(71) Dr. Ray Guarendi: Highlights the 2014 Steubenville Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal

       Dr. Ray Guarendi came off the screen to speak to 184 men at St. Mary’s Church in St. Clairsville.on March 22 to inform, inspire, and entertain.  His two talks went over very well as reflected by the reaction of the men and their written evaluations at the end of the day.  Some of the men shared the day with their sons.

 

As in prior years, there was a Penance Service and Mass, presided by Bishop Jeffrey Montforton.  This time, however, the Men’s Day of Renewal opened with Mass after the rosary during Registration and for the first time ended with a formal Holy Hour.  Furthermore, the Bishop opened himself up to some stimulating questions and spoke off the cuff on diocesan matters.  There was also a vocation presentation given by a seminarian.  It was day of renewal and enjoyable fellowship.

            In answer to a question, the Bishop was happy that St. Mary’s Marietta was designated with the special honor of basilica, only one of 64 in the United States.  It is one of the most beautiful churches that I have seen in my travels all over the world.  He did not agree that St. Mary’s should be a co-cathedral to shift the seat of the diocese closer to the geographic center.  Since the great majority of the Catholics of the diocese live in the north which includes the Steubenville area, the diocese can better serve the most people with the current location of the administrative offices.

            Dr. Ray Guarendi has a unique gift for blending deep insights, practical wisdom, and wit.  A few notes and main points here cannot demonstrate all of that well, especially the humor, but this summary can give you an idea of his two talks.

The Father as the Spiritual Leader of the Family

            He opened his morning talk with the facetious comment that wives sometimes tend to confess their husbands sins.

            Discipline. Dr. Ray, utilized his experience as a father of ten kids and a clinical psychologist, specializing in parenting, marriage, and family.  He emphasized the need for discipline in the home:  “If we don’t discipline the kids, the world will.”  But he cautioned, “Discipline without love is child abuse”.  A father should not take any satisfaction from making a comment such as “He’s not on drugs or anything like that”.  The standard to be aspired for is “moral character”.  Psychological correctness is becoming part of the culture and is replacing moral correctness.  We overanalyze.  The common question has become: Is it normal?  “Sin is normal”, but that does not make it right.

            Dr. Guarendi discourages yelling and screaming, but still the father must assert his authority.  He can be firm without losing it.  Too often a kid learns to ignore his parents until he raises his voice.  Don’t only look at the kids; look at yourself.

            Sons and daughters must be treated differently because they are wired differently.  Little girls talk earlier and more often.  They gently caress their baby dolls; boys will tear it apart.  Boys are more aggressive and would turn a stick into an imaginary machine gun.

                  

            Leadership of the Father.  He hears women say more and more that they are the authorities in the house…….tone, standards, not the men.  Dr. Ray lamented that too often “the guys are there for the ride”.  Dr. Ray recalled: “My father loved me desperately”, but did not verbalize it.  The father should not only say “I love you, but show it in many ways.”

            Parents will often abort their baby because prenatal tests indicate that the child will be abnormal.  However the tests are often wrong and parents kill a normal baby.

Why Be a Catholic?

            In his afternoon talk Dr. Ray tried to help the men, especially the cradle Catholics, to appreciate the faith.  He fell away from the Church as a youth, but rediscovered the faith of his fathers. 

Atheism.  He opened his remarks with the observation that the old atheist would assert that there is no God and I can do whatever I want.  The new atheist believes in God, but “believes that he thinks like me” as to what is right and wrong, etc.

Faulty Thinking of Protestants. While in a Bible Study, Dr. Guarendi was exposed to different beliefs.  “Who’s right among these diverse beliefs?”  Only the Catholic Church has a coherent and consistent body of beliefs.  Protestants believe in the Bible and interpret it according to what they believe are the proddings of the Holy Spirit.  But there are 35,000 different Christian faiths!  God established one Church to be an arbiter of this mess. 

