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Men of Signum Crucis, I was amazed and inspired at the huge turnout at our August gathering–24 new men joined the fraternity that evening, and close to 90 men total attended, clearly making this gathering the largest ever. This happens just as we turn the corner and begin our third year as a fraternity of men seeking to know Christ better through Study, Devotion, and Service. Thank you, veteran men, for the invitations you extended to the 24 new men in our group, and for the hospitality you showed them that evening. I hope that all of you new men will come as often as you can–my hope is that you can be with us on September 18 as we officially inaugurate our third year.
What is the “Men of Signum Crucis”? It seems that some in our community may be confused regarding our purpose and mission. Our motto says it all: “Fraternity through Study, Devotion, and Service.” That’s it. We strive to offer resources to any man close enough to attend our monthly gatherings to grow in his faith, so that he can be a Christ-like leader in his family and/or circle of friends. Every time we gather, men will be given something to learn (Study) or in some way be taught another way to worship (Devotion) God, to deepen their faith.
Men, we must be balanced in our knowledge of God and in our love of God. Often, we men will gravitate toward the head and not the heart. To the extent that we are not balanced between these two aspects, we risk not being able to withstand the pressures of our culture, or “bad times” that we inevitably will encounter along the way.
The balanced Man of Signum Crucis has this fraternity to fall back on when times are tough and he needs a little encouragement. The balanced Man of Signum Crucis can always count on men in the fraternity to model themselves after. The balanced Man of Signum Crucis can always count on this fraternity as a place to which he can bring his son, father, grandfather, uncle, nephew, cousin, or friend to become that leader in his family–always!
I don’t want to dwell on numbers to gauge any level of success–clearly the quality of you men means much more than the quantity. But, let’s face it–our fraternity becomes more complete when we can rub elbows with men of every ilk. There is a level of comfort when we show up to an unknown place and we discover that there are men there who are “like us.” So, for the sake of other men who will come in the future (and for yourselves), invite another man to come with you on September 18. It will make the Men of Signum Crucis more complete–a microcosm of the Body of Christ.
Catholicism and the Culture
As a follow up to the topic of last month, I wanted to emphasize how important it is to consider how the culture of the Catholic Church should be the culture that we seek–and that it is up to us to build this culture in our piece of the Kingdom of God. Let us strive to build even more the Catholic culture in our fraternity so we can be sure to make the impact on our wives, children, families, and loved ones that God has created each of us to make (and only you know what that means in your situation).
I had only a little time to say at our August gathering that, especially in these times, we must be a fraternity (and a Church) of prayer, fasting, and sacrifice. I have asked one of our members to follow up on that theme at a future gathering, so we can share and learn from each other what best practices for prayer, fasting, and sacrifice are, and to gain some encouragement from one another. More on that later.
Men of Signum Crucis T-Shirts
Men of Signum Crucis t-shirts were made available at our August gathering (a photo of the shirt is attached to this email). I am aware that some who were present that evening did not get a shirt due to running out of some sizes. I have placed an order for more shirts and they will be available at our September 18 gathering. Please respond via this Google Form to reserve your t-shirt for pick up on September 18–you’ll need to be present to get your shirt. Some sizes will be limited, so submit your reservation now. One t-shirt per man. There is no charge for the t-shirt, and the only requirement is that you wear it. The intent is to get people in our community to ask you about the Men of Signum Crucis, and wearing this shirt will be a great way to evangelize your family, friends, parish, and community.
Help Needed at Women’s Retreat!
I am pleased that we have been asked again to help the ladies at their Women’s Retreat this fall on the evening of Friday, November 1 and all day on Saturday, November 2 at the Cana Hall (St. Joseph Cathedral). We have been asked to fill six time slots with four men at each time slot, so I’ll need up to 24 men to step up to help either set up on October 31, help with registration on November 1, help serve food on November 1 or 2, etc. Click on this Google Form to see more details and to sign up to help.
Men who volunteer will be able to listen to presentation(s) from the retreat master, Father Leo Patalinghug. I saw him in Indianapolis and was greatly impressed (and humored) by his very lively presentations. Volunteering in and of itself is always worth your time, but to see Father Leo is “icing on the cake” (no pun intended). Click on this link to see a brief YouTube video on Father Leo.
