A TrueMan Fighting the Pro-Life Fight

There’s no question in my mind that abortion is a man’s issue.  I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again… if males were handling our business, women wouldn’t feel the need for abortion.  If we want the issue of abortion to go away, and for women, men, and children to receive healing, we must step up and fight.

One of my friends, my buddies, my other-brother-from-Our-Blessed-Mother is on the front lines of this battle, and I want to highlight him, his wife, his kids, and the people who are, literally, running along side him.  This man has a new role that he’s gearing up for as President of the Vitae Foundation, and on top of all of that, he is one of our nation’s heroes, an officer in the United States Air Force.

This man’s name is Lt. Col Pat Castle, PhD., and I’m blessed to know him and call him ‘brother’.  Several years ago, Pat and a few of his closest friends started a pro-life running ministry called “LIFE Runners“.  LIFE Runners has gone worldwide and has runners all over the place; running, praying, and raising money to end abortion.  It’s so powerful, they even convinced my non-running-self to run in the inaugural A+Cross America Relay.

Pat is relentless in his pursuits!  He is first and foremost a son of God, and a great husband, and a great father, and with great passion that never stops he is relentless in fighting the evil of abortion.  Vitae has honored him with the new role as President of the foundation, a great honor and a perfect spot for him to land after his long and illustrious Air Force career.  (Read about Pat and his VF role.)  Pat retires at the end of the month.

If you want to be inspired, and encouraged as a man who is willing to fight abortion, I’d get involved with Vitae, join LIFE Runners, and get Pat’s emails.  Everytime I hear from him, see something he posts, or see the aftermath that he leaves behind (GOOD aftermath!), I am undoubtedbly inspired.  Pat’s energy and efforts are effective.  There is no wasting time, no messin’ around… he gets the job done.

For all that you do and especially for the TrueMan that you are, HIGH FIVE to you, Pat!

TrueMan up!

Support TM – Shirts on Sale

Small ministries, like TrueManhood.com, rely on the faithful donations of men and women who believe in the mission of the ministry.  For that reason, I ask you to consider purchasing a TrueManhood.com t-shirt.  They are on sale at Aquinas and More at 30% off.  The sale of these shirts goes to help fund the various costs associated with running and maintaining a small ministry.  Currently, only one design is available – more may be available in the future.  The shirt contains the third stanza of The Divine Praises, a prayer that is prayed at the end of benediction.  The shirt reads: “Blessed Be Jesus Christ, True God and TrueMan.”

If you are local to Colorado Springs, you are welcome to head in to Aquinas and More Catholic Goods in person to save on shipping costs.

I trust that you may have similar experiences as I have had while wearing my shirt.  It takes guts to boldly witness to Christ’s truth, to His divinity and to His humanity.  Wear it with pride and be assured in your witness – “Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” – Matthew 5:10.

The story of how this stanza became the slogan for TrueManhood.com may sound simple – The Divine Praises came first, so obviously TrueManhood came from the prayer, right?  Nope.  When I decided to start the blog, I had a list of about 25 different names that I was thinking about using.  I finally decided on truemanhood and quickly checked to see if the web address was available for purchase.  It was, so I got it.  It wasn’t until approximately 9 months after having founded TrueManhood.com that I was kneeling in Adoration and it hit me.  Our priest was praying the prayers of benediction and as we do each Wednesday, the congregation repeated the prayers of The Divine Praises.  “Blessed Be God… Blessed Be His Holy Name… Blessed Be Jesus Christ, True God and True Man.”  It hit me!  What a perfect saying for TrueManhood.com!  I had heard this prayer hundreds of times – why hadn’t I noticed it before?!  I think it was God’s providence, allowing me to be affirmed in the apostolic work we were trying to accomplish as well as encouraged by understanding fully that God was watching over us.  He gives us what we can handle, when we can handle it.  This was a great day in the life of the ministry.

“Blessed Be Jesus Christ, True God and TrueMan!”

TrueMan up!

TrueManhood.com on CatholicTV.com

I’m excited to announce that TrueManhood.com will be featured on CatholicTV.com on Friday, August 27, 2010!  I am honored and privileged to have been invited onto their program called “This is the Day”.  The show airs on Friday, LIVE at 1030am EASTERN, with rebroadcasts all week.  Please join me in celebrating this new endeavor for our ministry!

