Live Jesus! 2026
This year’s theme is Salesian Gentleness, inspired by the quote from Saint Francis de Sales: “Let us do everything in a spirit of peace and love… let us walk and even run in the way of God's Divine Will, not letting ourselves be pulled and pushed about like puppets.”
Saturday, March 14, 2026
8:00 AM – Continental Breakfast
9:00 AM – 12:45 PM Program & Mass
Location
March 14, 2026, at St. Paul VI Catholic High School
Chantilly, VA
8:00 AM - 8:50 AM Continental Breakfast
9:00 AM - 12:45 PM Program & Mass
*St. Paul VI was founded over 40 years ago by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. The school remains a strong supporter and promoter of Salesian Spirituality.
We look forward to seeing you!
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Donations to Oblates of St. Francis de Sales through Live Jesus! will be acknowledged in a formal letter from Rev. Jack Kolodziej, OSFS, Provincial Superior of the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province. The Oblates are grateful for your generosity and support.
Featured Speakers
Fr. Chris Beretta, OSFS
Fr. Chris Beretta, OSFS, is the principal of Salesianum School in Wilmington, Delaware. He first encountered the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales as a student at Paul VI High School, where he was a member of the first graduating class in 1986. Ordained a priest in 1997, he followed the dream that began at PVI, serving for more than thirty years in Catholic education as a teacher, coach, campus minister, and principal at Bishop Verot High School in Fort Myers, Florida, and at Salesianum, where he has served as principal since 2010.
Deeply committed to lifelong learning, Fr. Beretta holds degrees in theology, ministry, sport psychology, and educational leadership. His greatest satisfaction as a school leader comes from fostering transformative educational experiences that develop the whole person, building communities rooted in connection and empathy, and empowering students to become authentic leaders—learning, in the spirit of St. Francis de Sales, to be who they are and be that well.
About His Talk
Pilgrims of the Heart is a Salesian reflection on the interior spiritual journey of a lifetime. Using the metaphor of pilgrimage, the program explores our lifelong search for meaning and purpose, the losses that shape us more deeply than our accomplishments, and the call to love with courage and vulnerability. Growth often begins with the courage to change our thinking, remembering that God is ready to change our hearts, slowly but surely. Rooted in personal story and the gentle wisdom of St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal, and with opportunities to reflect on their own challenges, participants are invited to see life’s hardships not as detours or obstacles to God, but as essential parts of the journey itself—a pilgrimage in which God walks with us and is quietly at work, teaching our pilgrim hearts to live well.
Fr. Geoff Rose, OSFS
For more than 25 years, Fr. Geoff has been a speaker for Catholic events including diocesan conferences, parish missions, and school retreats across the United States and in several foreign countries. An Oblate of St. Francis de Sales, he brings the gentle strength, humility, and practical optimism of his community’s patron to all he does.
No stranger to the DC beltway, Fr. Geoff’s early formation included significant public service experience. Prior to entering the Oblates, he was elected to public office in Ypsilanti, Michigan, serving as a city councilman and later as Deputy Mayor. He also worked as a campaign manager and served as a senior staffer for a member of the U.S. Congress.
While many see politics and priesthood as unrelated worlds, Fr. Geoff understands their shared foundation in two essential words: advocacy and service. Those values have continued to shape his priesthood, leadership, and preaching as an Oblate.
Fr. Geoff currently serves as President of St. Francis de Sales School in Toledo, Ohio, and sits on numerous boards for mission-driven organizations serving communities in need throughout the world. And next month will be honored with the National Catholic Education Association’s Lead. Learn. Proclaim. Award, which honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions through visionary leadership, the promotion of academic excellence, and a deep commitment to the mission of the Catholic Church in education.
About His Talk
Fr. Geoff Rose, OSFS, will explore how the Salesian path of “gentle strength” can steady and guide us in the realities of daily life. This presentation offers simple, practical ways to “Live Jesus” with courage, compassion, and calm—especially when life is hectic or the heart is heavy. Whether you are new to Salesian Spirituality or have walked with it for years, you’ll find accessible practices rooted in the little virtues and the present moment. A hope-filled invitation to let love, not fear, shape our responses.
Overview: Live Jesus! Events
Carol Swiger - Founder of Live Jesus!
Carol is a member of the Saint John Neumann Catholic Community in Reston, Virginia, where she currently coordinates Salesian programs and gatherings. Additionally, she often leads Salesian Spirituality classes that focus on the practical ways to incorporate the Salesian spirit of gentleness and optimism, and the Catholic sense of resilience and redemption into our daily living.