by Jack Figge
Special to The Leaven
OVERLAND PARK — Carlos Torres invited his son Enrique to come along with him to Men Under Construction, but the St. Paul, Olathe, parishioner did not want to make it just a family affair. So he asked his daughter’s boyfriend Alex and Robert Polinelick, an OCIA candidate he is sponsoring, to join him at the annual men’s conference.
Though these men differ in age and background, each walked away from the daylong conference inspired to live out their masculinity through the faith.
“There is a variation of ages in the guys I brought from mid-30s to a teenager,” said Torres. “God talks to us in different ways and Men Under Construction is a great opportunity for these men to hear God’s voice and what he wants them to do through all of the talks and the opportunities for the sacraments.”
These four men joined other men at the Church of the Ascension in Overland Park on Feb. 17 for the 27th annual Men Under Construction. Every year, the conference seeks to help men learn to live out the faith in their daily lives by hosting renowned speakers, providing an opportunity to receive the sacraments and serving as a place attendees can meet other men passionate about living the faith.
Russ Engel, the president of Men Under Construction, has been volunteering at the conference for the past 10 years, leading it for the past five. This year, he said, the organizers sought to center the day’s talks on how men can help promote the faith within their families and communities through prayer and the Eucharist.
“There are so many studies out there that show if a father is engaged in the family and in faith, that family stays together much more strongly and has a much more long-lasting faith life,” said Engel. “However, if the father is not engaged in his faith, that family tends to have a greater chance of moving away from the church.”
This year, the conference drew over 1100 attendees, the second largest conference ever. Engel said that so many men are drawn to the conference because they seek Christ.
“We all have a void in our hearts, a place of heartbreak and woundedness. If we let Jesus fill that void and learn to follow his footsteps, then that heartbreak goes away,” said Engel. “These men see that, and they desire it. It’s not something that just young kids want, but it’s something even the 80-year-old man is looking for.”
The conference opened with Braden Johnson, a young Catholic presenter who travels the country speaking to youth groups and high schools. Johnson addressed why young Catholics struggle with the Catholic faith and how fathers can help support their children.
“At the core, these young people are looking to be loved, to feel cared [for], but often those longings will be directed into not good romantic relationships and not good parties and, you know, these paths that lead to more pain and stuff,” said Johnson. “But when parents and grandparents understand the heart, they’re able to really reach their children at that place where God’s meeting them and ultimately offering them something so much more.”
Attendees also heard from Stephen Minnis, president of Benedictine College in Atchison, who advised if the men wanted to transform their family, their business or their personal lives, they should embrace the Blessed Mother through a Marian consecration, and embrace their mission by orienting their every action toward a common goal.
Other speakers included Dr. Ray Guarendi, a clinical psychologist and host of EWTN’s “The Doctor is In” series, who shared practical ways for fathers to lead their families. To conclude, Scott Hahn, an international speaker and founder of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, spoke to attendees about the transformative power the Eucharist can have in their personal and family life.
While the talks were impactful, a highlight for many attendees was the ability to gather and talk with other faithful, Catholic men from the local area.
“We were created for community and family. Men under Construction gives us a great opportunity to come together. And if we don’t come together, then we are isolated. And isolation often leads to sin,” said Jonathan Burnos, a parishioner at Prince of Peace, Olathe. “Here, we are in brotherhood, we are together and we are stronger together.”
To conclude the day, Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann celebrated Mass for the men. In his homily, he said that right now, men and the family are under attack, and he called on those gathered to be the spiritual leaders that their families need.
“If we want to rebuild culture in our society, we must rebuild the family, which begins with supporting marriage — and that begins by focusing on your own marriage first,” said the archbishop.
“You are men under construction,” he added, “and with your help we can reconstruct culture and our church.”
