A movement that brings men together, renews their faith in God, and encourages them to become an active force within the Church is making a significant difference in Canberra, according to local organiser Mat Wolnicki. Source: Catholic Voice.
Since founding in 2003, menALIVE has run 350 events in 25 dioceses in Australia and New Zealand for more than 20,000 men.
“It is a movement and ministry – a group of men reaching out to other men,” Mr Wolnicki said.
“The purpose is to encourage men to be involved in their parish and local ministry.”
Mr Wolnicki said that the menAlive community and parish-based weekends deepened his own relationship with God.
“It made me think about my relationship with God and my relationship with my family and raised many questions in my mind – what am I doing within the Church? What does my relationship with God look like? Is it active? Or am I just sitting there waiting for something to happen? It was a wake-up call,” he said.
“Being with other men in that context and having other men asking some of the hard questions was useful for me at the start. It can be hard to ask those questions, and having someone push me further was necessary.”
He said the weekly sharing group had also been a valuable addition to his life.
“I don’t have any other opportunity in the week where I can talk to men I trust openly and share the sadnesses, anxieties, and traumas I have been going through, but also how God has been responding and working in my life,” he said.
“Being able to share that with other men is important.”
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Men’s ministry helps restore lives and build community (By Veronica Cox, Catholic Voice)
