(36) Urgently Needed: A Few Good Men to Promote the Men's Conference

AMDG

Press Release (2) Submitted to the Steubenville Register

            If the men of the diocese are in good spiritual shape, the family is renewed.  If the family is renewed, the parish is renewed and so is the diocese.  The men must step up and be the pillars of the parish.......not only the women.  The men must put Christ into the marketplace and in their jobs.  If the father takes the spiritual lead in the family, the probability that the children will always be faithful Catholics doubles to 80% according to Fr. Larry Richards.

            A successful and well attended Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal on Saturday March 16 at St. Stephen's Church in Caldwell (9 am to 3 pm) would be a big step in that direction.  The featured speaker in both the morning and afternoon sessions is Fr. Larry Richards, nationally known personality on EWTN, national radio show host, and the author of the best selling book, “Be a Man”.  A popular, captivating, and entertaining speaker around the country as well as a favorite at men’s conferences, he challenges the men to be true men as God intended.  Too many men really don/t know what true manhood is.

Fr. Larry Richards needs a few good men to mobilize the men to attend.

As a new feature, the men may come as early as 8 am for a Holy Hour with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Rosary.  A Penance Service will again be included as a very important part of the day.  Bishop Jeffrey Monforton will give a talk and preside at the closing Mass.

For the first time the men are invited to bring their teen age sons so that this Conference may also be a Father and Son shared experience.  They may also bring grandsons, nephews, godsons, and friends.

For this Conference, an important part of the New Evangelization in this Year of Faith, a strong marketing effort at the parish level is crucial.  The Conference then could be a vehicle to bring drifting and fallen away Catholics back home.  Non Catholics are also welcome.   

            The Steering Committee for the Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal has sent posters and brochures with registration form to every parish in the diocese and is asking each one to promote the Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal.......announcements in the bulletin and from the pulpit, a bulletin insert, etc.  Parish organizations such as the Knights of Columbus can also be a big help.  But the most important of all is a leader and a few good men in each parish to assure that the overall promotion is adequate and mobilize the men of the parish to attend.......one on one selling of the Conference and to organize the men to go as a group in the parish van, a van pool, or hiring a bus.    

            That would be great fellowship and would solidify the parish as the men get to know each other better, especially if the pastor accompanies them.  If the distance is great, there would be a sacrificial pilgrimage flavor, especially if there's prayer and discussion of the day's events.  Pastors, already overworked, can't do it all, especially the grunt work of promotion.  They urgently need the help of the laity.  Even the women could encourage their men to attend. Promotional materials may be obtained from pauls@rio.edu or from the Conference blog which promotes men’s spirituality at http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com.  

            Thus the Steering Committee asks for at least one or two representatives from each parish.   The pastor could appoint a representative or a leader could volunteer with the approval of his pastor.  Each parish representative is asked to make his availability and contact information known to the Chair of the Steering Committee, Steve Ishmael at 740-635-2102, 740-296-9927, or swi167@comcast.net.  The  parish representative may collect the registration forms and send them to Ishmael at P.O. Box 167; Lansing, OH 43934 by February 15 and pay only $25 instead of $30 at the door.  This may also be done individually.