  

Nevertheless, they say that they agree on the basics because they believe in the Bible.  Then why separate into so many different groups?  Our separated brethren believe that once saved, always saved.  Then some who lose their faith must not have been saved in the first place.  By that reasoning, that person was saved for three years until he lost his faith.

Where did the Bible come from?  The Early Church Fathers put together the Bible, which originally had 34 books in the Old Testament.  But Martin Luther took seven of them out because they did not agree with his theology.  So the Holy Spirit inspired the 34 books, and then corrected it after 1500 years?  Did the Holy Spirit change His mind on abortion?  Over the centuries they diluted down this body of teaching.  “You can’t agree to disagree on Physics because the bridge falls down”.

St. Irenaeus knew St. John personally.  The early Church fathers either knew the apostles or knew somebody who did.  This is the faith they handed down and we call it tradition.  Christ is either incredibly true or incredibly false.

It’s hard to believe that the fertilized egg in Mary’s womb was God of the Universe.  It’s hard to believe that a chair is mostly space within the atoms and molecules that are its building blocks.

“Spanking and having more than 2.13 kids are the only sins left” in our relativistic culture.

“If the Holy Spirit did not protect the Church for 20 centuries, it would be today a fractured mess.”

For more on Dr. Ray Guarendi, his ideas, and his work, go to his website, “Faith, Family, and Life” at www.drray.com.  His many books can be ordered there.  His television program, “Living Right with Dr. Ray” is on EWTN television and internet at www.ewtn.com every Saturday at 10 pm with an encore on the following Friday at 5 am.  He also has a radio program, “The Doctor is In” can be heard 1 pm Monday thru Friday on EWTN Radio, Ave Maria Radio, Sirius Radio Channel 130,  and on the internet at www.ewtn.com.  Archived broadcasts can be heard on his website.  One can find many excerpts and complete talks on You Tube by clicking on http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Dr.+Ray+Guarendi.

(70) Examples of Pulpit Announcements Supporting the 2014 Men’s Conference

AMDG

POSSIBLE 2014 MEN'S CONFERENCE PULPIT ANNOUNCEMENTS AT END OF MASS

            It is suggested that the Parish Representative ask the pastor to say a few words promoting the Men’s Conference after Mass and to also go.  We need confessors; his accompanying the men will help parish solidarity and help him to know his men better.  It may be something like the following as a starting point and be adapted according to the style of the pastor and the reality of his parish. 

First Announcement

          The Diocese is sponsoring a Men's Conference on Saturday March 22 at St. Mary’s Church in St. Clairsville.  I strongly recommend that every man in the parish takes advantage of the dynamic and entertaining Dr. Ray Guarendi, a clinical psychologist and father of ten adopted children.  He will help the men to become more effective spiritual leaders of their families and better connected with them.  You will return spiritually refreshed and reinvigorated after a day of enjoyable fellowship, traveling together in the parish van.  Use the sign-up sheet in the back of the church and see your parish representative (e.g., Paul Sebastian) to register.  Please pray for a fruitful and well attended Conference.

Final Announcement the Sunday Before the Conference

          The Men's Conference is this coming Saturday March 22 at St. Mary’s  Church in St. Clairsville.  The men will meet at the Parish Hall at 6 am and travel together like a pilgrimage in the parish van for some great fellowship and spiritual reinvigoration, a great sacrifice for Lent.

          Dr. Ray Guarendi will give the men tips on getting better connected with wife and children and becoming more effective spiritual leaders of the family.  Sign up in the back of the church.  You may register at the door, but calling your parish representative to register as soon as you can. That would make planning so much easier. Please pray for a fruitful and well attended Conference.

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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.

(69) An Example of a Promotional Talk By a Layman After Mass on the 2014 Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal

AMDG

            The following talk to the congregation after Sunday Mass may serve as a model or example that the parish representative could use in his parish, assuming that the pastor allows it.  He or other person may use it as he sees fit according to his particular style, adapting it to the parish culture and situation.  The personal testimony of a leader, who has attended a Men’s Conference, can be most effective.