Although I’ll only be visible via internet video (hopefully the technology works properly!), it will be a big step and lots of exposure for us!  Tune in.

For more information, please visit CatholicTV.com.

A Man, His Wife, a Snowmobile and Wide-open Spaces

I’m a lucky man.  I had the opportunity to get away this weekend with my wife.  We got away for a half day on Friday, stayed overnight and had a whole day together on Saturday.  With children, full-time jobs, a full-time ministry and life, we rarely get a full weekend together.  A big thanks goes out to my brother, a friend of ours and to my in-laws for their help in watching the kids while we were gone.

The overnight date was perfect, just what we needed.  A time with my best friend, a time of relaxation and rejuvenation, a time for some excitement and adventure.  On Friday, we traveled to a small mountain town about 2.5 hrs away.  When we arrived in town, the shop was ready for us.  We signed in, grabbed a helmet for each of us, then traveled about 3 miles outside of town to start our back country snowmobile trip.  We jumped on a touring sled and hit the trail.  We couldn’t have asked for a better day – the sky was blue, the sun was out, the snow was pristine.  It’s days like that when you really enjoy God’s creation… it was as if that day, God had created it all for us specifically.  We toured around for a few hours, enjoying the scenery, the cool wind and each other’s company.  The trip was incredible.

That night, we relaxed in a meager hotel room, enjoying each other’s company, the fact that we didn’t have to put any children to bed and the realization that there was no work in sight!  The next morning, we got up early to hit the slopes, enjoying a day of skiing at a favorite ski resort.  Again, God blessed us with an incredible day of blue skies, warm temps and time together.

What’s my point in telling you all about my wonderful overnight weekend getaway?  My point is simple: take time to rejuvenate yourself.  Find something – it doesn’t have to be snowmobiling and skiing – but find something that gives you life and make time for it in your life.  As a man who is a glutton for a busy life, I can attest to the facts of life and what a busy, stress-filled life can do to a man.  If you don’t have an outlet for your stress, your worries and your cares, they’ll catch up with you.  If you don’t have a source of energy to fill you up, you’ll continually give of yourself until you run dry.  For me, it was 1. time with my wife, alone without our children 2. time away from my computer, work and projects and 3. an opportunity to do an activity (2, in this case) that was life-giving!  After this weekend, I’m ready to tackle my life and everything that life throws my way.

Whatever it is that you need in your life, be it a stress-reliever, a life-giving “fill up” or an outlet of any kind, make special time to make it happen.  It will do you, and the others you are entrusted with, a great deal of good.

Man up!

Upcoming Schedule for TrueManhood Ministry

Here’s some information on our upcoming schedule of events.  More events will be scheduled as they come up.  If you’re interested in booking Dave for your event, parish, school, retreat, conference or group, please email us at Info@TrueManhood.com and someone on our staff will get back to you soon!

November 18 – on Sirius Radio Channel 159 (XM 117) with “The Catholics Next Door“.  1120am EST (920am EST).  Topic TBD.

November 20 – in New Jersey at Montclair State University’s Annual Catholic Thanksgiving Party.  Including Ramapo College.  Topic: “The Battles We Face as Young Adult Catholics in the Modern World”.
December 17 – on with Joe McClane “The Catholic Hack“.

December 31 – in Florida at the FOCUS National Conference 2010.  Speaking to the Men at the Men’s Impact Sessions.  Topic: “Fighting for Manliness” – For men who want to dive into the realities of the battle for men’s souls.  What is manliness, why is it being attacked and how do we fight to save it?

January 8 – on with Mark Houck and Damian Wargo (The King’s Men) on Holy Spirit Catholic Radio in Philadelphia. Topic: Man stuff.

February 20 or 27 – @ St. Mary’s Catholic Parish in Littleton, CO.  Confirmation Retreat.

March 7 – USAFA TEC Retreat – Topic: Discipleship “Imitate Me as I Imitate Christ”

March/April DATE TBD – on with CatholicTV.  More details coming on this.