CATHOLIC MEN’S CONFERENCE

As concerns over the COVID-19 virus grows, public gatherings, parish events, and now Masses are canceled across the Albany Diocese. In the wake of cancellations, many Catholic men are left wondering how to keep their faith, and their community, together in times of uncertainty. 

John Edwards, founder of the website, “Just a Guy in A Pew,” has the answer: a nationwide “Virtual Catholic Men’s Conference.” 

“This is something we’re really excited about,” said Edwards in a video promoting the event. He explained how disheartening it was to see opportunities for men of faith to come together, so he decided to do something about it. 

“There's never really, as we know of, something like this that's been done. And in this time, it calls for ingenuity and new thinking, and that's what we’re trying to do here,” he added.

The virtual conference runs from midnight on Friday, April 3, until midnight on Sunday, April 5. Speakers will deliver 20-minute talks; attendees are able to watch as many talks as they like in the three-day conference period and will have over 20 talks to choose from.

Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger will be one of the speakers and said, “I look forward to seeing how this experiment will go. See you there men!” on the bottom of the event page.

Other speakers include Deacon Jeff Drzycimski from the Catholic Cafe at EWTN, Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, a speaker from Dynamic Catholic, and Bill Donaghy, instructor, international speaker, and curriculum specialist for the Theology of the Body Institute Certification Program. 

Inspiration for the conference came from a conversation Edwards had with Matt Ingold of Metanoia Catholic. The two were discussing how upsetting it was to see a number of men’s conferences get canceled. Both Edwards and Ingold were set to deliver speeches at two Catholic conferences but both were canceled due to the COVID-19 virus.  

“All these conferences around the country started to fall like dominos,” Edwards said. “So we just started thinking what can we do, and we both felt a call on our spirit to do something about this.” 

Ingold, a native of Troy, tossed out the idea of doing a virtual conference for speakers. Edwards started compiling a list, and the list just kept growing: “There are talks where you can log in, with maybe a couple of buddies - staying within the social distance asked to do - but you can have a couple of buddies over, and pick a couple of talks to go through.”

Edwards invites all “men to come on their own time, at their own place, to hear some great messaging, and really receive what they should have from their conferences.”

Registration for the conference can be found at: https://www.virtualcatholicconference.com