Keynote Speaker Touts the Value of Small Group Involvement

Matthew Leonard, a recent keynote speaker at the Catholic Men’s Conference, spoke about the importance of small groups in the life of Catholic men.  Below is a portion of his talk:

Don’t go it alone

So, I’m gonna pivot to something vitally important: “small groups” or “discipleship groups.” 

Life is a team sport. 

But a lot of us think we’re solo players. We pretend like we’re a character in a John Wayne cowboy movie. But that’s not true. 

Unity is a true Catholic mindset

Catholics should be more connected than anybody else because we are literally united through the sacraments. We joined the divine family of God. That means you and I are literally brothers now. It’s our reality. We’re made for the same divine family. 

So it’s not enough for us to just grow personally right? We have to help other people to get to heaven as well. One of the best ways you can do this is by communing with other Catholic brothers in discipleship groups.

Did you ever notice that the apostles are always hanging out together? You’ve seen this like in The Chosen, right? These guys are always rolling around together, and we need each other too. So getting into a small group with other Catholic brothers is a huge way for you to grow!

It’s completely necessary because too many of us think we can do this alone – and we can’t. We are family. We need help.

I know everybody in here is struggling with some kind of an issue in your life. And you know you don’t realize the guy next to you is probably struggling with something very similar. It might even be the same thing.

We live in little isolated islands, and it needs to stop. 

The word “discipleship” comes from the word “discipline.” We all need discipline in our lives. We usually won’t push ourselves, so we need others to help push us. 

Start your own small group at your parish. Invite a few men to meet on a regular basis to pray, study scripture, and share life together. These kinds of groups will kick your spiritual life into high gear!

You guys need to do this.  If you get to the sacraments as often as possible and you live in communion with other men you will see your life begin to change. 

Find great small group resources

Matthew Leonard offers resources to help you get your small group going and growing. Check out his website for more info. We are also posting lots of resources in the News and Resources section of this website. You can find them easily by using this link that filters the articles by the topic of “Small Groups.” Or simply click on the list below:

“Small Group” articles