Testimony ...
Those who have attended the menALIVE events
are often moved to share the depth of their experience. This testimony can be very powerful and is worth a wide audience.
Fr.Ian Mackintosh OMI
The parish of St. Mary’s Star of the Sea, Sorrento recently invited a “menALIVE” team to give a non residential weekend retreat for men in the
parish. “menALIVE” was founded about seven years ago in Queensland by a group of laymen “to bring men together, to renew their faith in God and to
encourage them to become an active force of renewal in the Church”. In recent years there have been a number of articles written in Catholic papers,
magazines etc. noting the dramatic decline in Sunday Mass attendances since the 1960’s especially among males aged between 20 and 60. The “menALIVE”
handbook notes that the movement was founded, amongst other reasons, as a response to this phenomenon. “menALIVE” aims to encourage men in their
faith journey, to reignite their faith and to remind them of the inspiring words of Jesus in John’s gospel “I have come to give you life and life to
the full”.
I first heard of the great work of “menALIVE” from a priest friend in Queensland. He spoke very highly of the wonderful renewal work of the group and
how, after only seven years, parish retreats for men had been given in Queensland, West Australia, South Australia, New South Wales and Tasmanian
parishes. Already thousands of men have been challenged in their faith commitment. The “menALIVE” handbook says “We believe that if we can reach
Catholic men, help them to encounter Jesus and experience transformation, encourage them to pray every day and form a fellowship group, we will be
making steps towards renewing the Church and reaching the world.”
On the weekend of April 17th. and 18th. four “menALIVE” leaders came to our parish from Queensland and Tasmania. The Retreat Programme given was a
well developed one, consisting of relevant talks (The Father’s Love, The Father’s Dream, The Father’s Son, What then must I do to be a Man of God),
personal testimonies, small group discussions and time for reflection and prayer. There was also a special time for Reconciliation with four priests
available.
Personally, as a priest who has done monthly and annual retreats over the past fifty four years, I was immensely impressed by the quality of the
talks. Various comments were made on the feed back forms such as the following, “very inspiring and has had a profound effect on my life” “just
fantastic”, “sensational”, “a lot of what has happened to me on this retreat has been surprising and very moving”, “I found the weekend affirming and
yet challenging”, “I am inspired to be a different and better man”, “I am inspired to make changes in my life”, “I will implement the prayer and
everything”, “excellent….. my first retreat in 50 years”, “a fantastic weekend, just what I needed in my life which was going nowhere.”
The positive feedback was overwhelming. Personally, I found the emphasis on “Lectio Divina” and the outline of this method of prayer very, very
helpful for my own prayer life.
Forty three men did the Retreat including three priests and four students for the priesthood. When I received the original email with the detailed
planning necessary for the Retreat, I was somewhat intimidated. However, I took the advice of the team and invited 9 parishioners to help me with the
planning. The work of the team was outstanding. The members, led by Tony Harford, did a brilliant job planning the Retreat and I had little to do
except attend the necessary preliminary meetings – nine in all.
The weekend culminated in a Sunday Eucharist at 12.30p.m. It was a wonderful experience especially the singing of the final hymn “We Stand for God”
a favourite hymn from the past. I can highly recommend the “menALIVE” movement to any parish and to parish priests in general.
I thank and praise God for the work He has inspired Robert Falzon and the “menALIVE” team to begin in Australia. In the near future a “menALIVE” team
is travelling to New Zealand to give Retreats there.
I will be very surprised if “menALIVE” teams don’t have a profound effect on the Australian Catholic Church in the years to come.
Fr. Ian Mackintosh OMI
Jim Billing
I received an email from the MEN-ALIVE guys from Brisbane inviting me to their MEN-ALIVE TO THE MAX weekend starting Friday night 26th February to
Sunday 28th February. Having prayed about it I felt a real urgency and calling to attend. MEN-ALIVE are a group of men who have been called to serve
God and to build and raise up the men, and especially younger men, to get to know God better and to receive the blessings of service in our churches
and also to know that they are loved by God. Loved unconditionally even in our brokenness and sin. These men are doing a great job in all these areas.
They encourage us to share our brokenness and hurt to allow healing to begin, and not to be ashamed, but to claim our hurt and give it to Jesus, to
let him, the most high, deal with our pain and suffering or what ever else is hurting us. T men who shared their lives and faith where really great
and didn't hold back on their personal journeys in life. Broken marriages, wounds from early childhood, struggles with thier identity, struggling
with the question of "Who am I and am I worthy of anything in this world?" These are questions and feelings I guess we all have in our journey
through life. MEN-ALIVE with their program and talks certainly made it clear to all in attendance that they were worthy and also loved so much by
God our Heavenly Father. It was very clear to me that there are so many men suffering personal hurt and pain so deep inside them that it is really
blocking any form of love entering their hearts. To be told of our gentle Father's love is life changing, freeing and very energising. When you
witness closed and hurt guys starting to open their hearts and to speak about their hurts is very special, special because they trust a person who
they don't know, trust because God has shown them hope and a light in the darkness and pain. When you witness a smile of thanks, a genuine hug from
the heart, then one reckognises God's love in motion, the Holy Spirit starting to manifest in a person who is starting to experience light and not
darkness. This to me was a blessed time, to leave the weekend knowing that some of my broken brothers were being healed, and set free to face their
lives in a more positive way. Thanks be to God.
