Bishop's Blog

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Call to Catholic Men of Faith

It’s time to mark your calendars for the
Call to Catholic Men of Faith. The tenth annual Men’s
March and Mass will be held Saturday, May 11, 2013. All men of the diocese—young and old,
married, single, religious, and our priests—are invited to gather at the Peoria riverfront and
march to the Cathedral of St. Mary for Holy Mass.
In this Year of Faith, Pope Benedict XVI called for Catholics all over the world to grow in their
knowledge of the Faith and joyfully witness to the love of Jesus Christ by their very lives. A
rapidly expanding secularism has made witnessing to Christ all the more challenging in recent
years, and the recent HHS Mandate has placed a particular heavy burden and challenge upon the
Catholic Church in the United States. Now, more than ever in recent history, we, as Catholics
are being called to take a stand for our Faith, as the secularists attempt to negate and silence the
Church. The Year of Faith is prompting Catholic men, in particular, to rise up in defense of
Faith, Freedom, Family and the Priesthood.
The tenth annual Call to Catholic Men of Faith will begin with a 9:45 a.m. gathering at Liberty
Park on Peoria’s riverfront. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available at the riverfront
before the Rally. Following a few opening remarks and an inspirational presentation by Fr.
Adam Stimpson, Chaplain of Peoria Notre Dame, a Rosary March will begin towards Cathedral of St. Mary, where I will celebrate Holy Mass. Fellowship and lunch, in the Spalding Pastoral Center, will be available following our Eucharistic celebration.
I would be honored if you and the men of your parish would support and attend this march and
Mass. With St. Joseph, the patron of this annual event, let us give thanks to God the Father
through our Lord Jesus Christ as we march and pray together celebrating our Catholic Faith.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
+Most Reverend Daniel R. Jenky,
Bishop of Peoria