Nearly 100 men gave up their Saturday morning for prayer, talks and fellowship at St. Louis Church Sept. 19.
Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Mount Vernon Council No. 5998, the joint council serving Alexandria’s St. Louis and Good Shepherd churches, the event began with Mass and opportunities for confession, followed by breakfast and a series of three talks focused on men’s vocations and the call to fatherhood.
“I had the idea to do a conference because I have observed the positive amount of male energy in the parish,” said Father Keith O’Hare, St. Louis pastor. “The Knights of Columbus are growing, with younger men actively joining. Band of Brothers meets weekly on Sunday mornings, drawing 25 or more men for fellowship and spiritual formation. Trail Life dads are very active, and the Come and See theology class on Sunday mornings draws lots of men.” He added that he sees men going to confession regularly and knows that Good Shepherd also has an active men’s group.
Father O’Hare wanted an event that offered a strong spiritual component, beginning with Mass and confession, while also providing opportunities for fellowship and strengthening bonds among the men. Breakfast was served at the parish’s Little Way Café after Mass, providing time for fellowship. Following each talk, participants also had about 20 minutes for discussion and questions in smaller groups.
Speakers included John A. Cuddeback, philosophy professor at Christendom College in Front Royal; Father Jason C. Burchell, a former chaplain with the Archdiocese for the Military Services USA, who now serves as parochial vicar of the Basilica of St. Mary in Alexandria; and Chris Vander Woude, dean of students and athletic director at Chelsea Academy in Front Royal. Chris’ father, Tom Vander Woude, a Catholic father of seven died while saving his youngest son, Joseph. A cause for possible canonization of Tom is being investigated.
The choice of speakers offered a great balance, said Chris Sheedy, a longtime St. Louis parishioner, husband and father of three. Each speaker brought a different perspective to talks centered on family life and fatherhood, he said. Overall, Sheedy described the morning as well organized and fulfilling, calling it a great way to bring men together. He added that the talks inspired him to begin a novena with his family this week. “That’s a very concrete effect,” he said.
“Society wants you to believe that men don’t need friends,” Father O’Hare said. “But that’s a lie. They do.”
Cuddeback discussed the philosophical dimensions of male spirituality and the role of the father as provider in his talk, “Reclaiming Fatherhood: The Call for All Men.” Father Burchell focused on the father as protector in his presentation, “Defend the Castle: Becoming Husbands, Fathers and Soldiers After the Heart of Jesus Christ.” Vander Woude shared the story of his father in “No Greater Love: The Tom Vander Woude Story.”
The event was titled “Seek, Find, Love Christ,” based on this year’s Knights of Columbus state theme, said Knights State Deputy John Knox. He attended the gathering as a show of support and was impressed with the turnout. “There wasn’t an empty chair or table available in the Little Way Café,” he said. “The talks were phenomenal,” he added. “Overall, I thought the event was really well done and gave us a lot to take away from it.”
Chapman is a freelancer in Alexandria.
