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The Crux of the Matter - April 2026
- Mark Rehagen
- Mar 26
- 8 min read
Men, we are embarking soon on the most Holy Week of the Year.
What will you do to properly observe it?
We start this Sunday with Palm Sunday. We’ll be asked to “do our part” and participate in saying that we want to let Jesus be crucified. What a way to start Holy Week….
But, it is for our sins that Jesus died. When he was on the Cross 2,000 years ago, he knew the sins of each one of us men in Mid-Missouri in April 2026. To be brutally honest, we deserve the shame to say, “Let Him be crucified” (Gospel of St. Matthew) during the reading of the Passion narrative on Palm Sunday, and on Good Friday, “Crucify Him” (Gospel of St. John).
But, our shame should not be retained in perpetuity. Actually, our shame must not be retained into perpetuity. Why? Because Jesus did not come to lay a guilt trip on us–he came to redeem us. He came to give us new life. He came to call sinners to eternal life, if we but believe in Him and accept the grace that He gives us.
It’s His Resurrection that we celebrate on Easter and on each Sunday of the year! Acknowledging that we are human and that we do fail from time to time, it’s God’s gift of His Son to us that saves us from our failings. It’s countercultural, no doubt, that God would do such a thing, but it’s far from impossible for God who is Omnibenevolent. Because God, who is omnibenevolence itself, could do nothing other than to send His Son to redeem us. You might say that redeeming us is in His DNA.
It is truly the most Holy Week of the year. I encourage each of you to observe and absorb it this year in the fullest way possible, by observing as many of these these seven events as possible:
1. Participate fully in the Palm Sunday Mass (and especially the reading of the Passion Narrative;
2. Attend the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of St. Joseph at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, at which your pastor will renew his priestly vows;
3. Attend the Holy Thursday Mass in your parish, at which the Institution of the Holy Eucharist and the Institution of the Priesthood are observed;
4. Attend the Seven Churches Pilgrimage in the Jefferson City area following Holy Thursday Mass. Check your bulletin for the details;
5. Attend participate fully in the Good Friday service at your parish, at which all will have the opportunity to reverence the Cross on which hung our Savior;
6. Get to Confession sometime during Holy Week if you have not been able to go recently. Check your parish bulletin for Confession times; and
7. Attend Easter Mass and celebrate all day on Easter Sunday and throughout the Easter Season, because “Jesus has risen, as he said.”
Celebrating Easter is what our Omnibenevolent God has in mind for us.
Men, this time, let the Resurrection of Our Savior really touch our hearts so that we turn away from any sinful habits from which we have worked so hard in Lent to rid ourselves. Let us wholeheartedly accept the invitation from Jesus to walk with him always.
Amen.
Don’t Miss the 2026 Heart of a Hero Men’s Conference
Men, the Heart of a Hero Men’s Conference just keeps getting better each year–you won't want to miss this special event on April 10 and 11.
As in the past, we will offer a keynote presentation on the Friday evening (April 10), followed by our famous Cigar and Bourbon Reception. Our speaker on Friday evening will be Pete Burak from Renewal Ministries in Michigan.
On Saturday, April 11, we will have presentations from Pete Burak (again), Msgr. Eugene Morris from St. Louis, and Father Stephen Jones from the Cathedral.
I am also very excited that three students at the University of Missouri will join us for one of our sessions, and through a Q & A session they will discuss the reasons for their faith. I very much look forward to introducing them to you at the Conference.
Also, as in the past, we will have Eucharistic Adoration, Confessions, and Benediction following a late morning Mass on that Saturday.
Mark your calendars now to deepen your faith with the best of the best in the Midwest. Register by clicking on this link to get to our Heart of a Hero Men’s Conference Registration site. See the flyer promoting our Conference at the bottom of this newsletter, and feel free to print it or forward it or this newsletter to any man wishing to deepen his faith with other great men.
Wow! Was That an Amazing Witness from Levi Frisbie, or What?
Men, I received so many very positive comments from you following the heartfelt witness of Levi Frisbie at our March gathering, and the timing could not have been better. Levi did a great job sharing his faith while teaching us some Theology as well.
Just when the Lent doldrums set in, in marches Levi Frisbie, the new FOCUS missionary completing his undergraduate Engineering degree at Missouri Science and Technology in May, and gives us all a large dose of Hope.
If you did not get a chance to talk to Levi after his presentation on March 18, or you would like to become a FOCUS Missionary Partner, please contact me at my email address or phone number listed at the bottom of this newsletter. Remember that Levi will defer taking a job after graduation and instead has chosen to take a leap of faith to become a fulltime missionary to young people, very likely on a large university campus here in the United States. As a FOCUS missionary, Levi will have to depend on many people to assist him financially. You can become a full-fledged Missionary Partner by reaching out to Levi and offering to make a pledge of financial support.
You'll be glad you did.
Thank you, Levi, for taking the time to be with us in March.
