A program for Catholic men that has been up and running across the nation is now becoming available to men in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. That Man Is You! (TMIY) is a 26-week interactive multimedia men's program divided into two 13-week semesters.
The program is offered through the non-profit Paradisus Dei, Inc. to parishes free of charge as long as the pastor, parochial administrator or parish facilitator approves it. According to the Paradisus Dei website, That Man Is You! was first offered almost 10 years ago in the Houston and Dallas/Ft. Worth areas in Texas.
The website also notes TMIY combines the "best research from science with the teachings of the Catholic faith and the wisdom of the saints to develop the vision of a man fully alive." The theology was reviewed by leading theologians on marriage and family.
About 300 TMIY programs have been running in 70 dioceses in 38 states. The parish furnishes a core leadership team to set up the group and lead the weekly meetings (which usually include a meal) and provides the audio-visual equipment. Individual students have the option to purchase a book to go along with the program and donations from the attendees are accepted one time in the fall semester and one time in the spring semester.
The TMIY fall semester is dedicated to developing a vision of man "fully alive" while the spring semester is dedicated to becoming "that man." The spring semester includes an organized Lenten journey that participants make together.
Although an Effingham group is already up and running, three more groups are set to get under way this fall in Springfield and the surrounding areas. Mike Christie of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Springfield is setting up a program at Cathedral Parish that will run on Monday evenings. Doug McDonald will lead a Tuesday morning group at his parish of St. Agnes. Finally, Keith Spaniol is coordinating a Saturday morning group at his parish, St. John Vianney in Sherman. He'll be assisted by Bob Linksvayer, a member of St. James Parish in Riverton.
The St. John Vianney group is welcoming everyone from all parishes in the northern area of the deanery, says Spaniol. "We hope to pull men from parishes in Petersburg, Athens, Rochester, Riverton and the north end of Springfield."
McDonald says that once all the core teams are in place, he, Christie and Spaniol will begin actively advertising for participants.
Glen Parkonen has been leading a That Man Is You! group in Effingham for the past year. As far as he knows, his group was the first established in the Springfield diocese. The Effingham group, which has about 75 regular attendees from St. Anthony Parish and Sacred Heart Parish in Effingham and Annunciation Parish in Shumway, follows the schedule suggested by the TMIY leaders. The men range in age from college students to senior citizens, Parkonen says.
"We have a few people who show up at 4 a.m. to provide a hot breakfast that begins at 5:45. So we have 30 minutes of fellowship and at 6:15 we watch a 30-minute video. That is followed by 30 minutes of sharing in a discussion period before the men go on their way for the day," Parkonen says.
"We follow the academic school year," he says. "However, this summer we've had 15 or 20 guys who attend 6:30 a.m. Mass and then get together for coffee and to talk about the readings for the day. This fall we'll start back on the regular schedule."
Spaniol looks forward to leading his own group. "I personally think that we men have become so busy trying to work and tend to family needs that we have begun to neglect our relationship with our Father in heaven and in many ways we have lost our way because we no longer understand God's will," he says.
"I am personally excited because I am going to get to gather with a group of men who are seeking out God our Father. It reminds me of my days in the military where we enjoyed an esprit de corp toward achieving an objective," he says. "It's like I will be able to be a part of a team with a real mission."
"A deeper understanding of the faith is much more important in today's world," adds Linksvayer, who says evangelization has been his "cup of tea" for many years. "The rest will follow."
McDonald says he also anticipates growing in his faith. Men have a need to "reconnect" with the church and better understand their roles and responsibilities to families and marriages, he says.
"I am personally excited about learning new material, as well as the journey and fellowship with men from my parish," McDonald says. "I know that some of the topics are direct and personal. My hope is that friendships and camaraderie will develop in addition to a deeper understanding of our faith."
"Our Father tells us that we are in a battle between good and evil," Spaniol says. "When I look around our world today I can surely see how Satan is having his way with us but I have hope that God will assemble us men to spiritually fight this battle and win. We will use wisdom and prayer as our weapons. We will become a unified force for the church. I am personally excited about helping to invigorate our parishes with men who are on fire for the Lord."
Christie says if men are looking for more information on That Man Is You!, they should check out the website www.thatmanisyou.org. "We (in the Springfield area) have created an e-mail box for inquiries, questions etc., and are certainly looking for volunteers to help lead the three different groups," he says. That e-mail box is .