I am greatly thankful to Barb Prasad and the ladies who helped at our First Annual “Heart of a Hero” Men’s Conference this past Spring. Now it’s our turn to serve again.
Men Needed to Help Get Out the Vote to Turn Down the Amendment to Enshrine Abortion in the Missouri Constitution
I thought I would never see the day when things could get worse regarding the acceptance of abortion in Missouri, but Amendment 3, which is on the ballot on November 5, would do just that.
In the many years following Roe v. Wade, Missouri legislators and governors slowly chipped away at the practice of abortion, and finally, after the Dobbs case in 2022, the legislature and governor had our laws in the right place that abortion was prohibited. Now, if Amendment 3 passes, all progress is reversed and abortion will be permitted (in some cases up to the time of delivery).
I am grateful that Man of Signum Crucis Brian Johnson has taken the lead for us and plans to bring 40 yard signs to our gathering on September 18. As leaders in our community, you have the opportunity to
● Pick up a sign on September 18 and quickly place it in your yard in a highly visible place
● Vote No on November 5, and encourage family members and friends to do the same
● Learn more about Amendment 3 so you can dispel any myths about its supposed benefits for women
Men, to defeat Amendment 3 will not be an easy task. We know that many on each side of the state appear to be in favor of this amendment, and so it will be a huge task to outvote them.
This all being said, I want you to know that soliciting your help on this initiative is as close as I will ever get to politics within the Men of Signum Crucis. I will never publicly speak about political candidates tied to party affiliation in any of our events, nor will I permit others to take the microphone to do so.
But this is not political–it is a referendum that crosses party lines, and therefore people of all persuasions should work together to reinstate the Catholic culture and our strong belief in the sanctity of human life that Jesus taught.
Our motto is Fraternity through Study, Devotion, and Service. This is our opportunity to provide service in a very needed way to defend women and children. Please get involved in this effort and get your wife, children, family, and friends to go to the polls on November 5 to vote no on Amendment 3.
Our Next Gathering–September 18
Our next gathering, as I have alluded to throughout this newsletter, is on September 18. As a reminder, twice each year we defer the specific Study or Devotion topics and focus on the quintessential Study and Devotion–the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Mass will begin at 6:30p, and it will be offered by our Chaplain, Father Paul Clark, for the intention of the repose of the soul of our brother, Mike Rackers. Please come on September 18 as we continue to pray for the soul of Mike Rackers, a key member of our Planning Group, who passed away on May 27.
September 18 will kick off our third year as a fraternity, and I know that Mike is immensely proud of the work it has taken to get to this point. Please come on September 18 to honor and pray for Mike.
Rosary, as always, will begin at 6:00p in the Chapel for those who can arrive early.
Food and fellowship will follow in the Commons after Mass.
In Conclusion…
I hope you are thinking about that one new man (or two) whom you plan to bring with you to our September 18 gathering.
We are called to be disciples, and as disciples we have a calling to spread the Gospel in whatever way we can. Bringing someone new to our monthly Gatherings is a great way to fulfill our missionary calling.
Thank you for your fidelity to the Men of Signum Crucis. Your dedication to this growing apostolate is inspiring. I pray that you are growing in your faith each month, and that you will always invite other men to join us.
Men, don’t forget to express your gratitude to your priests as often as possible. Thank them after each Mass you attend for giving you the opportunity to receive the Real Presence of Jesus himself.
And, let us never forget: St. Joseph “chose hard.” Let’s choose to do the same.
St. Joseph, Foster Father of the Son of God, and patron saint of the Men of Signum Crucis, pray for us.
In hoc signo, vinces,
Mark Rehagen
P. S. In hoc signo, vinces: https://veterumsapientia.org/in-hoc-signo-vinces/
Future Gatherings:
● September 18, 2024 (The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass)
● October 16, 2024 (Ed Galbraith on the Four Dogmas of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
● November 20, 2024 (Adoration and Confession)
● December 18, 2024 (Father Dylan Schrader on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit)
● January 15, 2025, the Shroud of Turin, the Eucharistic Miracles, and the Stigmata
Mark your Calendars now
2nd Annual “Heart of a Hero” Men’s Conference–April 25-26, 2025