Monday, April 11, 2011

A Work'n Man's Retreat

Where: Mary Queen Of Peace Retreat Center, Shingletown, CA.

When: May 28th (Sat) and May 29th (Sunday)

Usually you must be 16 or older for the retreats, but since we are stationary at the retreat center, it is open to males 13 and older as long as the 13, 14, 15 year olds are with their dads.

A group of men will gather early Saturday morning at the retreat property for a real Men's Retreat. None of that touchy-feely stuff, but rather, men working side by side in fellowship and doing what men love to do best, work, laugh, and create something.

The majority of the work will be done on Saturday May 28^th and will consist of cutting down some small trees, removing new growth, and cleaning the grounds. It will not be difficult work, but the more hands we have working the more we can accomplish. We would like to invite as many men and male youth to come and participate in the retreat (even for a few hours). Sunday morning we will finalize the projects and prepare for the community outdoors mass and picnic.

Our main projects for the retreat will be:

The dirt road leading to the amphitheater - Clearing brush along the sides and road improvement.

The amphitheater area – clearing brush, over all clean up, sawing level seats on log benches.

Stations of the Cross - clearing brush along the sides of the road and at each station, establishing an upper trail for easy walking to the stations.

Equipment to bring if available:

Chain saws

Pole saws, manual or power

Rakes, leaf

Pruning sheers, Loppers

Shovels

Wheel Barrels
Survey tape

any other related items

We are searching for anyone with:

A power chipper
ATV with cart

Food

(Feel free to also bring anything special you might like)

Saturday

Lunch – Bring your own lunch

Dinner – We will provide a feast
(Taco's, Burritos, Beans, Mexican Rice, Chips, Salsa)

Evening – Campfire Fellowship
We will provide snacks, soda, and beer

Sunday

Breakfast- Food provided for those who camped on the property.

Lunch- Picnic / Bar-B-Q provided by Shingletown community

Camping

You are more than welcome to camp on the retreat center grounds. There is a bathroom but no showers. Please bring your own gear.

*If you live locally: you may also choose to return home Saturday evening and rejoin us Sunday morning.

For more information please call or e-mail Deacon Pat Kearns. 530-224-1499 and patkearns@sbcglobal.net

Agenda

Saturday - May 28th

7:00 am - Arrive at the Retreat Center, Team Assignments

7:30 am - Begin work

12:00 pm - Lunch

1:00 pm Work

6:00 pm Clean -up / Dinner

7:00 pm Evening Reflection

7:30 -Fellowship / Music / Camp Fire / Beer

*Retreatants have the option of camping on the retreat grounds or

driving home and returning in the morning.

Sunday - May 29th

6:30 am - Rise and Eat

7:00 a.m - Morning Prayer

7:15 am -Begin Work

11:00 am - Community Outdoor Mass with Father Jonathan Molina

(Attended by Retreat Men and whole Shingletown Community)

12:00 pm - Community Bar-B-Q / Picnic

3:00 pm - Retreat Concludes

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Why A "Men's Spiritual Group?"

Most men will not gather for a prayer group or have in-depth discussions with other men on spiritual issues, at least not often. I don't mean to say that men are not spiritual, it is just that men's spirituality is much different than women and youth.

So you can't apply the same programs or approaches that work for youth groups, and church prayer groups (mostly attended by women) to men.

Men are more private and stoic by nature. They have a tendency to internalize private things and quietly evaluate them mentally and often not sharing the thoughts and issues related to such.

However, if you combine work or an activity with spirituality, you allow men to fulfill an innate desire while providing fellowship, friendships, creativity, honor, exercise, accomplishments, etc., while also nourishing the spirit and the soul.

Once men can be connected in a common activity that is purely seen and identified as manly, it not only allows comfort levels to form, but instantaneously allows any protective guards that might have been present to be lowered because the men feel a unity and a bond.

It is at this point that the manly spirituality, or the man's spirit can be nourished, cultivated, and grow in the context of a "Men's Group."

Once the bonds are formed, trust is established, and comfort levels are obtained, then God's word can be accepted and can penetrate into the Men. This penetration is not superficial, it is deep and life lasting. One might assume that men are not spiritual, or at least keep a reserved spiritual demeanor, but I would like to say that one must understand a man's spiritual nature before making such a statement.

Even though the modern world has attempted to blur the unique roles, charisms, and qualities of men and women, blurring them into a somewhat unisex and identical being, their souls and spirits remain as different as ever.

Men are strong, mostly quiet and reserved when it comes to deep feelings, and have an inner desire to protect, provide, and produce. They are deeply spiritual but externally reserved, and many have not had role models that taught them how to be a man and express his spirituality to others. This external expression of love of others and of God is foreign in the modern world, at least foreign to most men.

Yet, when seen, it is awesome. To see a man grounded in his faith, sharing his spirituality with others, confident in his manhood, it is not only exhilarating, but contagious and leaves other men jealous for what he has just seen. This type of Man can change the world.

It was once said: teach a child the faith and it might just rub off on his mother or siblings.

Teach a mother the faith and it just might rub off on some of the family.

But teach the faith to the father, help him live a life of faith, nourish that faith, and the whole family will be converted.

It is Fathers, Men, who can and will change the world that we live in. It is through "Men of Faith" that the world can be seen for what it is and God's light and truth can be made present.

That is why there is such a need for "Men's Spirituality Groups." Gatherings of men with a unique purpose. Men given opportunities to unite, form friendships, partake in projects and activities that are not foreign but familiar and comfortable. To allow opportunities for God's word to penetrate into their being and then be nourished and cultivated forming them into Men of Action, men who begin to look much different than the other men in society. Men who are envied for the confidence they resonate, for the joy that surrounds them, for the fortitude they expel, for the charity that has become such a huge part of their being.

As God grows within these types of men, the evils of the devil begin to diminish.

The sins of:

Lust

Masturbation

Pornography

Pride

Anger

Laziness

excessive drinking, eating, and self-pleasures

begin to lose their hold on these men and are all of the sudden finding themselves free from the bonds that held them as slaves for so many years. Most men will never openly talk about their shortcomings, but they will listen to the truth when presented by a Man that they trust and admire. The might not openly show much emotion when such a sensitive issue is presented, but mark my word, they are listening and it is deeply internalized and applied.

These Groups are more necessary than ever before and the devil with use every weapon he has to try and stop them..... but he will not win! The truth will set us free!

Join a Men's group, a real Men's group. Not just a fraternity, or a club, but a group that looks at the whole man; feeds him, helps him evaluate himself, incorporates activities and pleasure, but always maintains a balance and allows the man to grow spiritually.

Because when it is all said and done, It really has only been about our spiritual journey with God and having Christ close to us, leading us, and showing us the way.

Can you see him? Is He leading you?