HADDONFIELD – Shortly before the welcoming address of the ManUp South Jersey spirituality conference, Adam Husser sat in the Paul VI High School cafeteria and shared breakfast with a new friend, Rick Caruso from Saint Peter Catholic Church in Merchantville.
“This day is a chance for me to get out of my comfort zone, socialize with Christian men with common goals and build a network of support,” said Husser, of the local Hope Assembly of God congregation. “You know you’re on faith-filled ground here.”
Caruso agreed. “The Holy Spirit brought us together.”
The two men were among the almost 350 who registered for the Nov. 13 “Christian Manhood Through Faith and Family” daylong retreat, which included fellowship, witness, keynote talks, prayer, praise and music.
Starting the day with morning prayer, Bishop Dennis J. Sullivan wished that the gathered would “feel, receive and know some of the strength that we all need to be men of God … the men God created us to be. Our strength must come from God; if it only comes from the world, then we have a lot of problems.”
He urged the men to look to the life of a holy woman, Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, whose feast day was also Nov. 13. Overcoming her fears and trusting in the Lord during a life of care for the poor, Mother Cabrini was “propelled with a spiritual strength … may this strength energize us as it did her, and make us strong men of God,” Bishop Sullivan said.
Throughout the morning and afternoon, witnesses offered testimony to the work of God in their lives.
In a talk titled “Back to Life: 5 Powerful Principles I Learned from Dying,” Danny Bader, motivational speaker and author, reflected on an electrical accident that led to his near-death experience and killed a friend.
“Develop vision, be still, know thyself, seek support and evolve,” he said, explaining the keys to his recovery, which began with the question, “How can I grow into a stronger Christian?”
Be men who “don’t [just] talk the Gospel, but walk the Gospel. Don’t wish for a life of achievement, but fulfillment. There is something bigger than us,” he said.
Former National Hockey League referee Kerry Fraser acknowledged his “morally bankrupt” past, which included infidelity. “I was playing for the other team, led by evil,” he admits.
In opening his heart to the Lord and receiving the Eucharist frequently, Fraser said he found hope and healing in a sacrament that “can strengthen us, rid us of attachments and help us to be the saints we’re called to be.”
Deacon David Harkins of Holy Child Parish, Runnemede, spoke of the blessings and challenges of caring for a son with Down syndrome as well as being a witness in secular culture for the Catholic Church. He urged those in attendance to use prayer and the Rosary as tools.
Referencing the foster father of Jesus and husband of Mary, Deacon Harkins advised the men to “step up like Joseph and fight the good fight … we need to tell the truth, and we can’t be afraid about it. Our job is to get our [families] to heaven.”
In his own tearful witness talk, Father John March, parochial vicar in Our Lady of Hope Parish, Blackwood, talked about the healing power of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. He recounted a story of his mentor, Father Alfred Hewett, then a hospital chaplain in the Diocese, and how he helped a woman in critical condition return to the Church and receive the sacraments before her death.
Later that day, during opportunities to receive the sacrament, lines of men waited to sit with priests of the Diocese on hand to hear confessions.
Other talks and breakout sessions included: Father Adam Cichoski, diocesan director of vocations, on service to the Church; Father Mark Matthias, pastor of Saint Joseph the Worker, Haddon Township, speaking on “Eucharist: The Source and Summit of Our Catholic Faith”; Deacon Joseph Seaman, The Catholic Community of Christ Our Light, Cherry Hill, on “Our Role Model for Christian Manhood,” and Deacon Tobias Haley, Our Lady of Hope Parish, Blackwood, on “How to Start a Men’s Gospel Reflection Group.”
Mike Bedics, director of the diocesan Office of Worship and Christian Initiation, led Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction, as well as a band consisting of musicians from Christ Our Light and The Catholic Community of the Holy Spirit, Mullica Hill.
Each participant was sent home with a bag full of books, cards and other prayer resources to not only strengthen their own journey, but those of their wives, children, family and friends.
“The Holy Spirit was present at this conference,” said Deacon Anthony Cioe from Saints Peter and Paul in Turnersville, Master of Ceremonies for the day and part of the ManUp steering committee. “There was something for everyone to understand the power of Jesus’ presence in their lives, and to become a better person.”
Larry Brown of Saint Charles Borromeo Parish, Sicklerville, said he felt more calm at the end of the day, thanks to the genuineness of the speakers. After attending the event alone, he said he is excited to spread the word on the conference’s impact. Looking ahead to next year’s event, he said, “When I come back, I won’t be coming alone.”
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