AMDG
I sent the following
introduction and press release to secular newspapers within a 200 mile or 3
hour radius of Caldwell, OH, our Men's Conference site. Thus I included secular newspapers in
Gallipolis, Athens, Marietta, Parkersburg-WV, Zanesville, Cambridge, St.
Clairsville, Wheeling, Steubenville, and as very long shots Columbus,
Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh.
The addresses were easy to obtain by googling
the internet. Essentially, I sent the
press release by e-mail all at once to the entire list. My philosophy was if only one or two of the 14
newspaper pick up the release and print at least part of it, the effort is
worthwhile. Even if the reader does not
attend the Conference, at least s/he receives the message behind the Conference. In 2011 and 2013 the Gallipolis Daily Tribune
published the entire article. The
Steubenville Herald Star picked up the press release in 2016, 2017, 2018, and
2019. There may have been others.
It was picked up by the on-line newspaper, the Meigs Indy Press at https://meigsindypress.com/2020/03/01/mens-day-of-renewal-set-for-march-7/.
It was also picked up by the Weirton Daily Times at https://www.weirtondailytimes.com/news/community/2020/03/community-news-from-around-the-area-481/
“Beth Sergent – Editor Gallipolis Daily Tribune
- Pomeroy Daily Sentinel - Point Pleasant Daily Register” <bsergent@aimmediamidwest.com>,
“Gallipolis Daily Tribune” <gdtnews@aimmediamidwest.com>,
*“No-Carrie
Gloeckner Editor Meigs Independent Press” <meigsindypress@gmail.com>,
*“No-Carrie Gloeckner Editor Gallia Hometown Herald”
<galliaherald@gmail.com>,
*“?Jackie Denuit - Community Editor Jackson Times Journal”
<jdenuit@timesjournal.com>,
“Steubenville Herald Star Executive Editor”
<rgallabrese@heraldstaronline.com>, “City Editor” <jpowers@heraldstaronline.com>,
“Janice Kiaski – Editor Community Page” <jkiaski@heraldstaronline.com>,
“Wheeling Intelligencer”
<myer@news-register.net>,
“St. Clairsville
Times Leader Managing Editor” <bkapral@timesleaderonline.com>, “Area
Editor” <timesleader@timesleaderonline.com>, “Lifestyles Editor”
<sdunder@timesleaderonline.com>,
“Jennifer
Compston-Strough - Managing Editor” <jcompston@timesleaderonline.com>,
**“?Cambridge Daily Jeffersonian Publisher – “Ray Booth - Managing
Editor” <rbooth@daily-jeff.com>,
“?? Dan Davis – Reporter” <ddavis@daily-jeff.com>,
“Zanesville Times Recorder - Managing Editor”
<psjames@nncogannett.com>, “Local Desk Editor” <tshipley@nncogannett.com>,
“Marietta Times News Editor”
<kyork@mariettatimes.com>,
“Columbus Dispatch” <storyideas@dispatch.com>,
“Danny Goodwin - News Editor” <dgoodwin@dispatch.com>, “Danae King –
Religion Reporter” <dking@dispatch.com>,
**“? ?Cleveland Plain Dealer Metro Editor”
<kturner@plaind.com>, “? ?Deputy Managing Editor”
<dkannber@plaind.com>,
“Cincinnati Enquirer Community Editors” <jkey@communitypress.com>,
“Athens Messenger”
<jhiggins@athensmessenger.com>,
“Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Jerry Micco -
Assistant Managing Editor NewsSlide” <jmicco@post-gazette.com>,
<localnews@post-gazette.com>,
“Parkersburg News & Sentinel” <editorial@newsandsentinel.com>, “Executive Editor - Christina Myer”
<cmyer@newsandsentinel.com>, “Paul
LaPann – Managing Editor” <plapann@newsandsentinel.com>, “Jesse Mancini – City Editor” <jmancini@newsandsentinel.com>,
“Joanie Nash” <jnash@ogdennews.com>,
February
28, 2020
As
the person responsible for publicity on the Steering Committee for the
Steubenville Diocesan Men’s Day of Renewal, I am submitting for your
consideration the following press release for your News, Events, or Religion sections.
