More than 300 men filled the large conference room at the Holiday Inn in Independence on March 24 for the 24th annual Men’s Conference. Presented by the Catholic Men’s Fellowship of Northeastern Ohio, the day included speakers, personal witness, information on launching men’s groups, reflections, reconciliation opportunities, the rosary, an adoration chapel, an address from Bishop Edward Malesic and a closing Mass celebrated by the bishop.
Steve Chrzanowski, president of the men’s fellowship, welcomed attendees as the daylong program began.
“It is with great joy and a profound sense of purpose that I welcome you to our 24thannual Men’s Conference, ‘Called to Lead,’” he said. “This gathering is a testament to our shared commitment to deepening our faith, strengthening our bonds and embracing the divine call to leadership that God has placed upon each of us. In today’s world, the need for strong, compassionate and faith-driven leaders has never been more critical. As men of faith, we are uniquely positioned to lead by example, to inspire those around us and to bring the light of Christ into every aspect of our lives, be it in our families, workplaces or communities,” he added.
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He also reminded the men that leadership “is not about power or prestige, but about service and sacrifice. It is about listening to God’s call and responding with courage and humility.”
Those themes were echoed by the principal speakers, Father Mitch Pacwa, S.J., a Scripture scholar, well-known lecturer and EWTN radio/TV host, and Elvis Grbac, retired NFL quarterback and motivational speaker.
Ray Somich, who had a long radio career, returned as conference moderator.
“Brothers in Christ, thank you so much for being here,” the bishop told conference attendees. “I know there are so many other places you could be today. I am so glad to be here with you.”
He said the conference theme, “Called to Lead,” connects with two important men of the Church who were celebrated last week: St. Patrick (March 17) and St. Joseph (March 19). St. Patrick was known for driving the snakes out of Ireland, but he needed to be saved/evangelized before he could fulfill his ministry.
“You can’t be Catholic leaders without being a follower of Christ and accepting your role as a beloved son of God the Father,” Bishop Malesic said. “God loves you as you are, but he doesn’t want you to stay where you are. He wants you to be a saint.”
Reflecting on St. Joseph, the bishop said he was a good provider for his family, “quiet and holy in every way. But he didn’t become a leader without God’s help. God was at the center of his life.”
He said Pope Francis reminds us that we are made in God’s image. We must have hearts of love, even for our enemies.
The bishop talked about his recently released pastoral letter, “A Flourishing Apostolic Church,” and how it applies to each of us. In the document, he asks the faithful to do three things: spend at least 15 minutes daily in prayer, be a part of a faith-sharing community and to both know and tell your story, be a witness to your faith.
“Jesus founded this Church and he loves it, even with all of its spots and wrinkles,” he said.
The bishop also shared his faith story, reflecting on how he wasn’t a committed Catholic as a youth. “Don’t worry. I’m all in now,” he quipped.
The apostles and members of the early Church devoted themselves to the breaking of the bread, listening to the word of God and passing it along to others. “And sometimes they died for it,” he said. They also took their possessions and shared them with those in need. “That’s something no one else was doing. Be witnesses of Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, and we will have a flourishing, apostolic Church,” he added.
After his talk, the bishop vested and prepared to celebrate the vigil Mass.
In his homily, he talked about two tragedies in the Gospel: Pilate killing people and mingling their blood with the blood of sacrificial animals and the people killed when the Tower of Siloam fell.
“Where they killed because they were greater sinners? Jesus said, ‘No.’ We’re all sinners. He came to save us and to reconcile us with his Father. We all need to ask for forgiveness, to settle our accounts with God before it’s too late,” he said.
The bishop reminded the men that they should not be afraid of those who would kill the body but not the soul. “Be afraid of the one will can kill both the body and the soul: the devil. We must not die before our souls are filled with God’s love. Jesus was sent to us to do that. Gentlemen, today is a gift of time from God to prove that you can be fruitful. God is patient, but how much time do we have?” he asked.
“We know not the day or hour when we will have to account for our lives. What fruit will we have to show God? We need to have the fruit of love and hope, a change or conversion of heart to cultivate our hearts and souls, like the fig tree in the Gospel was cultivated,” he said.
Bishop Malesic encouraged the men to “practice the saintly life of our future here. Live a little bit of heaven on earth to show what it will be like. We have the gift of time. Make good use of it.”
Click here to learn more about the Catholic Men’s Fellowship of Northeast Ohio.