Eight hundred years ago, Jesus spoke to a young Francis of Assisi from the cross in the rundown Chapel of San Damiano and said, “Francis, go repair my house, which as you can see is falling completely to ruin.”
Six hundred men from throughout the state, from high school students to senior citizens in their 80s, were recently encouraged to ask, “Lord, what are you calling me to rebuild?”
The theme of the 19th annual Connecticut Catholic Men’s Conference, held at Holy Cross High School in Waterbury, was “Rebuild My Church,” recalling the mission of the young saint.
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| Bishop Richard Reidy of the Diocese of Norwich offers Benediction following Adoration as Father Jeffrey Ellis, right, prays. PHOTO BY AARON JOSEPH |
In his homily at the Vigil Mass, Auxiliary Bishop Juan Miguel Betancourt of the Archdiocese of Hartford told the men to respond to God’s invitation with charitable acts in family and parish life and not to procrastinate in responding, until “life settles down.”
“In this Franciscan year, these words ‘Rebuild my Church’ should stir something seriously generous within us, so we hope to respond,” Bishop Betancourt said. “We want our families to flourish, our parishes to be alive, and our communities to know the goodness of God. And today, we place that renewed desire before Jesus and ask him to give us direction: ‘Show me where you are calling me to love more faithfully. Once more, Lord, show me the good I can begin to do when I leave this place.’”
Father Declan Gibson, director of the Most Holy Eucharist Foundation, said the first step in accepting Christ’s invitation to rebuild the Church is “to allow Christ to rebuild us” and then to bring that deeper faith into the home and make Jesus visibly present in family life because the domestic church will strengthen the Catholic Church.
This transformation, Father Gibson said, does not come from personal strength but rather through surrendering to Jesus by putting aside the distractions of the world and developing “a deep personal relationship with him in the Holy Eucharist” through weekly attendance at Adoration.
“Have an appointment with Jesus Christ, a private audience,” Father Gibson said. “Brothers, go to Adoration. Sit before your Lord. There is no greater choice. Do not worry about doing everything perfectly or having the right words. Just go, and if you don’t know what to say, don’t speak. Just be with the Lord. Look at him as he looks at you. Let him capture your heart.”
Father Glenn Sudano, a founding member of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, called the men to a deeper holiness sustained by God’s grace and said that like the saints, they should strive for “greatness” in their faith, rather than settling on merely being “good.” They are a part of “the most wonderful religion in the world,” and while it is not perfect, it is the Mystical Body of Christ.
He encouraged them to strive for self-knowledge and practice daily prayer, regular confession and frequent attendance at Mass. They should also avoid distractions, such as politics, and focus on the Gospel.
Other speakers included Karlo Broussard of Catholic Answers and Jeanne Mancini, former president of the March for Life, whose talk, “Rebuilding a Culture of Life and Love,” stressed the importance of “good, holy, masculine men” in shaping a culture that respects human dignity.
The conference offered opportunities for confession, veneration of 30 first-class relics and a Eucharistic procession with Bishop Richard Reidy of the Diocese of Norwich.
Conference director Ken Santopietro said, “Our goal is to help men increase their faith and to build themselves up from the inside … and sometimes that happens through a speaker, a priest or fraternity with other men.”
Story by Joe Pisani
Catholic Transcript