The National Men’s Conference is a one-day event filled with virtue, inspirational speakers, fellowship, networking and spiritual growth. Hosted in Cincinnati at Xavier University on March 25, its goal is to bring men together in faith, regardless of where they may be on their faith journey.

“[The conference’s] sole mission is to strengthen men to be the best versions of themselves through Jesus Christ and to fellowship with each other, helping iron sharpen iron,” said Joe Condit, founder and chairman of the National Men’s Conference. “Our goal is to grow men in Christ and change their habits for the better by giving them the fellowship and resources to do it, plain and simple.”

The conference is bringing in some powerhouse speakers to help inspire the men who travel from across the country to attend the event. The headliner is Jonathan Roumie, known for his role as Jesus on the popular show The Chosen about the life of Christ. Roumie publicly professes and speaks about surrendering to God and His Will. This past January, at the National March for Life in Washington D.C., Roumie spoke passionately about how faith can change us.

“Having played the Son of God for the last three seasons on a television show… I’ve spent a lot of time dwelling in the realm of spirit. Through prayer, meditation, and the sacraments of my faith, let me tell you. It changes you from the inside out, and that’s a good thing, but it can be scary. Because, you see, you begin to see the truth manifest itself in all areas of your life, like a veil that’s been lifted… and you can’t unsee what you have seen,” he said.

Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr will celebrate Mass at the conference, beginning the day by leading the men with an inspirational homily.

Known for his always-present smile and unparalleled intellect, Bishop Earl Fernandes of the Diocese of Columbus and former priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati will speak on “Being the Best Man You Can Be.”

True to the conference’s mission of creating “focus on all men of Christ’s Church, equipping them with the means and resources necessary to carry out His work,” the conference has recruited speakers outside the box, including His Royal Highness, Archduke Christian Habsburg-Lorraine of Austria. The Archduke is the direct descendant of Blessed Karl of Austria and will speak on who we are called to be as Catholic leaders.

Father Robert Spitzer, known for his work on EWTN and his personal journey as a blind priest, will share his own stories of inspiration, overcoming adversity, and finding God in hardships. Father Spitzer will highlight how we are all part of the Body of Christ.

Sports fans everywhere, especially in Cincinnati, will have the rare treat to hear a panel of NFL team members and staff of the Cincinnati Bengals speak on faith. Guests include assistant coach Mark Duffner and center Ted Karras, as well as the team’s chaplain Father Tom Wray.

In addition to the onsite inspiration at the men’s conference, the planning team has built an online space for ongoing connection and inspiration.

“The social connect platform my team and I built gives all men who attend in person or virtually the ability to connect with each other, [and foster] fellowship, communication, networking and friendship. We will be using this platform throughout the year to launch and maintain men’s groups,” said Condit. “This platform is also where men will get real time updates and be able to interact with the live Q&As the day of the conference. It is a revolutionary technology we are excited to execute connecting men at the conference and all year around like never before.”

For those who cannot attend in person, the event will be live-streamed, making it available worldwide for any who would like to attend virtually.

For more information on the conference, including registration, live-streaming, and the social connect platform, visit NationalMensConference.com.

This article appeared in the March 2023 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.