" Every year I attend the Men’s Day of Prayer sponsored by the men of St. Mel’s Parish. It’s always well attended with several hundred men attending and hearing a dynamic guest speaker. Attendees come from every corner of the diocese. Last Spring Fr. Matthew Spencer was the guest speaker, a priest who has been close to our SS Peter & Paul for many years. This year, his take on St. Joseph was both profound and enlightening. Beyond the conference itself, I always come away with a deeper meaning imbedded in such meetings. Aside from learning and taking notes, I am always impressed with the brotherhood of the men attending. Beyond the handshakes and hugs, there is a commonality of belief, a sense of purpose, a feeling of mutual love of one another, all which lead to strong Catholic community. I have experienced new-found friendships that stretch across many Diocesan parishes, men who have found they are not alone in their beliefs, and yearn to discover their inherent Christian being. Our common goals are summed up in the Cursillo statement to “Find a friend, be a friend, and bring a friend to Christ” through piety, study, and action. Those are the watchwords, and, discovering that we are not alone, the camaraderie engendered at these get-togethers is the underlying feeling I get beyond the event itself."  ~ from "Daily Reflections" ~ 2021

“Had no expectations.  I can say this… I had no idea Father Spencer was such a dynamic speaker.   Great personal story and retreat message.” ~ St. Clare Parishioner – 2021

“Father Spencer was excellent and talked about / confronted some difficult topics such as chastity and pornography and it took some courage.   Gives me courage.   Excellent organization of renewal.” ~ Holy Trinity Parishioner – 2021

  “Wonderful speaker.   Management of the retreat was perfect.” ~ St. Clare Parishioner – 2021

  “Love how the mass and rosary lead into the theme of the day.”   ~ Sts Peter and Paul Parishioner - 2021

“Helped me reflect upon the thing that has preoccupied my thoughts for the last two years and has given me some perspective on how to manage it.”  ~ St. Mel Parishioner – 2021

  “The retreat met my expectations.   Great advice on how to imitate St. Joseph and live your faith.”    ~ Cathedral of the Blessed Sacramento Parishioner – 2021

“The retreat brought me to a deeper understanding and appreciation of St. Joseph as a model for me in my life.” ~ St. John Vianney Parishioner – 2021

  “Father’s talks were amazing and confession was an incredible blessing. Also enjoyed the opportunity to meet new people and see people again that I hadn’t seen for some time.” ~ St. Stephen the First Martyr Parishioner – 2021

“Provided me with a break from the world that distracts me from my Catholic faith and leads me away from God.   It was an opportunity to step back and rethink my daily life and God’s role in it.”   ~ Divine Mercy Parishioner – 2021

“Father Spencer is a dynamic speaker who is relatable to parishioners.   He stirs one’s spiritual emotions through God’s truths and his own personal experiences.   He’s very wise for a young priest.   He gives a good challenge to us men to take leadership courageously, through listening to God’s will.”   ~ St. John the Baptist Parishioner – 2021

“Exceeded my expectations!   Father Matthew’s honesty and ability to relate with men and challenge us to be courageous was awe-inspiring.”   ~ St. Mel Parishioner – 2021

“I really enjoyed Father Spencer and appreciate his devotion to St. Joseph.   The retreat offered practical and actionable points.”   ~ St. Robert Parishioner – 2021

  “Great to spend time with so many believing men!” ~ St. John the Evangelist Parishioner - 2021