Our mass on Sunday morning was inspirational, 100 or so men at mass, singing from their hearts and not ashamed to be heard. "How Great Thou Art"
sung by these men was one of the great and wonderful and fulfilling times of my life.
God's blessing to all and especially of men.
Yours in the love of God
Jim Billing
Barry Waddington - RECALLING MAX 10
I have 3 1/2 days alone. My wife, daughter, 12 year old grandson, my 2 year old granddaughter and my 1 year old grandson are in Yeppoon for a Catholic
Schools' Rugby League Confraternity Cup Challenge - hence I have time for my recollections of MAX 10. I found doing household chores very conducive to
thinking and here are my thoughts, derived while performing them.
Find in the world, the longest, highest, speediest, most dangerous roller-coaster ride (Google should do the trick) and I have been on it this
weekend.
Thursday night and Friday spent with generous, hospitable relatives led to arrival at Brookfield, Qld Conference and Camping Centre at 6.15pm. I
arrived, not with the uncertainty I had about the Men Alive weekend in Mackay, but the word, M.A.X. was SOMEWHAT disconcerting, Meeting a group of men
my own age soon put me at ease.
The first talk was inspiring and led into a one minute, one on one,( abbreviated )account of your own life-journey to a perfect stranger. My partner
was quite young (early 20's I would say). But here's the rub. I found I had to tell my partners life story to two more strangers until all 4 stories
were told. Forgetfulness seemed to haunt me this weekend, so this task for me was quite difficult.
The Centre is in beautiful bushland, and down in the bush, at the bottom of a slippery, slanting hill the M/A Team had constructed a “ritual centre”.
The existing trees supported a Hessian enclosure, illuminated by flaming lanterns and a pool of water, a very emotive, almost- sacred place. So my
new partner (friend )and I, taking a white stone (the good in my life) dropped it in the pond and washed each other's hands in silence, accentuated
by silence of the surrounding bush - very moving, despite the light drizzle of rain.
GENTLY had the roller-coaster ride begun
I soon PICKED UP SPEED on Saturday morning at quite an early hour. “Life Journey” seemed to be the theme of M.A.X. 10, and that day we had 4
men – young to elderly – who recounted their life-journey. A young man, delightfully, told us his life story of the ups and downs of his love life.
Another, slightly older, told how he made a career of being made redundant (4-5 times0 and His climb back to success, each time. The oldest man told
of the trauma of prostate cancer but never having lost his trust in God (Read a complete report in the December M/A Newsletter 2009) These
life-journeys were presented with conviction, gratitude, humour, sincerity and trust in God, who travelled at all times with them. (all are now
members of the M.A Team)
God's intervention in our lives was now obvious, but even more so when we met in a small group. Our leader – husband, father, family man and lawyer
and in training to do the Kokoda Trails is also a team member of M/A. The life journey of the men in our group revealed : - a man who was caught up
in a civil war, badly injured and had friends killed in a bomb blast. The resulting hatred led to a life of alcohol and drug abuse, marriage
difficulties, success and failure in business, repeatedly. I met ( in our group I think) a father whose son committed suicide and the tears flowed.
I met a young man, an electrician , who, seeking something more Christ- centred in his life, is in his final year of teacher training and hopes to
work in Cath – Ed . I met the South African migrant who with his wife is very active and does great service in the Church. I met the elderly
Vet (animal doctor not old soldier) who seemed to travel every-where and change occupations often, in order to be of service to others, in different
ways and different countries. By comparison I realised my life-journey, though seemingly ordinary by comparison, was as God filled as all the
others.
The roller coaster had now INCREASED SPEED
An invitation to visit the ritual centre once again, with a black stone (what we need to get rid of in our lives) and a large leaf (what we cover up
in our lives) and to dispose of them in the pool. I declined as my osteoarthritis, which has resurfaced, could have resulted in a fall on the slippery
hill in now heavy rain - lack of courage, lack of trust in God ,or common sense ? ( you be the judge) Time for Reconciliation, and quiet
contemplation followed. The young ones did this with energetic time in the pool (swimming not ritual).
