Catholic Men's Conference going remote

By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press

Those who attend the Worcester Diocesan Catholic Men’s Conference especially relish the opportunity to be with like-minded Catholics, according to Angelo Guadagno, one of the conference committee members.
So, he and other organizers are seeking to make that possible, planning a remote conference instead of an in person one. In 2020 the conference was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year they are seeking remote sites where small groups of men can “attend” the conference together. Last year’s speakers are on the slate for this year’s March 20 event – Scott Hahn, Bishop Robert Reed and Luis Soto.
Surveys from other years show that one of the main reasons men attend the annual conference is to be with 1,000 men who think like they do – in a society where practicing Catholics are sometimes scorned – Mr. Guadagno said. Participants see they are not alone and are doing things right.
After learning in mid-January that the conference could not be held at Assumption University because of Massachusetts’ pandemic regulations, organizers looked for another way to bring men together, Mr. Guadagno said. No site would be allowed to host the large gathering in person, so they arranged to have Array of Hope, a Catholic ministry based in New Jersey, coordinate the technological aspects of a remote conference.
The plan for holding a successful conference is to line up host sites, where small groups of men can gather in COVID-safe locations that have a viewing screen and internet access. Those sites would foster fellowship and allow the men to participate in the conference together, even interactively. The conference is set to be held from noon to 5 p.m., March 20.
Organizers will work to ensure that the locations comply with pandemic regulations, Mr. Guadagno said. Tech-support volunteers are also being sought to help during or before the conference.
Mr. Guadagno said Tuesday that at least 13 sites have been offered, they’re filling up quickly and he would like many more.       Men can participate in the conference from home if there are not enough host sites or if they do not want to go to one. They can even offer their homes as host sites.
But, ideally, host sites will be church facilities, where a priest can hear the men’s confessions – another big part of the annual conference – Mr. Guadagno said.
Pastors are being invited to watch the conference with their parishioners at their parish, said Msgr. Thomas J. Sullivan, pastor of Christ the King Parish in Worcester and a conference committee member.
“So there’s that bonding time between local pastors and their men,” he said.
Another benefit of the conference this year is that “a lot more (men) can participate - from the whole country,” Msgr. Sullivan said. Men from throughout New England have typically attended the Worcester Men’s Conference.
There are about 60 Catholic men’s conferences in the United States, and several are not holding theirs this year because of the pandemic, Mr. Guadagno said. So, the Worcester Diocese is offering its conference to a broader audience. Now some others, seeing Worcester’s example, are trying to hold theirs virtually too, he said.
“We’re trying to look for organizations” within and beyond the diocese that have, or could plan, a meeting “and use our conference as part of their agenda,” he said.
The approximately 900 people who paid for last year’s conference do not need to pay again to participate this year, Mr. Guadagno said. They are to receive an email on March 18 asking them to “preregister” and giving them an access code to test the internet connection they want to use. (Host sites “pre-register” for all those watching there.)
Those who didn’t buy tickets last year and want to participate this year, those volunteering host sites or services and those needing any other information should call Joan DeMasi at the Chancery at 508-929-4345.
Lunch, included in the ticket price, is to be provided at the host sites in and beyond the diocese.
To make even a remote conference interactive, organizers arranged for “live” portions.
The conference is to open at noon with a “live” welcome from Bishop McManus and close with his 4 p.m. pre-recorded Mass. In between are pre-recorded talks by the speakers originally scheduled to speak last year, “live” question and answer sessions with them, and opportunities for “live” interaction with vendors and the planning committee.
Popular author, speaker and Catholic convert Scott Hahn is giving two talks: “The Road to Emmaus: The Path to Lifelong Conversion,” and “The Power of the Sacraments.” He teaches at Franciscan University of Steubenville.
Bishop Robert Reed, an auxiliary bishop of Boston, is giving the traditional pre-confession talk. It is titled, “O God, just give me one more chance.” He is president of and a host on the CatholicTV Network and pastor of St. Patrick and Sacred Heart Churches in Watertown.
The presentation by Mexican-born catechist Luis Soto, “Our Lady of Guadalupe, Queen of the Americas,” will be shown in English and Spanish simultaneously. He is director of Hispanic content and business development for the Augustine Institute.
Questions can be asked of all the speakers in either language, and will be translated as needed, and perhaps closed-captioned, Mr. Guadagno said.
Those asking questions can click on an icon on their screen, and conference organizers will collect the questions and present them to the speakers, who will respond after their talks.
The conference is being recorded so it can also be watched later using the same access code.
Despite the changes, “I think it’s still going to be an exciting conference,” Msgr. Sullivan said.