Background
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In a letter on Catholic
Men's Ministry from July of 1999, the Bishops of the Catholic Church in
the United States pledged their support in the faith life of Catholic
men. They wrote, "Call it a revival, an awakening. Call it a work of the
Holy Spirit at the grassroots level. The emergence of new ministries
with men is a welcome development within the Church."
(NCCB Letter on Men’s
Ministry, June 1999)
Following the Bishops’
letter of 1999, Bishop Mulvee, of the Diocese of Providence, sought to
support men’s ministry in our local church. From his discussions with the
Vicar of Spirituality and Evangelization, the first Diocesan Service
Committee for the RI Men of St Joseph was
organized.
Once the Diocesan Service
Committee was formed, the groundwork was laid to support existing and to
grow new Catholic Men’s
groups in parishes and around the Diocese. What started as a just a few
parishes has grown to several parishes with direct ties to the RI Men of
St Joseph while several others have active men’s spiritual ministries
within their communities.
Today, the Diocesan Service
Committee meets monthly to pray and to continue the mission of planning
diocesan events and assisting local parishes.
Your Rhode Island
M.O.S.J. Diocesan Committee
Coordinator: Mr. Don
Turbitt
Chaplain:
Rev. John Codega
Leaders:
Mr. Anthony Deluca
Mr. John Dowd
Mr. Ed
Mis
Mr. David
Welsh
How to Contact the
R.I.M.O.S.J.
phone:
401.353.1158
email:
RIMOSJ@AOL.COM
mail:
25 Rosner Ave
North Providence, RI
02904
M.O.S.J. and Other Men’s
Ministries
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There are several other
existing ministries involved with men’s renewal, discipleship, and
service including the Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul,
Cursillo, Charismatic Renewal, and Men’s Bible study groups. Men are not asked to choose from
groups to which they already belong, or asked to be involved in more
than one. There is no “membership” in the Men of St Joseph.
In many cases it is best to
find the support of other men and integrate the promises in appropriate
and creative ways in the areas that men are already involved. Thus the Men of St Joseph,
being strictly a faith development organization, is not only compatible
with existing men’s groups but becomes a support for men and resource
for their continued good works in these many valuable
organizations.
For example, if a man is
involved in another renewal ministry or bible study, he could continue
to grow in discipleship and live out the covenant and promises and
connect with a monthly or bi-monthly Men of St. Joseph breakfast. Or, if
someone is involved in a men's service organization like the Knights of
Columbus or St. Vincent de Paul he could also integrate the call of
discipleship supported by the MOSJ into his groups. Many of these other
ministries may have seminars and training that Men of St. Joseph may
benefit from as well, such as Cursillo weekends, Life in the Spirit
Seminars, training workshops, etc.
An
Invitation
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Men of St.
Joseph: An Invitation
What is a Man of
St. Joseph?
In our times there are many
obstacles to faith, but a man of St. Joseph is a man who is seeking the
Lord in his life: "You will seek me and you will find me when you seek
me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13) Our Lord Jesus came to
show us God's love and so we discover our role as a man who serves the
needs of other rather than seeking power and privilege (Lk.
22:25ff). However, this call is not
a burden carried by the self-reliant, rather, it is a man who receives
the support of companions who "encourage one another and build each
other up" (1Thes.
5:11)
and abide in God's strength (John 15). As a result, a man of St.
Joseph is fulfilled by discovering and joyfully living out God's
purposes for his life (Col. 1:9-12). In short, St.
Joseph was the closest man to Jesus, and so like St. Joseph we are
seeking to become men who are committed to Jesus Christ our Lord and
Savior.
A Man
of St. Joseph holds up Christian ideals, attributes, and he promises to
be faithful in his baptismal call.
Pledge &
Promises
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The RI Men of St. Joseph
have chosen Hebrews 12:1, 2 as our theme verse:
"We for our part are
surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, therefore, let us lay aside every
encumbrance of sin which clings to us and persevere in running the race
which lies ahead. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who inspires and
perfects our faith."
Men of St. Joseph are
encouraged to commit themselves to live five promises with the support
of other brothers. These promises will help men "lay aside every
encumbrance of sin" and "persevere in running the race" as disciples
through the grace that comes from Jesus. These promises are not rules
that disqualify us from the group if and when we fail to live them out,
rather they are ideals that to which we are committed that help us to
grow in our Christian journey together.
Each of the five promises
is based on a principle of Christian discipleship with a practical
application. These promises have been integrated into the richness of our
faith tradition.
The five
promises:
1. Dedicate your life to
the Lord and put him first in every area of your life…participate in
Sunday Mass with your family.