POSSIBLE PROMOTIONAL TALK ON THE 2014 DIOCESAN MEN'S DAY OF RENEWAL

     Men, let's face it.  Too many of us are spiritual weaklings.....spiritual wimps!  And that includes me.  We have to do something about it.  Our Men's Conference would be a big help to each one of us.

·   We've got to get into spiritual shape and get better connected with God, our families and others, the theme of this year's Conference.

·    We've got to become spiritually strong to be effective spiritual leaders of our families, to become better fathers, better husbands, and to be able to put Christ into our jobs and professions.  To establish the kingdom, the Lord wants our help.

 

·       We've got to prepare ourselves for Easter and for eternity.

·       Our Men's Conference will help us in all of these areas.  On top of that we'll have a good time of great fellowship both at the Conference and in the van going there and back.  Last year the men came back spiritually reinvigorated, refreshed, and enthusiastic.  A typical comment was: “I didn't want to go, but they twisted my arm and I'm glad they did.”

·       We'll learn more about our faith too and grow in Christian maturity. We only have a superficial knowledge.  Dr. Ray Guarendi, our main speaker, has a weekly program on EWTN TV & is a national radio host, well known speaker and author. He’s dynamic and entertaining.  Dr. Ray, a clinical psychologist and father of ten adopted children, will help the men to become more effective spiritual leaders of their families and better connected with them.   

·       Perhaps the women can help by using their feminine mystique to encourage (not nag - tongue in cheek) their men to attend.  Please mark on your calendar Saturday, March 22.  We'll meet in the parking lot at 6 am.  Please register with me as soon as you can.  That really helps in organizing and planning.  Of course, better late than never at the door.  Thank you so much.

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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.

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(68) Men Asked to Use the 2014 Men's Day of Renewal as a Lenten Sacrifice

(AMDG)

Submitted to the Steubenville Catholic Register for publication in the March 14 issue.

           

            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 are challenged to be true men as God intended.  That would entail being better connected with their families and becoming more effective spiritual leaders in the home in their complete self-giving to wife and family.  This will be the focus in the talk of Dr. Ray Guarendi, father of 10 adopted children and clinical psychologist, who specializes in families. His many books include the best seller “You’re A Better Parent Than You Think!”, “Back To The Family”, etc.

Dr. Ray Guarendi

             The men are invited to bring their teenage sons, relatives, and friends who are preparing for manhood so that this Conference may also be a Father and Son shared experience on Saturday March 22 at St. Mary’s Church in St. Clairsville (9 am to 3 pm).  All will enjoy this nationally known EWTN television personality, national radio show host, and author of many books.  Dr. Guarendi has a unique gift of blending deep insights, practical wisdom, and wit while entertaining the audience.

 

A Sacrificial Pilgrimage.  The Steering Committee appreciates the fact that the men will be sacrificing most of a valuable Saturday, but that’s what Lent is all about….penance, self-examination, personal renewal, spiritual growth, etc.  The men of the southern deaneries will have to leave their homes at an early hour and travel two to four hours, but that gives the Conference a pilgrimage flavor, especially if there's prayer and discussion of the day's events.  Traveling together in a van would make for great fellowship and would solidify the parish as the men get to know each other better, more so if the pastor accompanies them.  There was once a time when pilgrims would travel for days to a shrine on foot or horseback. 

A Possible Weekend Stay.  Some may wish to stay overnight in a nearby motel such as the Fairfield Inn (740-699-4980) and make it a weekend retreat, beginning with Stations of the Cross at 6:30 pm the day before.  They may still be able to obtain a special conference rate.  The wives would have a large Mall nearby.  Both Columbus and Pittsburgh are less than two hours away for a long weekend.   

For the first time the Conference will conclude with a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament as a follow up to Mass presided by the Bishop and a Reconciliation Service. 

            Promotional materials and ideas may be obtained from the Conference blog which promotes men’s spirituality at http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com. 

