Asked about the theme of an upcoming Catholic Watchmen retreat on what it means to be a man of God, Chuck Sylvester of St. Paul in Ham Lake replied with a quote from the late Corrie ten Boom, former Dutch watchmaker and Christian writer who, with family members, helped Jews escape the Nazis during the Holocaust:
“Look around and be distressed, look within and be depressed, look at Jesus and be at rest.”
Many distressing and depressing things are happening in the world, Sylvester said.
Chuck Sylvester
“And frankly, I’m hearing many Christians are really struggling, and particularly men of God,” he said. “So, for me, it’s ‘what does it take to refocus our lives on the important things of life?’ Because there are certainly plenty of challenges. And so, for me, it’s refocus.”
Fellow Catholic Watchmen member Greg Hughes referenced the Book of Jeremiah: “You will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
“There’s so many things we practice and … try to perfect in our life,” Hughes said, “and for some reason, when it comes to our Christian faith, we don’t put the same emphasis on it. And what I see in the Scripture is just that need to come before the Lord. It’s all his grace.” Hughes and Sylvester recently joined “Practicing Catholic” host Patrick Conley to discuss the men’s retreat for an episode debuting at 9 p.m. Jan. 21 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM and repeating at 1 p.m. Jan. 22 and 2 p.m. Jan. 23.
The North Suburban Catholic Watchmen Men’s Retreat will be held Feb. 16-18 at the Franciscan Retreat Center in Prior Lake. It will include evening prayer Friday and Saturday nights, time for the rosary, Mass on Saturday and Sunday mornings, confession Saturday and three talks. Time is reserved for rest, renewal and re-focus, Sylvester said, and for praise, worship and small group sharing.
Greg Hughes
Catholic Watchmen is a men’s initiative in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Hughes, who has been involved with the retreats for 13 years, will give one of the presentations. He plans to encourage attendees to identify areas of sin in their lives and realize that God’s love “goes beyond all of that.” “The Holy Spirit is empowering us to allow us to grow in our walk with the Lord,” he said.
The retreat fosters ongoing accountability and relationships, Hughes said. “I think it’s a great way just to get on the same page with your brothers, to be able to pray with each other, accept each other where each other are at, but most of all, just start forming relationships. We need relationships with other men.”
Men walk away renewed, Sylvester said. “We have seen men be open and honest about the struggles for perhaps one of the first times in their lives around other men,” he said. “It’s been awesome.”
The retreat is an opportunity to allow God to work in one’s life, Hughes said. “I think a lot of times, men are afraid,” he said. “They don’t want to be vulnerable, open up and share things. … But I would encourage them just to take that step,” he said, and to encourage others. “Just come and grow in their faith in the Lord and try to get to know some other men.”
To learn more about the Feb. 16-18 retreat and to register by the Feb. 3 deadline, visit churchofsaintpaul.com/mens-retreat. The $170 cost includes lodging and all meals.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes interviews with Emily Albrecht from the North Carolina-based Equal Rights Institute, and Jason Adkins, executive director and general counsel for the Minnesota Catholic Conference, who discuss how pro-life advocates can best engage with pro-choice advocates; and Eileen Moore from St. Mark in St. Paul, who describes how her parish builds a sense of community among parishioners.
Listen to all of the interviews after they have aired at
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