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Archives Men of Faith to gather for prayer

Nov. 26, 2014

By Kristina Dean
Staff writer

Carthage - Although Mass feeds the soul, there is a continued need for spiritual nourishment, according to Men of Faith organizer Robert Renaud and he isn’t speaking of the coffee and donuts provided during monthly men’s gatherings.

Prayer, discussion and fellowship providing such nourishment for the faith will be offered to all men Dec. 6 during an Advent Men of Faith gathering at St. James Catholic Church.

The event will start with Mass at 9:30 a.m., followed by a talk by guest speaker Father Mark R. Reilly, pastor of St. Mary’s and St. Joseph’s Catholic Churches in Massena.  Afterward the men will be invited into the St. James Community room until about noon.

Monthly meetings
Since March, Mr. Renaud, David Heywood, a fellow St. James parishioner; and Grand Knight Michael Sligar of the local Knights of Columbus council, have organized and held monthly prayer meetings for men.

Citing a need for men to have a place where they can pray together, talk about their faith and rejuvenate one another, Mr. Renaud said the meetings help the men bring their faith back into the forefront of their lives.
“In the work world and in the secular world, it’s become taboo to mention your faith,” he said. “Men have, for a long time, been absent from the head of the household, especially when it comes to faith.

“It’s important that men take a leadership role, and be a good example to their families, friends, and most importantly their children, who are growing up in a world with questions,” he said. “They need solid ground, so they know where they are coming from.”

Initial idea
Mr. Renaud said he was first exposed to the idea of a men’s group while Father Reilly was assigned as pastor of St. Mary’s, St. Joseph’s and St. Theresa Catholic Churches, from 2006 to 2010, where he held monthly men’s group meetings in Evans Mills.

Previous to the meetings, Father Reilly invited a group of men to the first annual Ignite Men’s Conference, organized and held by the Syracuse Diocese. While there, the men were encouraged to continue their faith formation to meet regularly and discuss their faith.

Later, the pastor invited all men in the area to join him on the first Saturday of each month for Mass, the Rosary and fellowship.

According to Mr. Renaud, a core group of men consistently attended, but eventually, the meetings stopped when Father Reilly was reassigned to another parish in 2010.

Starting again
Four years later in the spring of 2014, Mr. Renaud, Mr. Heywood, and Mr. Sligar organized the first men’s group at St. James, open to all men of faith.

Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus in Carthage, the event was kicked off by guest speaker John Miner of Saranac Lake, a Master of the 4th Degree of the 5th NY District of the Knights of Columbus. Mr. Miner and his wife, Colleen, are the directors of the Respect Life Office for the diocese.

After its initial meeting, the group continued, following the format begun by Father Reilly.

Need for adult formation
Father Reilly said when he began as pastor in Evans Mills, he recognized a real need for adult faith formation, for scripture and Bible study groups, including a need for women and men’s groups.

“So many people finish their formal religious education around the eighth grade,” he said. “If people stayed in their relationship with God at that point, that would be awfully stunted.

“We would never expect for people in any other aspect of their life to stay at relating to one another in the same way they were in eighth grade,” the priest said.

Masculine spirituality
Father Reilly said that not only is it important to provide for continued adult faith formation, but also for men to meet with men, engaging their masculine spirituality, as well as for  women to meet with women.

“Men and women are wired differently, they think differently, respond and interact differently with one another,” he said. “When there are problems, concerns and issues, they might be easier and more readily spoken about among one another, guys with guys and vice-versa with women.”

Father Reilly said there are a lot of men disengaged in their faith who need encouragement.

“There is a lot of confusion of what really is a solid, healthy and well-integrated man of faith,” he said. “Take a look around and see how many active, engaged members there are. Look at the breakdown, typically there are more women than men.”

Mr. Renaud said the monthly meetings fill that need, and help the men grow in their faith.

“I’ve often told my kids, my number one job is to get you into heaven,” he said. “It’s not that I’m pious or righteous, I just think it’s everyone's job to help each other go to heaven, and bring as many as you can with you.

For example, he said. “I really feel the Rosary is such a powerful tool against evil in this world. I’m hoping we’re getting some people into heaven.”

Hope for the future
Mr. Renaud hopes that eventually the men’s group will lead to other “offspring” such a couples group. According to Mr. Renaud, there are so many beautiful traditions and history of the Catholic Church and faith, and groups that pray and discuss their faith keep people reaffirming that.

"Each of us, after all, is expected to be on a constant conversion of faith,” he said. “It is through the Mass we are fed but it is through gatherings like this where the nourishment continues.

“It is the source which will help us to have the courage to plant seeds out in the world and to spread the gospel,” he said. “If we are given a place to share our faith and encourage each other to live faith filled lives, we will be more apt to be the light of evangelization in an often dark world." 

Both men said Father George Maroun, pastor of St. James, is very supportive, choosing to be a member of the group, rather than the leader. This gives the men in the group a chance to share their leadership and other gifts.

Faith

Robert Renaud, left, a parishioner of St. James in Carthage, is one of the organizers of an Advent day of prayer, discussion and fellowship for men to be held Dec. 6 at St. James. Father Mark R. Reilly, pastor of St. Mary’s and St. Joseph’s Catholic Churches in Massena, right, will serve as guest speaker for the program. Mr. Renaud is pictured in his art studio and Father Reilly in St. Bernard’s Church in Saranac Lake where he served as pastor  from 2000 to 2014.

 

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