The parish representative may collect the registration forms and send them to Roger Huck; Men’s Day of Renewal; P.O. Box 54; Beverly, OH 45715.  Individuals may do the same.  Make the $25 check payable to the Diocese of Steubenville and write “Men's Day of Renewal” on the memo line.  Although registrations are accepted at the door, the men are encouraged to register ahead of time to facilitate planning and to avoid long lines. 

(67) The Crucial Importance of the Parish Representative in Marketing the 2014 Men's Conference at the Parish Level

AMDG

       The most critical aspect of promoting the Steubenville Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal is having at least one representative in each parish to mobilize the men to attend......i.e. considerable one on one personal selling. This is so important since many men quickly browse through the church bulletin if at all, don't notice the poster, and don't look at the brochures and pamphlets in the back of the church. With the abundance of fallen away and drifting Catholics, the pastor is happy that they make it to Mass at all. Even if they are aware, we have to overcome inertia: “I don't know; I'll think about it; Maybe I'll go; I'll see how my schedule is; I may have to work; we'll see; I may have something else going on” etc.

        Another crucial aspect is the local Councils of the Knights of Columbus.  They are most important to mobilize their knights to attend and to help the Parish Representatives in mobilizing the men of the local parishes to attend the Conference.

        Then there are the many men who come to Mass occasionally if at all or is on the verge of falling away. Many others indeed have fallen away and we may have to take advantage of a casual meeting at a football game or in a store. All of the above are the men we are trying to reach.......the indifferent Catholic who's happy where he is in his spiritual growth and has no desire to get any closer to God. It's in this area where the Parish Representative can be a true apostle and missionary. It's evangelization at its best. The Men's Conference could provide that spark to set them on fire and bring them closer to the Church. This is the New Evangelization that Blessed Pope John Paul II promulgated and Pope Benedict XVI continues to do, especially in this Year of the Faith.  This is perhaps the first step to renew families and parishes  The men must take spiritual leadership..

       Thus I sent out the following e-mail to the parish representatives of my Nativity of Mary Deanery which occupies the southern extreme of the Diocese of Steubenville which extends over one hundred miles and 13 counties.  I included prospective representatives throughout the diocese.

 

MARKETING THE 2013 MEN’S CONFERENCE AT THE PARISH LEVEL

The Crucial Importance of the Parish Representative

Dear Parish Reps of the Nativity of Mary Deanery for the Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal:

Thank you so much for your past help with our last four Men’s Conferences.  Believe me, it’s crucial because the key to a great turnout is promotion at the grass roots: (1) at the parish level and (2) at the level of each Council of the Knights of Columbus.  We must reach the men, many of whom are drifting and have fallen away except perhaps for Mass on Christmas and Easter.  Mobilizing the men of your parish to come to the Diocesan Men’s Day of Renewal on March 22 at St. Mary Church in St. Clairsville (off of Exit 215 of I-70 half an hour west of Wheeling) from 9 am to 3 pm is a very important part of the New Evangelization.  The men are invited to bring their teen age sons, grandsons, nephews, godsons, students, friends, etc.  An added feature is a Holy Hour with the Blessed Sacrament at the end of the day.

At this year’s Men’s Conference we have a great speaker……nationally known Dr. Ray Gaurendi…….dynamic and entertaining.  He’s an acclaimed conference speaker to secular as well as Catholic audiences.  He has his own international radio and television shows on EWTN.  Father of ten children, he will help the men to become better connected with their families.  Dr. Ray will give tips on being better husbands and fathers as well as more effective spiritual leaders of their families now and in the future.  It will be a great day of enjoyable fellowship and spiritual invigoration.  We’ll go together in the parish van.  We’d love to have you (and your son) join us.  Can we count on you?  That’s my sales pitch (7 lines) this year in my encounters with the guys……one on one or in small groups.  You can make it even shorter and better for your men.  Even if the person doesn’t come, the message will make him think.  In parting give him our brochure as a reminder to decide and register.

