Each year, the Connecticut Catholic Men’s Conference offers Catholic men from every corner of Connecticut the opportunity to come together in fellowship, to be renewed in our spirits, and to be inspired to become the men of faith Christ has called us to be.
This year on Saturday, Sept. 23, the CCMC will challenge men to learn about the beautiful and challenging vocation of the priesthood, the vital role that these holy shepherds play in shaping and supporting the Church, and our role in lending our lives in service to their holy cause.
The theme for this year’s conference is, "The Priesthood: God’s Gift and Our Responsibility." We have gathered some truly dynamic and gifted speakers to share a vital message about the importance of the priesthood in leading the Body of believers ever forward in faith through the sacraments as together we build the Kingdom of God while we await the Second Coming and the great Wedding Feast between the Eternal Bridegroom and his spotless Bride, the Church.
As a community of faithful followers, the Church today is facing some of her toughest challenges, attacks from without and within that seek to destroy the beauty and glory of our faith. Many who attended last year’s conference expressed a strong conviction that the priesthood especially is being targeted by evil forces that turn men’s hearts away from Christ. These days, we are seeing fewer and fewer vocations to the priesthood; and those who shepherd us today are becoming discouraged and weary in their ongoing battle to lead the People of God.
This is why the call went out in the Hartford Archdiocese to have the powerful prayer for priestly vocations read at Mass in churches during the past year. The need for godly leadership is great indeed. This is where Catholic men are called to shine. This year’sconference will remind us that, whether or not we are called to the ministerial priesthood, we are still a kingdom of priests, chosen and empowered by our Lord to step into the arena of life, suited with the armor of God, and ready to take on the unique and deadly-serious challenges the Church is facing today.
It is our sacred responsibility to assume our godly vocations as fathers, brothers, leaders and servants as we pray for, support and come alongside our brothers in fighting the good fight of faith. This year, we will hear from Fr. Glenn Sudano and Fr. Larry Richards, two faithful and godly priests who have lived out their calling to be broken bread and poured out wine, true sacrificial servants in a world full of those with ears itching to hear the enemy’s lies. Their words and example will stir the participants’ hearts to see the priesthood, not as a vocation for holy men who live apart from this world, but as a journey of faithful, servant leadership, one that calls for sacrifice and one that takes its toll on the hearts of every shepherd.
They will issue a challenge for Catholic men to answer Christ’s individual call to lift up our pastors in double honor as we take our own gifting and put it into practice in support of the Church.
We will also hear from speaker Kevin Wells, author of the book, The Priests We Need to Save the Church, and speaker Matthew Leonard, who is known for teaching Authentic Catholic Spirituality and the Science of Sainthood, who will challenge Catholic men to understand more deeply the unique vocation that is Catholic priesthood, and to seek a more authentic relationship with the Holy Spirit, the One who sets men’s hearts on fire as they become living sacrifices–believers of renewed mind, whose whole lives are holy instruments to be used in the service of the Church in this ongoing battle for the souls of humanity.
One of the most unique and exciting additions to this year’s event will feature an opening procession with more than 20 saint relics from faithful servants such as St. John Vianney, men who are patrons to the priesthood. This display was generously loaned to the conference from the impressive collection of relics from the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury. The relics will remain on the stage during the Conference as a reminder of those who offered their lives as living sacrifices to the cause of Christ, a fitting tribute to those in our own day who have been ordained as shepherds of God’s people here on earth.
This beautiful and moving procession will precede the Eucharistic procession, giving honor to the One who gave us the priesthood to celebrate the sacraments and lead us ever forward on our journey as a Church. We will enlist a number of deacons from our dioceses to carry the relics as a symbol of the servanthood and sold-out devotion to humility that characterizes the men who have been chosen by God to ready the Bride of Christ for the day of her redemption. These awesome displays, our ongoing communion with our brothers, and the presentations from our gifted speakers will seek to lead men to the sacrament of Confession, where we may pour out our sins before a loving and forgiving God. There, we will be prompted to accept His gentle discipline and recommit our lives to His glorious cause of raising our families and our family of faith in perfection and grace, as we help to move the Church ever forward on her journey towardthe Kingdom of God.
Confession will lead to greater fellowship with one another as we spend time in meaningful conversation, share lunch together and visit the many wonderful exhibitors throughout the day. We will also have the opportunity for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in a place of quiet contemplation, where we can reflect on the message of the day before the One who calls us to greater holy living in His name.
Ultimately, all our time together will lead us to our celebration of the Eucharist, with Archbishop Leonard Blair as ou rprimary celebrant, and Bishop Juan Miguel Betancourt as our homilist. Together, we will raise our voices in song and prayer, listen to God’s holy Word, and partake of the Body and Blood of the Lord in the Eucharist, before we are sent forth to carry the theme of the conference outside the walls of the venue and into our individual worlds.
We urge Catholic men from everywhere in Connecticut to seize this incredible opportunity to grow in faith, to seek answers to the challenges facing the Church and the priesthood today, and to share fellowship with like-minded men. We promise you will leave the conference informed, empowered and inspired – one in spirit with your Catholic brothers, called to higher challenges by our Lord, and ready to answer God’s call upon your life.
We hope to see you there, Saturday, Sept. 23, at Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford, Connecticut. For more detailsand to purchase tickets, visit our website at www.ctcatholicmen.org
By Mark C. McCann