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Saints & Suds summer lecture series builds on That Man is You

Elizabeth A. Elliott | Catholic Herald Staff Writer

Msgr. Charles Pope presents “Church Militant and the Fight for Virtue” as part of Saints & Suds at Dirt Farm Brewery June 13. JAMES BLANKENSHIP | COURTESY

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Women of St. Francis de Sales Church have their own summer series, Wine and Wisdom, at North Gate Winery in Purcellville. ELIZABETH A. ELLIOTT | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Something happened during the course of the That Man is You
program last year at St. Francis de Sales Church in Purcellville. A fraternity
and camaraderie developed among the more than 50 men who met early Saturday
mornings for fellowship, to watch a video and for small group discussions.

James Blankenship, director of religious education at St. Francis
de Sales, feared the momentum would drop off. Last year he created Saints &
Suds, a four-part summer lecture series held at a local brewery. Blankenship
invites speakers from the Arlington Diocese and Archdiocese of Washington to
speak on spiritual topics.

That Man is You is a 26-week interactive multimedia men’s program
created by Paradisus Dei that focuses on man’s relationship with God, his
spouse and his children.

Saints & Suds, sponsored by the That Man is You men’s group,
are held on the second Tuesday of the month at Dirt Farm Brewery, owned by parishioners
Bruce and Janell Zurschmeide.

The final two talks in the “Call to Arms: Engaging in the
Spiritual Combat” series are “Weapons of War: Prayer and Fasting” with Father
Paul D. Scalia July 11 and “No Greater Love: Following the Path of Martyrdom”
with Deacon Marques Silva Aug. 8. Fellowship begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by
the lecture at 7:15 p.m.

“In today’s post-modern age, spirituality is falling by the wayside
and we have to realize we are all in this spiritual battle and these are good
things to talk about,” said Joe Bergeman, a parishioner.

Though the series was created to bridge the gap for the men’s
program at St. Francis de Sales, Blankenship says the talks are open to all men.
Women of the parish have their own summer series, Wine and Wisdom, at North
Gate Winery in Purcellville.

“I think at St. Francis de Sales we are riding the crest of a
spiritual tidal wave,” said Bergeman. “You can see a lot of things develop.”

That Man is You lit a spark in the faith of the men who
participate. Many attended the diocesan men’s conference in March. They recite
the rosary together, attend weekly adoration and First Friday Mass, and participate
in a Forty Hours devotion.

“(Saints & Suds) is the glue that sticks everything
together,” said Blankenship. “Everyone loves the summer place and is excited to
come.”

Parishioner David Matheson appreciates the camaraderie at these
events.

“Not only in the church, but in society in general, the
opportunity for men to gather with other men and especially to do so in a
faith-oriented environment is valuable,” he said.

The talks recognize where men are individually on their spiritual
journey and within the context of the wider society and church, said Matheson.
“It provides strategies for becoming that better man of God we are all called
to be,” he said.

If you go

Weapons of War: Prayer and Fasting with Fr. Paul D. Scalia
July 11 and No Greater Love: Following the Path of Martyrdom with Deacon
Marques Silva Aug. 8. Fellowship begins at 6:30 p.m. and the lecture begins at
7:15 p.m., Dirt Farm Brewery, 18701 Foggy Bottom Rd., Bluemont.

Wine and Wisdom: Created For Love: Putting Your Gifts into Action with Robin
Hill, July 18; She is More Precious Than Jewels: The Wife of Proverbs 31 with
Nancy McKeague, Aug. 15; The Feminine Genius: Discovering The Dignity of Women with
Ever Johnson, Sept. 19. Fellowship begins at 6:30 p.m. and the lecture begins
at 7:15 p.m., North Gate Vineyard, 16031 Hillsboro Rd., Purcellville. 

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