If a guy tells me a definite yes, I try to get him to register in advance.  If the answer is “maybe”, I'll approach him again in a friendly jovial way, hoping and praying that I don't make a pest out of myself and come over as a telemarketer.  True, that's a risk, but it does take some persistence.  I try to avoid phone calls unless one is a good prospect a few days before the Conference. Of course, phone calling is a good option with men whom you don't see.  At the same time, I'm enlisting the help of the guys who went last year to help me to talk it up and promote it.  They are a great testimony.      

At the diocesan level we’ll probably have three articles in the Steubenville Catholic Register plus our brochure on the back of the first section of the January 31 issue.  On the bottom of the home page of the diocesan website (click on www.diosteub.org) there is a link to (1) our brochure and (2) “Additional Information” until after the Conference.  Our Bishop will give a talk and preside at Mass to open the Diocesan Men’s Day of Renewal. 

At the parish level, we’re hurting unless we can confide in your help.  With the critical shortage of priests, we can’t count on the pastors because they are so busy and overworked.  Many of them are responsible for two or even three parishes.  They don’t have the time to do the grunt work of promotion.  Thus we ask you to cover some or all of the points below to the extent that you are willing and able.  If you can cover at least the first three items well, your campaign will be a success.  The rest of the items are bonus if you can.  Only item #3 may be difficult and/or time consuming.  Samples of items #2, #5, #6, and #7 will be e-mailed to you for possible use and adaptation to make it easier for you.  Numerous resources and helps for you will be posted on the Conference Blog at http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com, beginning with Blog #54.  It’s worth it all because that makes you a true missionary and apostle.  Ask other men to help you recruit.

SUGGESTED TASKS FOR THE PARISH REP FOR THE MEN’S CONFERENCE

1.      *Every parish should have received a poster and a batch of brochures.  If they are not available in the church, please ask the secretary and the pastor.  They could have been set aside and forgotten about.  Please be sure that the posters are posted in good spots, perhaps one in the church and another in the Parish Hall as well as a few brochures at each exit of the church.  You can duplicate the attached brochure or download one from the diocesan website and then duplicate them in color or black and white.  The brochure contains a registration form.

2.       *Ask the secretary with the approval of the pastor to put in a short announcement in the Church Bulletin each Sunday of the new year until the Conference date as long as there is space available.  You can put in a slightly different message each Sunday.  I sent a number of possible blurbs which you could adapt to your parish.  They are also available as Blog #59 at http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com.

3.      *****The most important of all and the key is to mobilize the men one on one, collect the $25 fee, and register them on the form inside the brochure or the one attached to the poster (a sheet with three forms is also attached).  After talking to each man, give him a brochure as a reminder to decide and then register.  Men may register individually or the parish representative may collect the registration forms with payment and send them to Roger Huck; %Men’s Day of Renewal, P.O. Box 54; Beverly, OH 45715.  This would save considerable time waiting at the door.  Checks for the Registration cost of $25.00 per person are to be made payable to the Diocese of Steubenville with “Men's Day of Renewal” written on the memo line of the check.  Early registration helps with planning as number of lunches, etc.

        Enlisting the help of a couple of other men would enable us to reach almost every man in the parish.  That could be the start of an evangelization team, which every parish very much needs.  Ask the men who have attended a previous conference to talk it up.  Word of mouth is the best form of advertising.  You can see the men before and after Mass, at family, community, or parish functions as the Fish Fry, by phone, perhaps at work, and anywhere else you may run into somebody you know.  If there is any unemployed man who would like to go, but cannot afford it, ask the pastor or a parish organization for help.  I myself would be willing to pay for a few registrations if no other help is available.  Money should not be an obstacle for any man to go.

4.      Organize the men if possible to travel together as part of a car or van pool.  A larger parish or group of parishes might be able to fill a bus if the Conference is well promoted.  That will make for enjoyable fellowship and foment a more cohesive parish community as the men get to know each other better and become better friends.  It would be ideal if the pastor (free of charge) could accompany the men, thus giving him an opportunity to know his men better.  We need confessors.  If the distance is great, that will give it a pilgrimage flavor, especially if the Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy are said and the men discuss the conference on the way back.

