Men answer the call to battle – and to victory

400 men gathered at St Mary’s Cathedral Hall on Saturday, September 19, for the annual Be Not Afraid Men’s Conference. Organized by Maximus Men’s Ministry within the Sydney Centre for Evangelisation, the event brought together men from the Archdiocese of Sydney and surrounding areas to address spiritual struggles.

The conference theme, The World, the Flesh and the Devil: Battle and Victory, focused on the three enemies of the spiritual life. Organizer Michael Jaksic said the day served to encourage men to identify these daily struggles. Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP delivered the keynote address on the world, telling attendees that while creation is good and worth caring for, they must remain vigilant against the obstacles it presents. Paul Ninnes of Real Talk spoke on the topic of the flesh.

Attendees described the conference as a way to reset amidst the pressures of work and family life or as a method to maintain spiritual discipline and avoid bad habits.