Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2009 / Men's conference takes on three-day format to address sacraments
Men's conference takes on three-day format to address sacraments
by Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
Published January 23, 2009
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Attend all 3 for $35
or $15 per event
| Detroit God has given men a multitude of graces, packaged in the gifts of the Church's seven sacraments. But unpacking Christ's gifts to his brethren is too large a topic to address in a single day.
That's why organizers of this year's Put Out Into the Deep Catholic Conference for Men have changed the format for this year's conference. Instead of a single, full-day event as has happened in most recent years at University of Detroit Mercy's Calihan Hall this year's men's conference will be held on three different days throughout the year, in three different locations:
Put Out Into the Deep VII
What is it? The Archdiocese of Detroit's annual Catholic Conference for Men.
What's the theme? "Unpacking Jesus' Farewell Gifts to His Brethren." The conference will address, in detail, each of the seven sacraments.
When and where? This year's conference has three portions, each on a different date and in a different location. The Sacraments of Initiation will be addressed beginning with Mass at 7:15 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31, at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, 47650 N. Territorial Road in Plymouth. Speakers begin at 9 a.m.; The Sacraments of Service will be addressed 7-10 p.m. Thursday, May 14, at St. Anastasia Church, 4571 John R. Road in Troy; The Sacraments of Healing will be addressed 7-10 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, at St. Frances Cabrini, 9000 Laurence Avenue, Allen Park.
What's the cost? $15 per event; $35 for all three events. For tickets or details: Visit www.christschosen.com or call (313) 237-6532. | On Saturday morning, Jan. 31, at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Plymouth, the conference will address the sacraments of baptism, the Eucharist and confirmation;
on Thursday evening, May 14, at St. Anastasia Church in Troy, the conference will address matrimony and holy orders; and
on Wednesday evening, Oct. 14, at St. Frances Cabrini Church in Allen Park, the conference will address the sacraments of reconciliation and anointing of the sick.
"We wanted to take the men deeper into their relationship with Christ through the sacramental life of the Church," says Paco Gavrilides, the archdiocesan director of evangelization. "And we wouldn't be able to do in one conference justice to the significance of each sacrament."
Gavrilides added that, in discerning the theme for this year's conference, the organizers of it felt that a better understanding of the everyday gifts of Christ through the Church would bolster the men in their walk with Christ.
"We need to unpack the sacramental understanding so that each man can have a deeper faith response," he says. Each of the three events is expected to be about three hours. The first may be longer, as it begins with Mass at 7:15 a.m. and features three speakers.
Gavrilides says the mini-conference format might be a "one-time pass" because of the nature of this year's topic. But because the conferences are in three different venues, it might afford men a better opportunity to bring their sons to the conference.
The number of conferences seemed a natural fit, Gavrilides says, because the seven sacraments are themselves divided into three different types.
Baptism, the Eucharist and confirmation are considered sacraments of initiation, as each one either brings Christians into the Church, or deeper into his personal communion with God.
Matrimony and holy orders are considered sacraments of service, as they denote how a Christian has committed to serving the Lord.
And reconciliation and anointing of the sick are considered sacraments of healing, as they're meant to restore and enhance a person's relationship with Christ through the Church.
One hallmark of Put Out Into the Deep won't change this year as is usually the case, the conference has a lineup of guest speakers who will share with men in attendance not only the theology of their topic, but also accounts of their personal experiences.
Tim Staples, an apologist from the popular Catholic Answers organization known best for producing a radio program of the same name will speak on baptism. He was raised a Southern Baptist and fell away from the faith in his youth. A skeptic of the Catholic Church, his efforts to disprove the faith led him to believe in it, and eventually join the Church.
Fr. John Riccardo, the founding clergy member for the conference and current pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, will address the men regarding the Eucharist.
Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Daniel Flores, among whose ministerial duties includes confirming Catholics throughout the archdiocese, will speak on confirmation.
At St. Anastasia in May, Deacon Bob Ervin of Holy Family Church in Novi will speak on matrimony. Deacon Ervin is a husband and father of seven, and for 20 years has ministered in programs of marriage preparation and enrichment. Later that day Fr. Todd Lajiness, dean of studies and assistant philosophy professor at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, will address the men on the sacrament of holy orders.
At the conference's final day at St. Frances Cabrini in October, another Catholic Answers apologist, Fr. Ben Luedtke, will speak on reconciliation. Fr. Luedtke was a companion of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, whose Missionaries of Charity he served on three continents. Fr. Daniel Trapp, assistant dean of students and associate theology professor at Sacred Heart, will speak on the anointing of the sick.
The men's conference three-day format has another benefit in the difficult economic climate. Instead of a single-day ticket that costs $50, men can pay $15 for each of the three portions of the conference. Or, if men plan to attend all three conferences, they can purchase passes to all three portions for $35.
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