The ride had SLOWED a little, but reached ALMOST-TOP SPEED that Saturday night, when in our small group, after listening to Leonard Cohen's
“Anthem” ----- the bell that is cracked let's the light shine in”--- we anointed a team members hands with oil and prayed for him, being mindful of
what he had revealed of his life journey that day. Then the whole group laying on of hands we prayed for each member of the group in turn. For me it
was a little taste of what a priest must feel at ordination of the dying after Anointing with the Oils. Unbelievable motion gripped me. A group visit
to the ritual centre where we prayed together, and retrieved our stones from the pool. I threw caution to the winds and with the help of our leader
made “that terrible descent” safely.
On Sunday the roller coaster ride reached DANGEROUS SPEED.
Have you ever experienced Mass at 6.00am presided over by Bishop Brian Finnegan of Brisbane assisted by Deacon Gary Stone, surrounded by beautiful
bush, with whip birds and currajongs joining in God's praise? Have you ever heard nearly 100 men, assisted by talented musician, Justin , sing God's
praise, especially what is now the M/A Anthem “How great thou Art”?
O Lord my God
When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the works Thy hands have made
I hear the “birds” (Poetic licence on my part)
Have you? No! Well, bad luck, because I am unable to describe it.
We then experience the life journey of Gary Stone - Lieutenant Colonel of the Royal Australia Regiment (R.A.R), husband, father, family man,
ordained deacon and now chaplain to the A.D.F. and A.F.P. (Federal Police) and guest speaker every – where His work with the Army, particularly in
East Timor with all its troubles, showed me what a "Man Alive" can achieve, when God is on his side.
Dangerous speed on the ride continued.
In the final session men gave public testimony of what effect the weekend had on them. and their hopes for the future. Men revealed with humour,
conviction and yes, tears, their deepest feelings and ambitions with thanks to God and the M.A. Team. I publicly resolved to do all I could to promote
M/A to as many Mackay men as possible. A final ritual anointing on the heart by team members ,and a group photo, brought Men Alive to the Extreme
(M.A.X) to an end.
The RIDE WAS OVER and we descended to our starting point. That's what I thought, but, no way. God wouldn't let me off the ride.
A 3.00pm. My youngest son ,who lives on the Gold Coast, called for me and we spent a great time together, a delicious dinner and an early night
(M.A.X .10 lived up to it name and was full on). On Monday we set off early for his place of work – a family owned building enterprise at Southport.
Previously he has been a building sub-contractor to this Company. Recently they offered him the position of Construction Supervisor of all their work
sites in Queensland and Northern NSW, which he accepted. I spent about 4 hours with the owners who informed me that.
(a) he was given the position because of the quality of work as a builder.
(b) They hope, one day soon, he will take over as General manager of the company when adequately experienced .(The husband is 71 and is looking to
retire.)
(c)they told me how they treasured my Son And they thanked me for giving him to them.
How good (God) is that? The ride continued at speed and has only slowed to its conclusion these past few days.
I resolved to promote M/A to any one who will listed in Mackay – the why I am sure of, but how has yet to be worked out.
Men, many of them quite young, came from all over Australia to share their life journey with strangers and in many cases bared their souls. Perth,
Adelaide, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Warwick, Dalby, Calliope, Rockhampton Mackay and Townsville and there may be other
places. ( Remember my forgetfulness affliction)
What a magnificent inspired force has gone forth to Australian men, determined to bring God into the lives of other med more fully. God go with us
all, empower, sustain and continue to inspire us in our quest.
Thanks be to God.
Barry Waddington
Beaconsnfield. 4740
Fr Paul Chandler
Dear brothers,
I had to write to let you all know my heartfelt and deep thanks for the weekend. Words
cannot convey nor describe my gratitude but let me try.
I sat down before going to bed last night to pray the Office of Readings for today. The first
thing my eyes saw was the first antiphon: "God keeps silence no longer; he has come out into
the open." Wow! That's what I saw in our men over the weekend. God was silent no longer in
them and through them He has come out into the open. Although I trusted God would work in
ways I could not describe nor imagine, I was hesitant how the menAlive experience would be
taken up by our parish and then what would happen as a result. All my fears and worries were
groundless.
It was so encouraging for me to go away from the retreat to do the other things I had to do
and each time I came back I could sense a change in the men. They were becoming more
energised, more enthusiastic and more God-centred.
Thank you for all you have done for us here at Southport. Congratulations on the work you do.
Thanks be to God for the gifts, the talents, the energy, the openness that is in each of you
and that you have laid at the service of the Church.
Finally, the weekend was an encouragement and an affirmation of my own vocation to be a
priest. Although I was not fully involved in all sessions just being there and soaking up the
spirit and the Spirit has made me glad to be a priest.
God will continue to bless you and your mission, I am sure. I shall keep you in prayer and let
me also offer my help as a priest in the work you do. If ever I can be available, I will be.
