More than 600 men joined the annual conference on Saturday at Catholic Men's Fellowship of Maryland, with Archbp. William Lori of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and other leaders.
During the event, one of the speakers spoke about how many missionaries they produced throughout the country.
Annual Men's Conference in Maryland
According to the Catholic Review, the conference featured talks by Neal Lozano, Curtis Martin, and Nathan Crankfield, as well as a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Lori and a confession in the middle of the day for attendees.
When the Catholic Church sought to reverse a trend of dwindling membership, they praised the bond between God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. They challenged the gathering to reciprocate that love with a life of unwavering faith.
Curtis Martin, the founder of Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), revealed that the membership is decreasing by tens of millions and getting worse.
Also, Martin elaborated by saying that thousands of college students around the country have benefited from the work of FOCUS's alumni, who now serve as full-time missionaries.
He even gave an emotional call to service, urging the men in the audience to get closer to God through regular Bible study and prayer.
In his speech, Lozano, the director of Heart of the Father Ministries, underlined the need to seek and accept the "Father's love." According to Lozano, a child's deepest dread is that God has abandoned them, and every parent stands in for God the Father.
"The Father's heart is broken, and it is full of joy. Living out your faith helps people set themselves free, so they know the feeling of being a child of God," Lozano added, as quoted in the report.
Meanwhile, Archbishop Lori used the Blessed Virgin Mary as an example in his sermon for the Solemnity of the Annunciation since she said 'yes' when the angel Gabriel asked her if she would become the mother of Christ.
The archbishop compared men to Mary, saying they should follow her example by being open to God's love, understanding the stakes, and carrying out God's purpose.
Archdiocese of Baltimore
The city of Baltimore and the surrounding counties of Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington make up the Archdiocese of Baltimore, which was founded in 1789.
The people of the Archdiocese of Baltimore are devout Christians who consider it a divine calling to cultivate an inclusive, joyful, and loving worshipping community.
The archdiocese believes that Jesus Christ, who dwells in those who put their faith in him through the Holy Spirit, transforms their lives and the world around them.
About Catholic Men's Fellowship of Maryland
Men in Maryland can find support in the Catholic Men's Fellowship, which meet regularly to pray, worship, hear the Word of God, and be blessed by the Sacraments.
Men are educated to take on leadership roles in the Church. Their goal is to evangelize and disciple men in the Archdiocese of Baltimore to enhance their spirituality.
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