5.      Put a sign-up sheet on a clipboard on a table in the back of the church.  Ask the pastor to include the sign-up sheet in his announcements at the end of Mass as a reminder each Sunday.  The sign-up sheet should include the name, phone number, and e-mail address to contact for registration and confirm the time and place of departure in the car pool van or bus.

6.      Obtain permission to put a one sheet (front and back) insert into the Church Bulletin.  This would include selling points, benefits for the men, details about the speaker, and a registration form.  There is an example on the Conference Blog #66 at http://diosteubment.blogspot.com, which you could use as is or as a model for adapting it to the culture of your parish.

7.    Ask the pastor to say a few words to support the Conference with a few words in the announcements after Mass.  His enthusiastic support and help would be huge.

8.      Perhaps a leader among the men could say a few words after Mass with the pastor’s approval. One who has been to a previous Conference could give great testimony.

9.      Enlist the help of parish organizations and the local council of the Knights of Columbus and its grand knight to mobilize and organize the men. Even members of the Catholic Women’s Club and other women could encourage their men to attend……husbands, boy friends, fathers, sons, godsons, nephews, friends of the family, etc.

10.  To obtain the best speakers in the country (they are expensive), the Steering Committee asks for donations and/or ads for the program booklet from local businesses or council of the Knights of Columbus.  Attached is a form with instructions for obtaining the ads.  If the proprietor or key person in the business is Catholic, it should be a much easier sell and his business would have exposure throughout our far flung diocese……13 counties in all.

            If we can get the men in good spiritual shape, we renew the family.  If we renew the family, we renew the parish, soon the diocese and ultimately the Country.  We let the women be the pillars of the parish when the men should be spiritual leaders in the parish and especially in the home.  If the mother takes the spiritual lead in the family, there’s only a 40% chance that the children will remain faithful to the church as adults.  If the father takes the spiritual lead, that probability doubles to 80%!  It's our job to put Christ into the market place......in our professions, on the job, and in the community.  That's why this Conference is so very important and you have a crucial role.  That’s why it’s so important that the every pastor asks a leader in the parish to be a parish representative for the Conference.

            To get a good turnout (each soul has immeasurable value), we need a solid program plus MARKETING, MARKETING, MARKETING.......PROMOTION AND PERSONAL SELLING.  This is 21^st Century evangelization at its best.  Certainly, St. Paul and the original apostles after Pentecost would have used every marketing tool if they would have them.  I think that they were marketers of the Gospel.  May we follow in their footsteps in promoting this Men's Conference.  If we could draw an average of ten men from every parish in the diocese, this would be a big success.

             The Conference Blog at http://diosteubment.blogspot.com is designed to help you promote the Conference and when it is over, to improve and maintain men’s spirituality with excellent articles.  My personal blog at http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com has many more articles of a spiritual nature.  If I can be of any help, please call me at 740-245-9404 or e-mail me at pauls@rio.edu.  Thank you so much for your help and God bless.

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St. Joseph, model of a true man of God, pray for us and the success of the Men's Conference.

(66) Suggested Bulletin Insert for the 2014 Steubenville Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal

2014 DIOCESAN MEN'S DAY OF RENEWAL SATURDAY MARCH 22

            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 be spiritual leaders in their families.  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.  Set the men on fire and we renew the parish, the diocese, and ultimately the Country, thus transforming Society.  That's what the Diocese is trying to accomplish with the Men's Day of Renewal.

            The Catholic Diocese of Steubenville is sponsoring this Men’s Conference on Saturday March 22 from 9 am to 3 pm at St. Mary Church in St. Clairsville (off of I-70 Exit 215).  The theme is: “Get Connected: Let Christ be Your Light” with St. Joseph as the patron.  The distance may be great, but Lent involves sacrifice and the quest for holiness.  That gives a pilgrimage flavor.  During the middle ages, pilgrims would travel for days by foot or horseback.

