DEKALB—Speaking at the Great Lakes Catholic Men’s Conference in DeKalb on  Nov. 22, Father Robert Barron, founder of the global media ministry Word on Fire, said that no figure in the Bible is given an experience of God who is not later sent on a mission.

“There’s something propulsive about the Christian life,” Father Barron said. “Once God sees you, He sends you.”

Perhaps that accounts for the full house at Northern Illinois University’s Duke Ellington Ballroom, where a sold-out crowd of 1,000 men gathered at the second longest-running Catholic men’s conference in the country.

They arrived from across northern Illinois to hear messages of faith and love, and to consider what it means to be a Catholic man.

“It’s hard to be a Catholic man, especially today,” country music artist Collin Raye said, as he delivered a heart-wrenching story about the death of his 10-year-old granddaughter, Hayley.

Raye said it’s natural for men to be protective of his family, and to feel as if he can fix anything. But when his daughter’s first-born child fell ill and her condition continued to worsen, Raye was helpless.

And the miracle he prayed for never materialized.

“All He really wants you to do is drop to your knees and say, ‘Lord, Your will be done,’” Raye said. “At the end of the day, He’s God and you’re not.”

Today, Raye said he wants people to see that he is on the road performing and smiling, and that he’s moving forward. But that doesn’t mean Hayley’s death hurts any less.

“You don’t get over it,” he said. “You learn to live with it. And you praise Him anyway.”

Father Max Striedl, Jr. has been spiritual director of the event for 16 years, and he said it’s important for men to understand that the image society puts forth of real manhood his often false, and sometimes damaging.  

“It’s not about my life revolving around me,” Striedl said. “Here, we get to talk about what it means to be a servant of God and live that out in our lives. We see other men who have the same struggles and desires.”

Striedl said the conference is like a filing station where men can get their spiritual tank filled, an analogy that was shared by David Knapp, 46, of Batavia, who was attending for the second time.

“I think it’s important to feed your faith,” Knapp said. “It’s not going to happen by itself.”

Another second-time attendee was Phillip Ferrari, 71, of Algonquin, a cradle Catholic who prays the Rosary every morning, yet for many years paid little attention to his spiritual life.

“I never really participated,” Ferrari said. “I never did much with my faith. I started on the road to recovery two years ago.”

For Ron Nakis, 17, of Huntley, the conference was an eye-opening experience.

“To hear a bunch of guys sing, ‘Lord I Need You,’ and to have complete silence in adoration of the sacrament,” Nakis said, “that was just beautiful.”

Wayne Messmer, who has served as conference emcee for several years, opened the morning by leading a rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. His baritone voice filled the ballroom as it has filled Wrigley Field, the United Center and other popular sports venues. For the past three decades, Messmer has become well known as “the guy who sings the anthem” at many Chicago sporting events.

Messmer touched only briefly on his own story of faith. Twenty years ago he was shot in the throat during an armed robbery attempt. It was a miracle he was able to talk again, let alone regain his singing voice. But he did, and now he returns to the conference each year with unsurpassed enthusiasm, as if still feeding off the joy of having survived at all, much less recovered sufficiently to sing the Our Father to a rapt audience of Catholic men.

“You can’t let (that feeling) fade,” Messmer said. “That is the challenge that comes with surviving.”

The Great Lakes Catholic Men’s Conference has now survived 20 years, and appears to be gaining strength. Along with Raye and Barron, this year’s speakers included Eric Scheidler, executive director of the Pro-Life Action League, and John Pridmore, author of the international best-seller, “From Gangland to Promised Land.” The event closed with Mass Bishop David Malloy celebrating Mass with a crowd significantly larger than in recent years.

Striedl said he is hopeful the conference will provide support and momentum for individual parish men’s groups, which in turn will help the conference continue to thrive.

“There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be going another 20 years,” said Striedl. “It’s very exciting to see so many men willing to commit this day to their faith, and to strengthen their devotion to the Lord and to their loved ones.”