About 15 years ago, I attended my first men’s conference in Duluth, where Fr. Larry Richards delivered a powerful keynote at Marshall High School. His passionate message deeply impacted me and inspired me to renew my faith. From that point forward, I grew steadily in my spiritual life—carrying a rosary and keeping a Bible close at hand. My friend Gary and I attended several more conferences together in Duluth and St. Cloud until the events ended during COVID.

Three years ago, I felt called to revive this mission. In 2024, I began exploring possibilities. After confirming with local priests and diocesan staff that no conferences were planned, I gathered members from the Brainerd Knights of Columbus councils and the Fellowship of Men and Prayer group. I presented a detailed plan—including budget, committees, food, and ticketing—and we moved forward with organizing an event.

Initially, we hoped for 500 attendees and planned to use the Gichi Ziibi Center for the Arts. However, when registrations reached just over 100, we relocated to a church setting, which proved to be an excellent choice. The event was a success, with Fr. Scott delivering an inspiring keynote.

Planning the second annual conference presented new challenges, especially in securing a speaker within budget. After our initial speaker withdrew, we rescheduled the event from February to August. The second annual Catholic Men’s Conference is now set for August 22, 2026.

Our keynote speaker will be Deacon Arthur Miller from Hartford, Connecticut. He has held leadership roles such as director of the Archdiocese of Hartford’s Office for Black Catholic Ministries and served as a college chaplain. He is active nationwide as a preacher, spiritual director, and mentor, working especially with former gang members and homeless women through his ministry.

Deacon Miller is also an author and speaker on faith, social justice, and “Radical Love.” His book, The Journey to Chatham: Why Emmett Till’s Murder Changed America, reflects on his personal connection to Emmett Till and the civil rights movement.

The day will begin with Bishop Felton, followed by Deacon Miller. Additional speakers include Jim Stroot and Deacon Chad Knudson. Attendees can expect light breakfast items in the morning and a boxed lunch. Beverages will be available throughout the day.

Tickets are $40.00, with discounted rates for deacons, seminarians and youth ages 14–18, while priests attend at no cost. Registration is available through Eventbrite (see QR code). The conference begins with check-in and breakfast at 7:30 a.m., Bishop Felton will lead off at 9:00 a.m., followed by sessions, lunch with confessions, and afternoon talks. The day concludes with Mass at 4:00 p.m.