 

            Our men will travel together and have great fellowship on the way.  In the past the men have returned spiritually refreshed, reinvigorated, and enthusiastic.  Expect the same this year.  See how the participants are moved by the beauty and power of the faith.   Non-Catholics are also welcome.  The Conference is open to teens so this can also be a father and son event.  There will be opportunities for Eucharistic Adoration & a Lenten Confession.

            It is essential that the men take the spiritual lead in the family and in the parish.  Too often the women are the pillars of the parish.  According to our 2013 speaker, Fr. Larry Richards, the probability that the children will remain faithful to the Church in later life is about 40% if the mother takes the spiritual lead.  However, if the father does his job as spiritual leader, that probability of later faithfulness doubles to about 80%!!!!  According to Danny Abramowicz, our 2012 speaker, the children love Mom, but tend to follow Dad. 

             Dr. Ray (Guarendi), a prominent Catholic layman, is the featured speaker to complement the Mass presided by Bishop Montforton and the Penance Service.   Dr. Ray is a popular and entertaining speaker, appearing at conferences around the country to both secular and Catholic audiences.  Having extensive experience as a clinical psychologist, specializing in counseling families, parents, and children (for school districts, Head Start programs, mental health centers, substance abuse programs, inpatient psychiatric centers, juvenile courts, etc.), Dr. Ray is most qualified to speak on the topic:  “Becoming better connected with your wife and kids with Christ as a beacon of light for the family to follow now and in the future”. 

            As a father of 10, a clinical psychologist, consultant, author, a dynamic public speaker with over 2000 presentations throughout the country, and national syndicated radio and television host, Dr. Ray specializes in families.  Having a unique gift of blending deep insights, practical wisdom, and wit, he will help the men to become better husbands and fathers in resolving problems and fulfilling their responsibilities as the spiritual leaders of their families now and in the future.

            His radio show― “The Doctor Is In” ― can be heard weekdays on EWTN Radio, Ave Maria Radio, Sirius satellite radio, channel 160, and local Catholic radio stations.  Dr. Ray also hosts his own national television show on EWTN, “Living Right with Dr. Ray.”  You can also listen or watch live online at ewtn.com.  He is the author of many books which are shown on his website, www.drray.com.  They include: “You’re A Better Parent Than You Think!” (Prentice-Hall, 1985) in its 25th printing, “Back To The Family”, “Marriage: Small Steps, Big Rewards”, etc.  

            There’s more information on the diocesan website, diosteub.org and the Conference Blog, “Becoming a True Man of God” at diosteubmen.blogspot.com which will be 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. 

            Although one may register at the door, please register with your parish representative (phone), as soon as possible.  That would make planning (food, transportation, etc.) easier and minimize waiting at the door.

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 brings 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.

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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.

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USE THE SPACE BELOW FOR PAGES 2 & 5 OF THE ENCLOSED TRIFOLD BROCHURE,

(i.e., the pages with the speaker photos & descriptions.  Since the registration form is attached to the poster,

     page 5 may be used instead for this space.   They may be reproduced either in color or black & white.)

CHANGE THE 3^rd & LAST PARAGRAPHS ABOVE ACCORDING TO YOUR PARISH OR KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS COUNCIL SITUATION.  In other words you may adapt this as you see fit according to your parish situation.  Simply copy and paste from Blog #66 of the Conference Blog at http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com.

(65) Backing of the Pastor Critical to Promoting the Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal

AMDG

A poster of the 2013 Charlotte Men's Conference in which Dr. Ray Guarendi participated.

            It is the role of the father to assume spiritual leadership in the family, but in many if not most cases, the mother assumes that role.  As Danny Abramowicz, 2012 Conference speaker and former All-Pro wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints, says, “The men have dropped the ball”.  If the father takes the spiritual lead, the probability that the children will remain faithful to the Church in later life doubles.  The Church in American may be losing a generation of youth.  The men must become the pillars of the parish, not only the women.  The men must step up.  Thus it is crucial to reach the men and the Diocesan Men’s Day of Renewal plays an important part because the enthusiasm generated is contagious.  The men witness to each other.  Setting the men on fire means stronger families which in turn means the renewal of the parish.

