Take up your vocation, Archbishop Fisher urges nation’s men

By Marilyn Rodrigues, 6 August 2020
Deacon Roderick Pirotta distributes ashes during Ash Wednesday at St Patrick's Cathedral, Parramatta. Image: Mary Brazell/Diocese of Parramatta.

 

Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP, Archbishop of Sydney, is inviting Catholic lay men in Sydney and around Australia to consider a special program dedicated to inspiring them to take up their unique place in the Church and the world.

The National Catholic Men’s Gathering is an initiative of the country’s bishops to encourage men as they serve in their homes, workplaces, and parish and other communities.

Due to pandemic restrictions, original plans for one national gathering were swapped for smaller localised events and an online option of four hours of pre-recorded sessions available from 15 August.

Addressing the absence of men

Director of Parish 2020 Daniel Ang said the event will address the relative absence of men from “so many areas of the Church’s life”.

“To be honest, the faith lives and experiences of lay men in the Church are not often a focus of our Catholic conversations or high on the agenda in many forums and discussions of which I’ve been a part,” Mr Ang said.

“It’s also an important conversation to be having because we are losing so many men to suicide and addiction which I think are symptoms of an interior and existential crisis that must make a claim on our faith as Catholics.

The isolation of men

“The damaging and all too often fatal consequences of the isolation of men in our society, isolation not only from God and local communities like the Church but also from one another, has widespread impacts upon women, children, whole families and our broader social fabric.”

Life, Family and Marriage Officer Chris Da Silva said it was sometimes “disheartening” to belong to the fastest contracting cohort in the Church, men aged under 45.

“At least for me I know that one of the reasons God has allowed it is to wake up – to challenge – men like me who do still love Jesus and His Church to take on leadership and responsibility in leading others to the truth, beauty and goodness of Catholicism,” he said.

A different world

“Perhaps in previous generations, men could drift along without striving for a robust spiritual life or heroic virtue, and still get by as leaders in the Church and the world.

“That has changed.

“Now, with a world and a Church in chaos, drifting along is no longer an option.”

The theme for the gathering is taken from Luke’s Acts: “They were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other Apostles, Brothers – what then must we do?”

Four video modules will be posted online on August 15 with prayer, music, presentations and follow-up discussion included in each.

An invitation from Archbishop Fisher

Archbishop Fisher invites all Catholic men to either view the program individually or considering gathering “as a small group within your parish, men’s ministry group or friendship group.”

 

Register here for the free online program

Catholic Youth Parramatta is inviting young men from the Diocese of Parramatta to gather to watch the sessions of the Australian Catholic Men’s Gathering as a small group on Saturday 15 August.

The small sessions will be available to a maximum of 20 participants at the Diocesan Offices in Parramatta.

RSVP to James Camden, Director, Catholic Youth Parramatta via email – james.camden@parracatholic.org

 

Reproduced with permission from The Catholic Weekly, the online news publication of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney.

 

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