Events

Please join the Catholic Business Network for our next free will offering breakfast event on Thursday, October 10, 2024. Our speaker will be Gordon DeMarais, Founder & President Emeritus of Saint Paul's Outreach (SPO), who will speak on "Evangelical Catholicism." Register online at https://CBNGordon.eventbrite.com

6:30 a.m. | Optional Mass at St. Joan of Arc

7 a.m. | Doors Open at Pinnacle

7:30 a.m. | Complimentary Breakfast/Networking

8 a.m. | Program

Gordy has served as a national leader in the evangelization and formation of Catholic young people for over 40 years. In 1985 he founded Saint Paul's Outreach (SPO) at the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, Minnesota. SPO is affecting generational change. In June of 2022, SPO trained 265 young missionaries for five weeks who are now serving university outreach as young adult chapter leaders around the country, reaching tens of thousands of young people each year. Over 300 alumni are priests and religious including three current religious superiors.

Gordy has a master of arts degree in theology and recently co-authored the book, "Called to Christian Joy and Maturity: Forming Missionary Disciples." He has given retreats to seminarians at the North American College in Rome and taught courses on evangelization to seminarians, permanent deacons, and parish teams. He has served on multiple boards and has been a consultant to the U.S. Council for Catholic Bishops on the evangelization and formation of university students. Gordy has received awards for his work in the Church from Relevant Radio, the St. Paul Seminary, NET Ministries, and the Catholic Defense League.

A lifelong resident of the Twin Cities, he and his wife Teresa have been married 37 years and have adult six children (four of whom are married) and nine grandchildren. Their children and spouses have given over 50 years of full-time mission work and four of their children/in-laws are currently leaders in SPO’s mission.

Gordy enjoys family, hiking, fishing, wilderness camping & canoeing, reading, writing, guitar and piano, playing bridge, gardening, beekeeping, and raising chickens and lambs.

Open to men and women of all faiths, the Catholic Business Network's mission is to engage and empower Northwest Ohio business leaders and professionals to promote Catholic values in the workplace.

The Catholic Business Network (CBN) is a ministry of Catholic Charities Diocese of Toledo. The CBN ministry's key goals are to:

+ Promote spiritual growth and moral courage in the workplace;

+ Advance and serve Christ and His Church teachings through sharing personal experiences, educational materials, and inspiring speakers;

+ Share ways to live the Catholic faith through business practices, relationships with all workplace stakeholders, and community service;

+ Welcome people of all faiths, who seek to learn and advance Catholic morality, values, and ethics; and

+ Facilitate opportunities for business and career networking.

If you are interested in sponsoring a Catholic Business Network event or have questions, please contact Paula J. Kidney at 419.214.4898 or email her at pkidney@toledodiocese.org.