            The Diocesan Men’s Day of Renewal will be held on Saturday March 22 from 9 am to 3 pm at St. Mary’s Church in St. Clairsville.  One may come at 8:30 am for rosary.  The featured speaker is Dr. Ray Guarendi, nationally known author, speaker, and host of his own radio and EWTN TV program.  He challenges the men to be true men as God intended.  He will help the men to become better connected with their families and thus better husbands and fathers through tips for resolving problems and fulfilling their responsibilities as the spiritual leaders of their families now and in the future.  Most men really don’t know what true manhood is.  Bishop Monforton will give a talk and preside at Mass.  Confession with a Penance Service is also offered.  The Conference will close with a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament.  A bag lunch will be served.

            The Ideal. We have found that when the pastor enthusiastically backs the Men’s Conference, participation of the men significantly increases.  The ideal is for the pastor to accompany his men; we need confessors.  This is a great opportunity to become closer to the men and know them better.  This helps parish solidarity as the men also get to know each other better.  For those in the southern end of the diocese, the distance might be great, but that makes the Conference a Lenten sacrifice and gives it a pilgrimage flavor with enjoyable fellowship, discussion about points brought out, and prayer such as the rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

            For example, Fr. Walter Heinz, pastor emeritus of Sacred Heart Pomeroy was an imposing figure.  According to one of the men of the parish, he simply told the guys: “It’s all paid for and we’re going”.  They did.  It was hard to tell him, no.  He heard confessions while there and returned from the Basilica of St. Mary in time for his Saturday evening Mass.

We cannot expect the already busy and overworked pastor to constantly promote the Diocesan Men’s Day of Renewal.  The pastor cannot do it alone; he needs the help of the laity.  However there is much the pastor can do with little effort on his part.

Useful Resources. The pastor can utilize our Conference Blog at http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com, beginning with Blog #54 on…….trifold brochure, an overview, ideas for marketing the Conference, articles submitted to the Register, samples of numerous bulletin blurbs, sign-up sheet, bulletin insert, talk by a layman after Mass, talk by the pastor, etc.  Then there’s articles in the Catholic Register, brochures, posters, and a link to the brochure and additional information on the bottom of the home page of the diocesan website at www.diosteub.org.  Many if not most men will hardly notice all that, although they are indeed important and helpful.  What they can’t miss is the one-on-one personal selling by their peers, i.e., talking it up.  The most effective form of advertising or promotion is word of mouth.  Most effective is the witness of men who have gone to a previous Conference.

The Parish Representative.  As in any organization, the executive must delegate as much as possible.  Thus key is to ask one or two good men to be parish representatives.  If one of them is a knight, he could have access to the local council of the Knights of Columbus.  Their main job is to promote the Conference, mainly by one-on-one personal selling, register the men, and organize them to go together in the parish van, car pool or bus.  He also helps the pastor to utilize the resources mentioned in the previous paragraph as submitting blurbs and an insert for the Sunday bulletin.  The parish rep can try to talk to each man in the parish before and after Mass or Stations of the Cross or other devotions, during fish fries, at parish or Knights of Columbus meetings, and other activities.  Please send the names, e-mail address, and phone number of the chosen parish representative(s) to both “Chuck Schneider - Chair Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal” cjschn1964@yahoo.com and “Paul Sebastian” paulrsebastian@yahoo.com.

Men may register individually or the parish representative may collect the registration forms with payment and send them to Roger Huck; %Men’s Day of Renewal, P.O. Box 54; Beverly, OH 45715.  This would save considerable time waiting at the door on the morning of the Conference.  Checks for the Registration cost of $25.00 per person are to be made payable to the Diocese of Steubenville with “Men's Day of Renewal” written on the memo line of the check. 

Once the Conference is over, the clergy and religious of the diocese are invited to submit for the Conference Blog at http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com articles or copies of homilies that are particularly appropriate for men’s spirituality.