The Men's Conference described in the press
release below is open to men of all faiths and it's good for the people of
different denominations to know what other churches are doing. For those who do not attend, the press
release also gives a taste of the speaker's message, which challenges the men
to recognize that role in making their homes little domestic churches where
Christ is the center.
Feel
free to edit and condense it as you see fit.
If space is lacking, please at least consider the short announcement
below for your Events section or Church Calendar. You may contact me at 740-245-9404. Photos of the main speaker, Scott Hahn, are
attached as well as the Conference brochure and other information. Photos of Scott Hahn and is wife Kimberly are
attached. If space is limited, the final
four paragraphs may be dropped
.
Thank you for your
consideration and God bless.
PRESS RELEASE
 |
Scott Hahn to Speak at the Men's Day of Renewal at the Basilica in Marietta, Ohio
For the eleventh consecutive year, the Diocese of Steubenville is sponsoring a
Men's Day of Renewal on Saturday, March 7 from 9 am to 4 pm at the Basilica of
St. Mary of the Assumption, 506 Fourth St. in Marietta off of Route 7 or Exit 1
on I-77. The patron of the Conference is
St. Joseph, a model of a true man of God.
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 and a Steubenville
native likes to point out, “The children love Mom, but tend to follow
Dad.”
To
complement the Holy Hour, the Penance Service, and Mass presided by Bishop
Monforton, the featured speaker is Dr. Scott Hahn.
Dr.
Scott Hahn is Professor of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization at the
Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since
1990. He is the founder and president of the St. Paul Center, an
apostolate dedicated to teaching Catholics how to read Scripture from the heart
of the Church. Married to Kimberly for forty years, together they have
six children and 18 grandchildren. Two of their sons are seminarians
studying for the priesthood in the Steubenville Diocese. A former
Presbyterian pastor, Scott entered the Catholic Church in 1986. The author or
editor of over 40 popular and academic books, including “Rome Sweet Home”
and “The Lamb’s Supper”, Dr. Hahn has delivered thousands of
talks, nationally and internationally, on a variety of topics related to
Scripture and the Catholic faith.
Dr. Hahn will
give two talks based on the general theme, “The Challenge of Being
Catholic”.
In his first
talk, he will draw on Church 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 is geared to help Catholic laymen 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 family life, both of
which are in crisis. Drawing from Scripture, and forty years of
experience as a husband and father. Hahn 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 men are encouraged to bring their sons (18 and under free of charge);
so this can also be a father and son event, a shared experience. A bag lunch will be provided. Non-Catholics are also welcome. Registration will be taken at the door.
Questions may be addressed to the
Chairperson of the Steering Committee, Don Coen at 740-264-0155, 740-632-1565,
or donandmargcoen@yahoo.com. 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. “A Little Bit for God and His People”
at paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com has an article on this conference (#244) and
a variety of other subjects.
The goal of the Men's Day of Renewal is
to focus on the spiritual development of the men of the 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. During the middle ages, pilgrims would travel
for days by foot or horseback.
For those who must travel a
distance this mini-pilgrimage is a
Lenten sacrifice of early rising and a long trip with great fellowship in a van
or bus as the men pray together, discuss the talks and other events of the
Conference, and deepen friendships. This
is an opportunity for the pastor to know his men better and build parish
community.
The men 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 a Holy Hour
of Eucharistic Adoration and optional Lenten Confession. In the past the men have returned spiritually
refreshed, reinvigorated, and enthusiastic.
Registration will be taken at the door.
A
great day of enjoyable fellowship and spiritual reinvigoration is expected. But most of
all, the organizers hope that through grace there will be 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.
AS A
SHORT ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE EVENTS SECTION OR CHURCH CALENDAR
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