Men Awakening to Spirituality

The mission of MATS is to awaken men spiritually by welcoming them on a journey of faith, fellowship, and love, and to develop a personal relationship with our Lord, Jesus Christ.

How do we do this? MATS is a place when a man can come and talk to other men in a safe, confidential environment. MATS is a 6 session program that meets in the fall and features speakers that deal with topics that are relevant to men's lives. The men then form small groups to discuss how the topic works in their life. MATS provides a welcoming, social and spiritual environment that welcomes all men.

2007 Fall Series

Date	Speaker/Topic
Sep. 10	Second Annual Barbecue & Father Bonacci double-header: Barbecue starts at 6:30. Please bring something to contribute. Father Bonacci will speak on "Why Do I Do What I Do? Father Tom will help us explore our motives for our actions. Have you ever wondered why you behave or respond in certain ways? What people and events have shaped you life? Father Tom is a well known Retreat Master and speaker. His message is always thought-provoking, his delivery style is entertaining, and he will help us better understand ourselves.
Sep. 17	Paul Kupras - The Great Commissioin: Follow Paul's Travels to Africa Mark 16:15 tells us to “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation”. Paul shares his trip to Africa last summer. Why did Paul take the trip and what did he learn from it? Come and share your journey of faith.
Oct 1	Dan Kalashian - But I'm Too Busy....To Join a Ministry Many men want to join a ministry or in some way do God’s work, but feel that they are just too busy; between family, work and hobbies, how do I find the time?. Dan will share with us his transformation from being too busy for God’s work to doing God’s work in his life and finding time to do the really important things.
Oct 8	Fr. Terry O'Malley - Addiction: The addictive personality, how to recognize it, what to do with it. Webster’s Dictionary defines addiction as “devoted or given up to a practice or habit , especially a bad habit.” When addiction is mentioned, one usually associates it with drugs or alcohol, but by definition, we can be addicted to anything that demands a deeper devotion than what is healthy for our lives. Father Terry will share with us the traits of an addictive personality, how we or others recognize it and how we can address it.
Oct. 22	Bob Maselli - Anger Management Why do I blow up all the time? Why do I feel on edge all the time? How does my anger sabotage my life? Is my reaction appropriate for the situation? Bob Maselli, a FMCC and facilitator of numerous anger management classes, will share with us his insights into anger management and how we can manage ourselves.
Oct. 29	Dr. Ron Davis - Are you Really a Pro-Life Christian? Excerpts: The overriding motive is the underlying love of Jesus Christ. Be pro Eternal life. We are to be pro life to the environment and animals, all of God’s creations. When you minister to the least of these, you are doing that to ME. The pain in my heart over the loss of life in abortion is the pain of God in my heart. You, and you alone, the Christian man, is the Christian preservation of a decaying world. Join us for Ron’s biblically based presentation of being a Pro-Life Christian.

Our Speakers:

Paul Kupras has been a longtime member of Saint Raymond is actively involved in Kairos, Cursillo, and Men in the Morning choir.

Dan Kalashian was inactive both as a Dublin resident and a member of St. Raymond’s Parish for many years. He thinks of himself as having been dormant before awakening to the Call of our Lord. He was blessed when Fr. Patrick Goodwin invited Dan to participate in a Cursillo back in February 98, and continues to be blessed by many wonderful members of St. Raymond’s Parish such as Bruce Patchin, Paul Kupras, Tom & Lois Ganley and Dan Mahoney. He continues to be active in the uplifting Cursillo Community and has from time to time, helped with the MATS Program, but his relatively new passion is the Kairos Program which is an interdenominational Christian group which ministers to California inmates at CMF Vacaville. Dan is an example of how much one can change when we allow the Lord to take charge of our most cherished, free time, and when we befriend the wonderful people who God brings into our lives.

Dr. Ron Davis is from Iowa. Like his father, he became a pastor at age 18 and has been a pastor over 25 years. He is a former chaplain for the Minnesota Vikings and the Oakland A's.He is currently a mortgage broker and the director of the men's ministry at Canyon Creek Church. He is the main speaker at the men's breakfast meetings at Canyon Creek held every other Saturday for the past 10 years. His practical applications of Biblical principles to everyday life has influenced hundreds of men's lives.