We submitted two articles for publication in the secular media, the first one for southeastern Ohio and the second for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Being a native of Cleveland, we slanted the second article toward Fr. Thomas Loya. Also below are more detailed bios of both of our featured speakers: Fr. Thomas Loya and Reid Carpenter. You may either click on the links in the articles or simply copy and paste onto your web browser.
DIOCESE OF STEUBENVILLE MEN'S DAY OF RENEWAL SATURDAY IN MARIETTA |
| Fr. Thomas Loya |
 |
| Reid Carpenter |
Published in the Gallipolis Daily Tribune March 31, 2011
The Catholic Diocese of Steubenville has a part in an explosion of men's conferences around the country. It is sponsoring a Men's Day of Renewal this Saturday, April 2 from 9 am to 3 pm in the magnificent St. Mary's Church in Marietta. The theme is: “Becoming a true man of God”. A visit alone to that proposed basilica with its exquisite works of art and mosaic icon from Italy is worth the trip.
The men will meet and leave in a van at 7 am at the St. Louis Church Parish Hall and have great fellowship on the way. Last year the men returned refreshed spiritually, reinvigorated, and enthusiastic. Expect the same this year. Most impressive is the Mass concelebrated by the Bishop with about 25 pastors who accompanied their men. All 270 of them sang with such enthusiasm that the walls reverberated. The participants are moved by the beauty and power of the faith. Non-Catholics are also welcome.
The goal of the Men's Day of Renewal is to focus on the spiritual development of the men of our diocese. Having spiritually strong men of faith and character translates into more solid families, more dynamic parishes, and better communities. These are crucial to the Church, now and in the future, not to mention the critical need of nurturing vocations. Set the men on fire and renew not only the parish, but the entire diocese.
Too often the women are the pillars of the parish. It is essential that the men take the spiritual lead in the family and in the parish. Then the probability that the children will remain faithful to the Church in later life more than triples to about 70% as compared to the mother alone taking the lead according to research. If the men can get into good spiritual shape, we'll have stronger families. That means stronger parishes and ultimately a stronger America, thus transforming Society.
Fr. Thomas Loya, pastor of Annunciation of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church in Homer Glen, IL, is the morning speaker. As a seminarian in Rome, Fr. Loya first learned the Theology of the Body from John Paul II himself, who introduced it during a long series of general audiences. Today, he is an internationally known authority and speaker on the subject. Fr. Loya will show the beauty of sex as God intended and the wisdom of Church teachings on human sexuality to help you be a better husband, father, or single person in preparation for marriage or the celibate life. You can hear Fr. Loya on EWTN radio (ewtn.com) on Sundays at 11:30 am. TaborLife.com details his network internet radio programs and retreat activities. He has appeared on EWTN television (ewtn.com) and has been a guest speaker at conventions around the world including World Youth Day 2002.
Reid Carpenter, the afternoon speaker, has served since 2001 as president of the Leadership Foundations of America (www.leadershipfoundations.org), a network of 30 local organizations, including the faith-based Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation which he founded to “Connect Leaders, Change Lives, Transform Cities”, both materially and spiritually. After many years as a nationally known evangelical leader, he discovered the truth of the Catholic Church and converted despite the risks to his career and friendships. Reid has been an adviser to numerous business corporations and community faith-based organizations, particularly in regard to youth and families, and the Value of the Person Movement in labor relations that fosters Labor-Management cooperation and problem solving.
It should be a great day of enjoyable fellowship and spiritual invigoration. But most of all, through grace, there will be a few more good spiritually strong men for the kingdom of God in the battle against secularism and other evils and problems that our troubled society must confront.......men --not spiritual weaklings and wimps-- who will put Christ into their professions. Finally, the men will become more knowledgeable, firmer in their faith, and better prepared for a more joyful Easter, not to mention a greater closeness to God and eternity which life on earth is all about.
Although registrations will be accepted at the door, please call Paul Sebastian at 245-9404 to facilitate planning.
CLEVELAND NATIVE FEATURED SPEAKER AT STEUBENVILLE DIOCESE MEN'S CONFERENCE
Submitted to the Cleveland Plain Dealer
Fr. Thomas Loya, a Byzantine Rite Catholic priest of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy (i.e., Diocese) of Parma and a native of Cleveland, is the featured speaker this coming Saturday morning, April 2 during the Steubenville Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal at the magnificent St. Mary's Church in Marietta. A visit alone to that proposed basilica with its exquisite works of art and mosaic icon from Italy is worth the trip. The theme of the Conference is “Becoming a True Man of God”. It's really a homecoming since Fr. Loya, also an artist and iconographer, grew up in Seven Hills, where his parents still reside, and was baptized at the old St. Joseph Byzantine Catholic Church on Orleans Avenue. He is currently the pastor of Annunciation of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church in Homer Glen, Illinois, near Joliet.
