Scott Hahn plans talks

 
Theologian and author Scott Hahn will speak at the 20th Anniversary Worcester Diocesan Catholic Men’s Conference, scheduled for Saturday, March 28, at Assumption College. The celebrated teacher and television personality will offer two talks at the conference. His morning conference is titled, “The Road to Emmaus: The Path to Lifelong Conversion.” His afternoon program will be “The Power of the Sacraments.”
“Hahn is a speaker all the participants can really look forward to hearing, especially since he is so well known through his television programs, books and even some previous parish programs in the Worcester Diocese,” said Don Bruneau, a parishioner of Good Shepherd Parish in Linwood and a conference committee member since the first conference in 2001. Bruneau has been training parish contact leaders and working on other logistics since the inception of the Worcester Catholic Men’s Conference.
Professor Hahn has delivered numerous talks nationally and internationally on a wide variety of subjects related to Scripture and the Catholic faith. His talks have been effective in helping thousands of Protestants and fallen away Catholics to (re)embrace the Catholic faith.
He is the chairman of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization at Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since 1990, and is the founder and president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology.
He is the bestselling author of numerous books, including “The Lamb’s Supper,” “Reasons to Believe,” and “Rome Sweet Home” (co-authored with his wife, Kimberly). Some of his newest books are “The First Society,” “The Fourth Cup,” “Romans: A Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture,” “The Creed,” “Evangelizing Catholics,” “Angels and Saints,” and “Joy to the World.”
Hahn was born in 1957 and has been married to his wife, Kimberly, since 1979. He and Kimberly have six children (two of whom are seminarians for the Diocese of Steubenville), and 18 grandchildren.
He received his bachelor’s degree with a triple-major in theology, philosophy and economics from Grove City College, Pennsylvania, in 1979; his master of divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 1982; and his doctorate in biblical theology from Marquette University in 1995. He has 10 years of youth and pastoral ministry experience in Protestant congregations (in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Massachusetts, Kansas and Virginia) and is a former professor of theology at Chesapeake Theological Seminary. He was ordained in 1982 at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Fairfax, Virginia. He entered the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil in 1986.
Other speakers for the day include Bishop Robert Reed, an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston (“O God, Just Give Me One More Chance”), a talk that will precede the offering of confessions at the conference; and Luis Soto (“Our Lady of Guadalupe, Queen of the Americas”), who will offer two presentations (English and Spanish).
Singers and composers, Ryan and Elizabeth Tremblay, will lead the music throughout the day.
The conference’s speaking program and lunch will take place in Assumption’s Plourde Center. Registration and 70 exhibitions will be in the Laska Gym. Confessions will be heard in the adjoining Hagan Campus Center.
“We have a superb slate of speakers again this year,” said Mr. Bruneau. “There is something for everyone and I know that our participants will not be disappointed, especially given the variety of topics.”
Many diocesan and religious priests will participate again this year by hearing confessions at mid-day. The sacrament of reconciliation has become a conference staple.      
Bishop McManus will be the principal concelebrant and homilist for the Conference Mass at 4 p.m.
Through March 11 ticket prices for adult men are $45. On March 12 they increase to $60. Ticket prices for students are $30 prior to the conference and at the door.      
Tickets can be purchased online on the conference website at www.firstmensconf.org; by sending a check to Catholic Men’s Conference, 49 Elm St., Worcester, MA 01609; by contacting parish contact persons, or by calling Joan DeMasi at 508-929-4345.