When your spiritual “glass” is empty, so to speak, it’s nearly impossible to pour out graces on others.
That’s why, for Paul Kayanan, attending the annual diocesan Men’s Conference March 5 was like a spiritual re-fueling.
“I find that my jar has been filled, and as the day progressed it was filled more,” said Kayanan, a parishioner of St. Louis Church in Alexandria. “I feel, at the end of the conference, I’ve received perhaps to the point of overflowing, so I hope to be able to bring that water and pour out to others in that way.”
Nearly 500 men from across the diocese gathered for the conference at St. Joseph Church in Herndon.
The theme of the conference was “Eucharistic Lord: Dispelling Darkness and Overcoming Evil,” dovetailing with the Eucharistic theme of the first year of the Diocesan Jubilee.
Deacon Michael Forrest, a popular columnist for the National Catholic Register, opened the conference by telling stories of his conversion to Catholicism and of miracles in his life he attributes to receiving the Eucharist.
Forrest exhorted the men in attendance to confess their sins frequently and to perform small works of charity.
“We can be receiving the bread of life, but if we have sin in our life that is blocking the reception of that holy Communion, that can actually be deadly to us,” he said. “If we don’t go out and do the spiritual works of mercy and the corporal works of mercy and we just sit on the couch and receive and receive, we’re not receiving the full benefit of that Eucharist.
“By acting (out the works of mercy), you will not only become eucharist to them, but by acting, the Eucharist becomes incorporated into you. We become changed and grow more closely to resemble our Father, and when we do, at the end of our lives when we see Our Lord and Savior, he looks at us and says, ‘I know you.’ ”
Msgr. Stephen Rossetti, an exorcist for the Archdiocese of Washington, then followed with a presentation on his experiences performing exorcisms and how to avoid demonic influences.
Msgr. Rosetti invited those in attendance to a virtual “deliverance prayer” session online through his ministry, the St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal (catholicexorcism.org).
After the speakers, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge celebrated Mass.
During his homily, he challenged the men to become “a new man in Christ, Our Lord.”
“No matter what age you may be, no matter what state in life you are, that is the call all of you have received,” Bishop Burbidge said. “Today, I respectfully ask you to reflect on this question: What is Jesus asking you at this point in your life to let go of? What behavior, what habit, what possession, what relationship, and to let go of it knowing that, in doing so, there will be a reward. What you are doing is simply allowing that space for the Lord to fill you with the grace and gifts that you actually need at this very point.”
The conference concluded with a 30-minute Q&A session, followed by a lively synod listening session.
Next year’s diocesan men’s conference is tentatively planned for March 4, 2023.
Riedl can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @RiedlMatt.