Yours in Christ,
Paul
Rev Fr Paul Chandler
Southport Catholic Parish
Robert Massey. Booval Parish. Queensland.
In my research (UQ). looking into issues for men,
boys and older men I find the older guys are often ommitted. Men Alive is the first org. that I
have encountered to cater for the older guys. God knows we need nurturing of the spirit and
that we have a lot to contribute to the spiritual development of men and boys.
The menAlive conference challenged me to really think about what is important to me as a
man, as a father, a husband and as someone who wants to make a solid contribution to the
world I live in. I felt encouraged by the calibre of the men attended and inspired to be alive
and active in the church.
The ongoing participation in the Men Alive Journaling group has really helped me in my faith
journey. Our weekly journaling group meeting has become a great source of inspiration.
Men set to come alive
"LOVE - for men" was the title for Steve Biddulph's talk given
in Brisbane some years ago. Steve has published and lectured in the area of personal development and relationships throughout
Australia.
I attended, and experienced two surprises.
First 200 men attended his talk, on a Sunday night!
Second, there was deep anger hurt and frustration associated with marriage and family relationships voiced by so many of the men
during small-group and plenary segments of the evening.
Several renewal movements (of which Archbishop Francis Rush used say that the Church itself is the most important) have served the
Brisbane and Australian Church well. These movements have mostly addressed the Catholic, Chrirtian and spiritual dimensions
of peopte's lives.
However, the dimension of personal and relational development in people's lives has only been minimally addressed in the Church and
the broader civil community of Brisbane and Australia.
This is surprising, especially in the Church, because the key to understanding God's grace in our lives is personal relationship. As
well we readily accept the teaching that "grace builds on nature".
Very recently I had a long discussion with one of the leaders of the "menAlive experience" and came away impressed. I was also
given a bochure and DVD.
I have registered for the menAlive weekend retreat for November 8 and 9 (advertised
in "Happenings" of the Catholic Leader on October 19) at Holy Spirit Church Auchennower.
My learnings so far about menAlive are: it is not a movement; does not seek membership; does not seek donations or funds; is
initially but not exclusively parish based; is approved by Archbishop lohn Bathersby; is not charismatic in origin, aim or expression;
and does aim to help participants find their purpose and mission in the various environments of life such as mariage, family, work and
parish.
Perhaps menAlive will address the great need for personal and relationship development obviously evident today in society and
the Church.
Fr James Hynes
Lutwyche, Qld
Feedback from the November 2008 Toowong Weekend
“There are so many things I appreciated about the weekend – it was accessible in its format, time frame, and
financial cost. It meets a need where there is a vacuum in the area of ministry to men” Kevin – Toowong.
”Thankyou for a much needed refocus on my spiritual journey” Tony – Mt Gravatt
“I feared the weekend would just be happy clappers – it was great and down to earth and I did some clapping
too!” Jock – Toowong
“I had not been to confession for nearly 30 years – I feel a freedom now that I did not think possible” – Bruce,
Toowong
Feedback from the March 2009 Sydney Weekend
You men are great! You have Made me fall more in love with Jesus
and Mary. Thank you Rob for those encouraging words in church. I had
never experienced that before. Thank you Peter Gabauer for sitting next
to me in church after I had told you all my problems. You were like a
father, brother and a friend all in one. I love you blokes if i may say
that. LUKE
I wish to extend my gratitude for the experience you and your
team brought us in this weekend.
It was one great fruitful weekend for most of us who obviously
needed it. To be led by you and ultimately touched by the holy spirit
and received the graces from our Lord, made every moment worthwhile. It was
apparent that something got re-ignited from within our selves.
I hope to continue and raise my commitment to our Father in heaven
and earth. Therefore, I'd like to register my name for your plans in
extending the "Men Alive" group in Sydney at any capacity where you feel
my service is required. EDWARD
I have experienced a Conversion on this weekend. KEN
Can you please come and do menALIVE in my Community. ABE (He is a leader of a Community that is in 127 countries)
What can I say Just Awesome.
Jose
Three words capture my experience: Beautiful, Heartfelt and
Inspiring...Thank you for your hearts and transparency.
Mijo
I am leaving with renewed Peace and Contentment that I have not
felt in a long time. Peter D
My heart burned, I recognized Jesus in the talks and the men.
Thank you. Peter B
Thank you for helping me to open my heart it has been a
long,long,long time!!!!!!! Greg
Good Format - Opportunity to Share - but not dwell - moved along. Set
Challenges which was good. In the beginning I thought talk was cheap,
however the honesty and openness in the sharing by the presenters and
their genuine concern changed my mind. John
The topics that were talked about really had a special connection
with the current situation of my life. Jason
We are so grateful to God for all he does. Our Father is very interested
when his Sons gather.