Rise up to live your call to holiness and be a saint, speaker says

Hector Molina enthusiastically addresses participants on Sept. 20 during the Indiana Catholic Men’s Conference at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown. (Photo by Sean Gallagher)

By Sean Gallagher

In the final session of the conference, Hector Molina reflected on how each of the participants was called to holiness and to be missionaries.

“Each and every one of us has been created for holiness, to be a saint,” said Molina, a staff member of Catholic Answers, an El Cajon, Calif.-based apologetics and evangelization organization. “There are two groups of people in this world—the saints and the ain’ts. To which group do you belong? It’s a fundamental question.”

Molina said that, for many of the men at the conference, growing in holiness and sharing the faith with others must include remembering the ultimate purpose of their vocation to marriage and family life—the eternal salvation of their wives and children.

Working to materially support one’s family is important, but not enough, Molina said.

“That pales in comparison to our fundamental obligation, which is not simply to bring home a paycheck and put food on the table, but to lead our wives and children to heaven,” he said. “Do you not know that your mission as a husband is to lead your wives to Christ? Your mission as a father—my mission as a father—is to lead your babies to heavenly glory, to show them the way to the Father, to show them who God is, to show them who they are in him.”

Beyond the family home, Molina exhorted his listeners to consider the role that they, as Catholic men, can play in renewing the world at large.

“The world is on fire, and it’s not with the fire of God’s love,” Molina said. “It’s with the fire of hatred, the anti-fire. Our job is to counter that hate with love, to counter all the evils of society with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

“It’s time for us to rise up as men of God and to live out the full meaning of our creed, to live out our baptismal promises, to live for God. It’s never too late to do that.”

‘Iron sharpens iron’

During a break at the conference, one young adult attendee spoke about the power the event had on him when he first attended four years ago after being invited by his father.

“At the time, I was not going to church,” said Paul Hengesbach, 34, a member of St. Bartholomew Parish in Columbus. “Father Larry Richards [of Pennsylvania] was speaking at that time. And what he said during that day really, really touched my heart. I really, truly felt the Holy Spirit at that moment.

“And it was at that moment that I re-dedicated myself in my faith journey. And that’s where I am today.”

Hengesbach referred to Proverbs 27:17 when explaining why it was important for Catholic men to gather together in renewing their faith.

“I think about the proverb, ‘Iron sharpens iron,’ he said. “I think it’s really important for men to be around other men to witness their faith and our unique nature, what makes us men. Maybe it’s important for us to spend one day out of the whole year to be around other men to grow a little bit deeper in their faith.” †

 

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