WILKES-BARRE – While they each had diverse stories and styles, the three main speakers at the 2024 ‘Be A Catholic Man’ Conference all had a similar message.
Each speaker challenged the men attending this year’s conference to be proactive in embracing their Catholic faith and to become spiritual leaders in their homes and communities.
“Strong men, strong families,” Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers told thecrowd. “Strong families, strong church.”
Burke-Sivers is the author of five books and hosts several shows on EWTN. He explained that leadership is rooted in service.
“You’re not the ‘boss’ of your house,” he told the crowd. “You’re the head of the house because you are the chief servant.”
Father Bill Casey, who is also a frequent guest on EWTN and a nationally renowned speaker, explained that every person is created for heaven, that nothing is impossible with God, God has a plan for each life and is always faithful to his promises.
“Make the most of the gift of life and the gift of the time that God has given to you,” Father Casey said. “History has proven that time and time again, God always raises up the greatest saints in times of crisis in his church and the present age will be no different.”
John Edwards, founder and executive director of Pew Ministries, a Catholic apostolate with the mission of bringing Jesus Christ to all people, told a very personal story about how his addiction to drugs and alcohol landed him in prison.
Edwards said it was at that lowest point in his struggle with addiction that he realized Jesus came to him with love and mercy.
“God doesn’t care about what you’ve done. He cares about what you have the potential to do,” Edwards said. “Every one of the Apostles was broken … I met Jesus and Jesus did something for me that I could not do for myself, and he can do it in every one of our lives.”
Approximately 370 men attended this year’s conference, which was held Oct. 5 at Holy Redeemer High School in Wilkes-Barre. This year was the ninth annual ‘Be A Catholic Man’ Conference.
“The speakers are unbelievable. They are national speakers, and I have never been disappointed,” Mike McFadden, a parishioner of Saint Lawrence Parish in South Williamsport, said. “I learned a lot about humility.”
Jack Walsh, who lives in Hershey, made the 90-minute trip to participate in this year’s conference.
“When you get in a group like this at a men’s conference, where you’re surrounded by guys that believe the same things and feel strongly in their faith, it’s very moving and important,” Walsh said.
Walsh brought his son, Mark, who is a junior at Messiah University, to this year’s conference for the first time. Mark, 22, was particularly inspired by Edwards’ personal story of putting his life back together after his arrest – and took away an important message.
“No matter what I’m going through, you can always have faith in the Lord, and if you believe, you can get back up,” Mark Walsh explained.
The conference concluded with Mass, celebrated by the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, who reflected on this year’s conference theme, ‘Come, follow me.’
“Following Jesus demands that for those of us who say ‘yes’ to his invitation, we’re willing to allow him to reshape our priorities, our actions and our very identity,” Bishop Bambera explained. “Authentically following Jesus requires a realignment of our lives with his teachings and example, embracing his values and making them our own.”