His topic is “Theology of the Body as an Aid to Becoming a True Man of God.......Within Marriage and Outside of Marriage”. As a seminarian in Rome in the early 1980s, Fr. Loya first learned the Theology of the Body from John Paul II himself when the Pontiff first introduced it during 133 weekly general audiences from 1979 to 1984. Fr. Loya was so enthralled by the subject that he studied it further and is now a nationally known expert, giving talks around the country and abroad. He will show the beauty of sex as God intended and the wisdom of Church teachings on sexuality to help the men to become better husbands and fathers or single persons in preparation for either marriage or the celibate life. The participants will have the opportunity to understand the “why's” of church teaching on human sexuality with the biblical basis and the reasoning behind it.
He has appeared on EWTN television and is the host of two radio programs, “A Body of Truth” and “Light of the East” which can be heard on ByzantineCatholic.com, CatholicRadioInternational.com, ewtn.com (Sunday 11:30 am Eastern), and EWTN radio affiliates in more than 60 cities across the United States. He has directed many retreats (www.TaborLife.com) and has been a guest speaker at conventions around the world including World Youth Day 2002. See www.TheologyoftheBody.net for more information, books, DVDs, CDs, etc. by Fr. Loya and other experts. His picture recently appeared in the October 24, 2010 issue of the national Catholic weekly, Our Sunday Visitor.
Fr. Thomas Loya was a professional artist, having graduated from the Cleveland Institute of the Arts and having worked for Winterich Studios of Cleveland which does church interiors, before being called to the priesthood. He used those talents to build St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church in Solon, where he was pastor through the 1980s. Traveling southeast on Route 43 from Solon toward Sea World, one will see a rustic church on the left (Rt. 43 & Liberty Rd) with a gigantic icon of St. John painted on the facade. Fr. Loya himself painted it and many of the icons inside. Then after being transferred to Joliet, Illinois, he similarly built and painted another church, which he currently pastors.
Reid Carpenter, the afternoon speaker, has served since 2001 as president of the Leadership Foundations of America (www.leadershipfoundations.org), a network of 30 local organizations, including the faith-based Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation which he founded to “Connect Leaders, Change Lives, Transform Cities”, both materially and spiritually. After many years as a nationally known evangelical leader, he discovered the Catholic Church and converted despite the risks to his career and friendships. Reid has been an adviser to numerous business corporations and community faith-based organizations, particularly in regard to youth and families, and the Value of the Person Movement in labor relations that fosters Labor-Management cooperation and problem solving.
Very impressive is the enthusiasm that the men show in their singing and participation as they return refreshed and reinvigorated spiritually, all of which is contagious.
BIOS ON THE TWO FEATURED SPEAKERS
Theme of the Conference – Becoming a True Man of God
Fr. Thomas J. Loya
Title of the Talk: Theology of the Body as an Aid to Becoming a True Man of God.......
Within Marriage and Outside of Marriage
As a seminarian in Rome in the early 1980s, Fr. Loya first learned the Theology of the Body from John Paul II himself when the Pontiff first introduced it during 133 of his weekly general audiences from 1979 to 1984. He will show the beauty of sex as God intended it and the wisdom of Church teachings on sexuality to help you be a better husband, father, or single person in preparation for either marriage or the celibate life. Fr. Loya, also an artist and iconographer, is currently the pastor of Annunciation of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church in Homer Glen, IL. He has appeared on EWTN television and is the host of two radio programs, “A Body of Truth” & “Light of the East” which can be heard on ByzantineCatholic.com, CatholicRadioInternational.com, ewtn.com (Sunday 11:30 am Eastern), and EWTN radio affiliates in more than 60 cities across the United States. He has directed many retreats (TaborLife.com) and has been a guest speaker at conventions around the world including World Youth Day 2002. See www.TheologyoftheBody.net for more information, books, DVDs, CDs, etc. by Fr. Loya and other experts. His picture recently appeared in the October 24 issue of Our Sunday Visitor.
Reid Carpenter
Title of the Talk: True Men of God as Servant Leaders in the Parish, the Community, on the Job,
and Especially as the Spiritual Leaders of Their Families.
Reid Carpenter has served since 2001 as president of the Leadership Foundations of America (LFA) (www.leadershipfoundations.org), a network of 30 local organizations, including the faith-based Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation which he founded. With almost 45 years of experience in community-based ministry and management, being motivated by his faith to work toward solving our social problems, he leads and directs the mission of LFA to “Connect Leaders, Change Lives, Transform Cities”, both materially and spiritually. After spending much of his professional life as a nationally known evangelical leader, he discovered the truth of the Catholic Church and converted, despite the risks to his career and friendships. Reid has been an adviser to many business corporations and faith-based organizations, particularly in regard to youth, families, and the Value of the Person Movement that fosters Labor-Management cooperation and problem solving. Carpenter and his wife, Carole, are the parents of four grown children.
********************************************************************************* St. Joseph, model of a true man of God , pray for us and for the success of the Men's Conference”
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