On Saturday, March 2, more than 60 gathered at Notre Dame du Perpetuel Secours Church in Waterville for the annual Maine Catholic Men's Conference. The theme for the 2024 conference was Eucharist to Life: Sharing Our Faith on the Journey and the featured speaker was Father Alejandro Lopez-Cardinale of the Archdiocese of Boston. Throughout the day, participants were able to engage in both structured and unstructured discussions to foster education, prayer and camaraderie.
During the second of his keynote addresses, Fr. Lopez-Cardinal, a native of Venezuela, spoke of his vocational journey as a young man which included signs during his path of discernment. He had intended to become an architect or a musician, but was inspired by a priest who charged him, along with a group of other young men, to do a census of a village and to implement positive changes based on the results. The priest's trust in him was a moment and a sign in his journey.
"How do we see signs in our lives? What are those moments that spark a fire in you and that keep you going?" he asked attendees. "You must now create these moments for your community to get younger generations involved."
These moments, he explained, create a sacred space – which could be within a family or marriage, or any life circumstance. "These spaces are where you find God's presence in a mysterious way. He is there through those experiences of life."
Fr. Lopez-Cardinal serves as pastor of St. Benedict Church in Somerville and parochial administrator at Sacred Heart Church in Malden. He is one of 50 people commissioned to be a Eucharistic preacher in order to spread the message of the National Eucharistic Revival.
"Eucharistic revival is our life. We become the Eucharist as a sign for many and we must decide how to share this gift," he said.
"This was the first time I've had the opportunity to attend the men's conference. I enjoyed connecting with many of my brother Knights of Columbus as well as men doing prison ministry and RCIA," said Deacon Frank Daggett. "Father Alejandro's talks on the Eucharist were very good, especially when he drew the connection between our reception of the sacramental Body of Christ and our response and action as the Body of Christ, as members of the Church at work in the world."
Additional programming for the day included opportunities for prayer such as the Divine Mercy Chaplet and Adoration and Confessions, as well as a variety of presentations by sponsors, which included the Knights of Columbus, Kairos Prison Ministry International, Maine Right to Life, Catholic Charities Parish Social Ministry and the Diocesan Office of Vocations.
Rit Leslie of Prince of Peace Parish in Lewiston, who served as the emcee for the events, ended the speaking program by asking the question, "What is our legacy? What will we leave behind for those who follow us?"
Bishop Robert Deeley concluded the day by celebrating Mass for the third Sunday of Lent. Pastor of Corpus Christi Parish Fr. Patrick Agbodi, as well as Director of Vocations Fr. Brad Morin, concelebrated.
"During these days [Lent] we hold this conference but, at the same time, in many of our parishes and clusters, similar events for men and women are being held for the same reason as this one: to help us to renew within ourselves our belief in the sacredness of the prayer of the Mass, the Eucharist," Bishop Deeley said during his homily.
"The Lord Jesus whose coming to live among us we remembered at Christmas, is truly present with us and sends us forth guided by the Holy Spirit to bring his love and mercy into the world."