Other Ways to Nurture Your Faith in the Near Future
Men, it doesn’t take long to realize that the Jefferson City area offers so many ways to learn more about our faith or to become even more devoted to our faith. Here is a list of such events that will occur soon:
1. You won’t want to miss a one-evening pilgrimage led by Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers and Dr. Marcus Peter on Wednesday, April 29 at the Cathedral at 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. I can’t say enough about these two men who will lead the pilgrimage. You will leave the evening more knowledgeable and devoted to your faith. Both are on Catholic Radio on back to back shows–Deacon Harold Burke Sivers hosts a show at 3:00 p.m., and Dr. Marcus Peter hosts “Ave Maria in the Afternoon” at 4:00 p.m. I will be there, and I hope to see you there.
2. The 27th Annual Marian Conference in St. Louis on May 15-17 at the Renaissance Hotel near the airport provides some very excellent speakers and events. The conference is entitled, “The Hearts of the Holy Family: Mercy and Refuge.” Speakers include Raymond Cardinal Burke; Msgr. Eugene Morris; Father Bill Casey, C.P.M.; Father Mitch Pacwa, S.J.; Sister Gianna Casino, LIHM; and more. For information or to register, go to this website, or call 314-850-7718. I would attend this conference, but I will be traveling that weekend to celebrate my grandson’s First Holy Communion.
3. Do you want a physical challenge that will surely engender a deeper faith and devotion to St. Joseph? Register for the Joseph Challenge in St. Louis. This event will take place on May 2 and May 3, and is a 24-mile walking pilgrimage by way of four sites that are consecrated to St. Joseph–the parish of St. Joseph in Manchester; the Carmelite Monastery in Creve Coeur; St. Joseph Church in Ladue; and the Shrine of St. Joseph in downtown St. Louis. Click on this link to learn more and register. I hope to see you there.
Reasons for Hope (Part IV)
Men, if you are like me and enjoy observing that we have hope for the future of the Church, then join me at the 2026 Heart of a Hero Men’s Conference on April 10 and 11 at the Cathedral’s Cana Hall. Among other events, you will hear three young men who have either just graduated or will graduate from the University of Missouri-Columbia share their faith with us. Just like the witness from Levi in March, these young men will cause many of us to say to ourselves, “If they can be exuberant about their faith, then why should I not be also?”
So,
**Register Now for the 2026 Men’s Conference at
3rd Annual “Heart of a Hero” Men’s Conference–April 10-11, 2026
We need to invite and seek Hope into our lives. Why? Because, as St. Paul wrote, “Hope does not disappoint” (Romans 5:5).
Sponsorship Opportunities for the Men’s Conference
Men, if you or someone you know would like to be a sponsor for the 2026 Heart of a Hero Men’s Conference, please contact Donnell Rehagen, Larry Jansen, or Philip Schulte. If you don’t have their contact information, contact me at the phone number or email address at the bottom of this newsletter, and I will gladly put you in touch with one of these men.
Sponsorships are a great way to get your name or business recognized in several ways both before and during the conference, and of course help us keep our registration fees modest.
Thank you in advance for any thought you might give to a sponsorship on behalf of yourself or by someone you know.
Pray for Our Priests, Deacons, and Seminarians
Men, let us pray for Bishop O’Donnell, and all our priests, deacons, and seminarians–our hope for our future. Make sure when you see one, you let him know how much you appreciate his service to you and your family. Pray especially for Justin Francka, a Man of Signum Crucis and current seminarian who delivered a beautiful presentation to us in 2025.
Without our priests and future priests, we cannot receive the Holy Eucharist, which is our lifeline to heaven. It’s just that simple.
Let us all live virtuous lives that will produce vocations in our families and among our circle of friends.
Our Next Gathering–April 15, 2026
Our next Men of Signum Crucis gathering will convene on Wednesday, April 15. Father Stephen Jones will present to us on the Shroud of Turin. Men, if you have ever doubted, or know someone who does doubt, the existence of Jesus Christ or His resurrection, learning about the Shroud of Turin will ease those doubts. This is a Study of our faith that will lead us to further Devotion in our faith. I hope you get your taxes done early that day so you’ll have plenty of time to celebrate with us that evening.
Feel free to come early to pray the Rosary at 6:00 p.m. in the Chapel. Refreshments in the Commons will follow the presentation.
Please mark your calendars now to join your fraternity of men at Helias on April 15.
In Conclusion…
I hope each of you will bring another new man or two with you to our April gathering and the Heart of a Hero Men’s Conference–young or old, old or new. They’ll be glad you asked them. 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 spiritual events is a great way to fulfill our missionary calling.
And, let us never forget: St. Joseph “chose hard.” When given the choice, 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
573-680-2520
Future Events:
● April 15, 2026 (Father Stephen Jones, “The Shroud of Turin”)
● May 20, 2026 (Adoration, Benediction, and Confession in the Chapel)
● June 17, 2026 (Father Gabriel Landis, O.S.B., “Benedictine Spirituality”)
● July 15, 2026 (Topic yet to be determined)
**Click on this link to register for the
3rd Annual “Heart of a Hero” Men’s Conference–April 10-11, 2026**
