The idea of Cornerstone is simple, but its impact has been profound. It is a 26-hour experience that provides men with the opportunity to “stop, look and listen”. It’s a chance to be away from pagers, cell phones, and all the other noises in our lives. It’s a chance to be with like minded, ordinary and just as busy men.

 

The weekend is hosted by ordinary men who have previously experienced the “gift of cornerstone”. They are called to serve as a team to give this gift away. Every year, the evangelized men become the evangelizers for next year’s weekend at Presentation. During the weekend some of these men may share their story on life’s journey. Our stories are part of God’s story and only through sharing and owning our stories -- the good and the bad -- can we truly begin to understand and accept ourselves and others and appreciate how God is continuously working in our lives. In hearing these stories the men attending the weekend realize that they are not alone. Through the Cornerstone experience, men have become better listeners, husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, bosses and employees. Through Cornerstone, the men over the years have developed truly deep rooted friendships that last a lifetime. The experience results in a desire to serve and become more active members of this community – their community.

 

More than 2,500 men have attended the weekend at Presentation alone. Through God’s continued intersession, the “gift of Cornerstone” has been self-perpetuating here at Presentation and thus has occurred for the past 25 consecutive years. Just as the men are called by God to attend the weekend; so too, have we, as a ministry, been called to evangelize and outreach the “gift of cornerstone” to other parishes. In Luke 12:48, we are reminded that “To whom much is given much is expected”. As a result, Presentation’s Men’s Cornerstone teams have helped facilitate “first” cornerstone weekends in parishes as far away as California and Maryland along with many parishes in the NY/NJ metropolitan area. It is our prayer that these parishes evangelize the “gift of cornerstone” to other churches in their respective dioceses and help these churches facilitate their “first” weekends. We pray that our gracious Lord continues to place outreach opportunities on our ministry’s path so that this necessary awareness of a “living” God, in our daily lives, reaches to all men, in all parishes.

 

Please consider joining us this year. You will thank God you did!!!

 

The next Men's Cornerstone weekend is scheduled for Friday evening through Saturday, January 30 & 31 2009.