MEN’S DAY OF RENEWAL March
7: LENTEN SACRIFICE & OPPORTUNITY
If the mother takes the
spiritual lead in the family, the probability that the children will remain
faithful to the Church as adults is about 40%.
If the father takes the spiritual lead, that probability doubles to
80%. This is crucial because we are
losing our youth. As Danny Abramowicz of
“Crossing the Goal” on EWTN likes to point out, “The children love Mom, but tend
to follow Dad.” Thus the participants in
the Diocesan Men’s Day of Renewal on Saturday March 7 at St. Mary of the Assumption, 506 Fourth St. in Marietta (9 am to 4
pm) off of Route 7 or Exit 1 on I-77 are challenged to
become true men of God........dynamic Catholic leaders who will change the
world, beginning with their families, their parishes, their communities, and
the marketplace through their jobs.
Dr. Scott Hahn is Professor of Biblical Theology and the
New Evangelization at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has
taught since 1990. A former Presbyterian
pastor, Scott entered the Catholic Church in 1986 after a long struggle with
the truth. He is internationally known
through his many books and talks.
The Conference will open with both talks of our main
speaker, Dr. Scott Hahn since he will be on his way to Rome for a lecture
series at the Angelicum Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. In his first talk, Hahn will draw on
Church's teaching and his own experience to show how ordinary Catholics can
effectively share their faith, and so fulfill the New Evangelization. Every one of us, as Catholics, is called not
only to keep the faith, but also to share it with others. This talk will help
Catholic laymen to reach friends, co-workers, and family members, especially
those who are non-practicing or have drifted away from the Church. He will also
address the question, why and how can we remain faithful Catholics -- in the
face of clerical corruption and the scandals we have witnessed?
In his second talk, Dr. Hahn will speak on how to strengthen our marriages
and our family life, both of which are in crisis. Drawing from Scripture, and forty years of
experience as a husband and a father.
Scott will offer some practical tips on how to make your home a domestic
church --which St. Pope John Paul II advocated-- particularly with the
help of the Holy Family. He will also
share some valuable lessons learned from his own struggles, drawing from his
most recent book, The First Society: The Sacrament of Matrimony and the Restoration of
the Social Order.
The
theme is “The Challenge of Being Catholic” with St. Joseph, model of a true man of God,
as the Conference’s patron. Through
the power of faith men must rise up to be the spiritual leaders of their
families, to do their part in renewing their parishes, be servant leaders in
the community, and to make a difference for Christ by applying the social
teachings of the Church to their professions.
The goal of the Men's Day of Renewal is to focus on the spiritual development of the men of our diocese.
Having spiritually strong men of faith and character translates into more solid
families, more dynamic parishes, and better communities. This is crucial to the
Church, now and in the future. It is also critical for nurturing vocations. It involves sacrificing most of a Saturday
with some travel, but Lent is all
about sacrifice and the quest for holiness.
That gives a pilgrimage flavor.
In the middle ages, pilgrims would travel for days on foot.
Our men will meet at the Parish Hall and leave in the van at 7 am.
They’ll have great fellowship on the way. They will see how the participants are moved by
the beauty and power of the faith. The
experience of seeing so many men enthusiastically participating and lifting up
their voices in song is uplifting. There
will be an opportunity for a Lenten Confession.
The Conference is open to teens so this can also
be a father and son event, a shared experience. For the first time boys 18 and under are
admitted free of charge. Hopefully,
they will help their father to make their home a domestic church. In the past the men have returned spiritually
refreshed, reinvigorated, and enthusiastic.
There’s
more information on the diocesan website, www.diosteub.org
and the Conference Blog, “Becoming a True Man of God” at diosteubmen.blogspot.com
which is also devoted to articles to keep men in spiritual shape after the
Conference. For a greater variety, go to
“A Little Bit for God and
His People” at paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com.
It should be a great day of enjoyable
fellowship and spiritual invigoration. But most of all, through grace we'll have a few more good spiritually
strong men for the kingdom of God in the battle against secularism and other
evils and problems that our troubled society must confront.......men --not
spiritual weaklings and wimps-- who will put Christ into their
professions. Finally, the men will
become more knowledgeable, firmer in their faith, and better prepared for a
more joyful Easter, not to mention a greater closeness to God and eternity
which life on earth is all about. The
Men's Day of Renewal is growing into an annual event in our diocese, thus
fulfilling a great need. Although one may register at the door, please
register with your parish representative, paulrsebastian@yahoo.com (245-9404), ASAP. That would make planning (food, transportation,
etc.) easier & minimize waiting at the door. A sign-up sheet is in back of the church.
SUMMARY OF WHAT THE MEN'S CONFERENCE CAN DO FOR
YOU.....BENEFITS
·
Get into good
spiritual shape and avoid being a spiritual weakling, i.e., a spiritual
wimp.
·
Have a
great day of enjoyable fellowship and spiritual invigoration in the
parish van and at the conference, resulting in deeper friendships and parish
cohesion.
·
Develop
ourselves as men of
character and spiritual strength as we obtain the graces to conquer
ourselves and cope with the problems that our troubled society and economy
bring to us.
·
Be a more
effective spiritual leader of your family as a better husband and father.
·
Prepare our
hearts for the great feast of Easter
and for eternity as we become closer to God.
·
Become
knowledgeable about the faith and
grow in Christian maturity. We know so
little about Church teaching.
·
Become a
more effective soldier of Christ
as you do your part in establishing the kingdom, winning the spiritual-culture
war against secularism, and put Christ into your profession.
·
Be Ready to
face the four last things……Death, Judgment,
Heaven, Hell.
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St. Joseph, model of a true
man of God, pray for us and for the success of the Men's Conference.
*****************************************************************************************
USE THE
SPACE BELOW (2/3 page) FOR THE SPEAKERS’ BIO & REGISTRATION FORM FROM THE
BROCHURE
(i.e., paste the part with the
speaker photos & descriptions of Bishop Monforton and Mark Nehrbas as well
as the registration form. They may be
reproduced either in color or black & white.)
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