WORCESTER – Fathers came with their sons, who benefited from the opportunity to attend.
A grandfather found support for outreach to his grandson.
The Worcester Diocesan Catholic Men’s Conference, which started in 2001, drew about 450 participants to Assumption University April 2, according to conference co-chairman Angelo Guadagno. There were also about 25 remote sites, he said.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the conference would draw 900-1,000 men. The conference was cancelled in 2020 and was remote in 2021. Mr. Guadagno appealed to attendees to invite more men to the next conference, as organizers are getting older and could use more help.
“It’s great to be back in person, to be surrounded by other Catholic faithful men,” commented James Kelly, of St. Denis Parish in Ashburnham.
“I really needed this,” said Mr. Kelly’s 20-year-old son, Sean. “It’s been kind of rough” being unable to gather with people whose faith means a lot to them.
Their fellow parishioner Stephen Brown, who brought his 11-year-old, Evan, for the first time, said he’s “lucky to have a good son like him.”
Evan told The Catholic Free Press that he liked the presentation by Dan Egan, who shared stories of his mountain adventures and showed pictures on the large screens above the stage.
The men on site could not only listen to the speakers and join musicians Ryan and Elizabeth Tremblay in song; they could also go to confession, participate in Mass with Bishop McManus, visit the 50 vendors’ tables and join one another in fellowship.
“I think it’s the best conference,” said John Brisbois, of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Worcester, who has attended many. “Every speaker was outstanding. … I thought the energy they brought, and the authenticity, was great.”
He said they helped him with his interaction with his 13-year-old grandson. Mr. Brisbois gets up at 5 a.m. to work out with the boy, not so much for the exercise as “to help teach him how to be a man.” It’s “so important to instill God in his life,” he said.
“I think I’m enjoying this (year’s conference) because one of my Cursillo brothers brought his 17-year-old son with him,” said Morgan Rockhill, of St. Mary Parish in Uxbridge. “Watching his reactions, listening to him share what he was getting out of it was enlightening, rewarding.”
“The sense of fellowship … being together with brothers in Christ” was a blessing for Jonathan Swedberg, of Annunciation Parish in Gardner. “One of the speakers brought up one of my favorite verses in the Bible: ‘Iron sharpens iron,’” he said. (Prov 27:17) “It happens here in a very real way, because after a talk, even with a stranger, we talk about the talks.”
“This is my first (conference) and I love it,” said John Mack, also from Annunciation. Priests came in to hear confessions, and Mr. Mack said he appreciated the opportunity to receive that sacrament.
“They were all great speakers,” said Howard Durnin, of St. Brigid Parish in Millbury.
Chris Chase, of St. Roch Parish in Oxford, said this was his second conference. He especially appreciated the talk by pro-life runner Pat Castle, who he said was very knowledgeable and has the desire to bring about change and keep the faith alive.
“Support the unborn,” Mr. Chase said, echoing the speaker’s message. “They have no voice and they need to be heard.”
– DVDs of the conference can be ordered by emailing George Willett at gwillett1812@gmail.com.
Being led by angels, your mother and Jesus
By Tanya Connor
The Catholic Free Press
WORCESTER – Extreme sports pioneer Dan Egan could be dead.
Instead, he was rescued – not only by a Russian guide on a storm-battered mountain, but, in various ways, by God.
The world-renowned skier shared part of his story at the Worcester Diocesan Catholic Men’s Conference at Assumption University April 2.
He began by showing a film clip of “Rattle!” a song alluding to Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, and God raising us to new life.
“I love that song because I love the image of a dead man walking again,” Mr. Egan said, applying the song to himself. “I’m a broken man” – a divorced bankruptcy survivor who’s been sober for 33 years.
Also telling of a turn-around was speaker Tim Francis, once abusing alcohol and drugs and now a parish mission speaker who shares stories of spiritual happenings.
Sounding a similar theme at the conference’s Mass, Bishop McManus told the men, “Our God is a God of second chances.”
Mr. Egan told conference participants about some of his skiing adventures, including getting stranded for 32 hours in a storm that killed 15 people on Russia’s Mount Elbrus. There Sasha, a Russian guide, helped rescue him and other climbers. He then helped Sasha rescue 14 people but felt shame and anger about the deaths of others.
“When Sasha found me I believe I was dead,” Mr. Egan said, after showing a film clip about the ordeal. He said he thought guardian angels were calling him to follow them – to heaven. Instead, he maintains, they guided him through ice fields with crevasses.
The story is chronicled in his book “30 Years in a White Haze,” which links this experience to the Old Testament Jonah story.
“Jonah does not bargain with the Lord; he gazes upon him,” Mr. Egan said; “it is so easy to turn back to the Lord” through adoration. Jonah was a broken man, who was redeemed and carried on.
The next speaker, Mr. Francis, said his talk should be called, “The Power of a Mother’s Prayer.”
“I was a real wild child.” He said his mother prayed for him and gave him a videotape of a 1999 FOX Network program called “Signs from God, Science Tests Faith.” After he read “Reason to Believe,” a book by Ron Tesoriero about happenings described in the program, he started going to daily Mass and adoration.
Sharing Church teaching and words of Padre Pio, Mr. Francis urged listeners not to receive the Eucharist when conscious of grave sin, and to go to confession and adoration regularly and really participate in Mass, arriving early to be united with Christ’s Passion.
At the closing Mass, Bishop McManus spoke of the importance of brothers coming together in a divided society and said that, despite their differences, conference participants have one Lord, one faith and one baptism.
He talked about the Gospel story of the adulterous woman whom Jesus didn’t condemn. St. Augustine said Jesus wasn’t looking at that woman’s sins, but our sins, Bishop McManus said. Jesus took our sins on himself on the cross and “we were set free.” The bishop suggested that, when he elevated the Host, worshippers hear Jesus saying to them, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”