2. Grow in the grace of
Christian discipleship…develop a personal prayer life and participate in
a weekday Mass more often (at least once a month).
3. Live with integrity and
honesty…experience the Sacrament of Reconciliation
frequently.
4. be faithful to your
Christian vocation…pray and spend time with your family and establish
priorities and balance in your life.
5. Meet together with
brothers for support…gather together with men for an annual conference
and seasonal meetings.
These
promises may become the basis for Men of St. Joseph talks and small
group sharing. They are also stated in a deliberate order so men will
put the Lord first in their life, abide in the Lord, establish correct
priorities and become part of a community of men. The large and small
group gatherings are intended to help men be more faithful to their
family or primary vocation. These gatherings should not take away from
family life or make men too busy but assist us in maintaining and
reestablishing priorities of God.
The Wake Up Call
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The Wake Up
Call
A
“wake up call” is a rally or initial meeting that introduces new men to
the Men of St. Joseph. It
can be held on a diocesan, deanery, or parish level. Since it is an introductory
event, it should be “guy friendly.” The key to a successful wake up
call is for all Men of St. Joseph to invite their friends, and promote
it in every way that is available.
At
the diocesan level, a gathering typically involves praise and worship
music, an introduction to the vision and promises, an exhortation to
form small groups, and appeal for some men to become leaders in the
men’s ministry.
At
the deanery and parish level, a wake up call may involve a breakfast or
supper followed by a witness talk and an introduction to the Men of St.
Joseph and an invitation to follow up in large group
gatherings.
Getting Started at the Parish
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Starting a New Parish
Men’s Group
The Rhode Island Men of St.
Joseph is always willing to assist in launching Men of St. Joseph groups
in new parishes. Given the
how to get started advice, an individual working with some others who
will support him should consider whether they should initiate their
efforts at the deanery, parish, or small group level.
It is good to try to
connect with and existing group for a meeting or two before starting a
new group. If possible,
begin by visiting the closest Men of St. Joseph group and invite other
local parish friends to join you.
Next, if you are willing to become a point-man, contact the Rhode
Island Men of St. Joseph to become connected to a service committee
member. He will connect you, if you have not already done so, with your
parish pastor or nearest parish with an active group. A list of current men’s groups
is located on our website at www.rimosj.org.
It is also good to involve
at least a few others men with a similar interest in men’s ministry.
After a few introductory
meetings (and lots of prayer) the new group may begin by having a “wake
up call”, or schedule regular open gatherings to build friendships and
share the promises. In parishes, a supportive pastor is integral and
will be very helpful to get things started. We recognize there is no right
way to get started so it's best to consult RIMOSJ or other groups and
pray for wisdom as to how to best launch a new group in your area. We want to
help!
Training
Workshops
Part of the role of the
Diocesan Service Committee and local ambassadors is to provide
training for point men and parish ambassadors. This training is held
regularly and repeated locally throughout the diocese. Besides these
training workshops, there are opportunities that are available for
growth in discipleship and leadership for the benefit of the Men of St.
Joseph. More information on
all scheduled programs may be found at RIMOSJ.org or form the diocesan
service committee member.
Available
Resources offered by the RI Men ofSt.
Joseph
Rhode
Island Men of St. Joseph Pilgrim’s Guide:
This
booklet introduces men to the ministry, the promises, and the vision of
the RI Men of St. Joseph through meditations and reflection questions.
The Pilgrim’s Guide is a helpful resource for starting small sharing
groups.
Prayer
and Promises Cards:
These
cards are great handouts for all men to keep with them. One side holds all the promises
of the Men of St. Joseph and the other side holds the RI Men of St.
Joseph Prayer.
Forms
for General Use:
- Introductory
Letters to Pastors and friends
- How
to Start a Men of St. Joseph Group
- Men
of St. Joseph Invitation
- God’s
Call to Ordinary Men
- Pulpit
Announcement
- Bulletin
Insert
- Posters
- Brochures
Other
resources, including books for small group discussion or individual
reflection can be found on the parish resources page of our website at
www.rimosj.org.
Prayer
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for the Rhode
Island Men of St. Joseph
O Blessed Joseph,
faithful guardian of the Redeemer, Jesus
Christ,
protector of the Mother of
our Lord,
we choose you this day
to be our patron and
advocate.
As Men of St. Joseph, we humbly ask
you
to receive us as your
cause,
leading us to Jesus for instruction in
doubt,
comfort in affliction,
strength in times of
testing.
Obtain for us, and for all,
the knowledge
and love of the Heart of
Jesus Christ.
May men of good faith turn
to you, Joseph.
May you defend and protect
us and our families
as we grow more like Jesus
by your example,
now, and all the days of
our lives.
Amen
