FULLERTON – When Matt Birk left home for Harvard, he didn’t plan on leaving his faith behind. But that’s what happened.
“One missed Mass became two, and two became four,” he told a crowd of more than 750 men gathered for the Catholic Men’s Fellowship Annual Conference, held April 5 at St. Joseph in Fullerton. Slowly, he drifted from the Catholic Church, convincing himself it wasn’t a big deal.
Birk, a former Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl champion and now founder of a national Catholic men’s group movement, was one of the keynote speakers at this year’s conference, which also featured Mark Hartfiel, program director of Paradisus Dei’s “That Man is You” nationwide men’s group. Both speakers urged Catholic men to embrace their calling as spiritual leaders of their families.
Growing up Irish-American and Catholic in St. Paul, Minn., Birk’s childhood was rooted in tradition. He went to Catholic school, attended Mass regularly, and knew the basics of the faith. But he admitted he wasn’t yet growing deeply with it.
In high school, football became his focus. He discovered he had talent – and the admiration that came with it. After Harvard, Birk was drafted by the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, and his life changed drastically. He found himself caught up in the world of professional sports, where distractions were plenty and faith often took a back seat.
He recalled how the NFL lifestyle could feel like an alternate reality – one that thrived on adrenaline, fame and material success, but often lacked lasting fulfillment. Amid the cheers and competition, Birk sensed something deeper was missing – not just for him, but for many of his teammates.
Eventually, he met the woman who would become his wife. Her faith helped pull him back to the church and back to Sunday Mass. That rekindling of faith didn’t make him immune to temptation or struggle, but it gave him direction.
Later, while attending the Maryland March for Life in Annapolis, Birk had a conversation that left a lasting impression. A woman there told him she had undergone an abortion at 16 and that it remained the biggest regret of her life.
That encounter and others like it began reshaping how he saw the world – and the spiritual battle beneath it.
“God has a plan for us, but the devil does too,” Birk said. “Not only is he coming for us, but for our wives and children too. When we get to heaven one day, God’s going to say who’d you bring with you? We’d better have our wives and children with us. Our wives and children on Earth belong to God. They’re beloved wives and sons. That’s the battle we’re in, guys.”
Hartfiel took that message further, calling Catholic men to embrace their role as the spiritual protectors of their homes. He praised men’s willingness to sacrifice physically for their families, but challenged them to consider their spiritual duty.
“Where was Adam when Eve was assaulted by the devil?” Hartfiel asked. “We have to step in.”
He encouraged the men gathered to pray the rosary daily, not just when they feel like it, but as a disciplined, daily act of spiritual leadership.
That struck a chord with Sean Haler, a parishioner of Our Lady of Victory in Arbutus. He admitted he usually only prayed the rosary when he felt moved to, but reflected on the example of his wife, who had made it a daily devotion.
“My wife prays it every day, and I have seen that transformation in her life over the last seven, eight years since she’s been doing it,” Haler said. “She has become more of a calmer individual. She’s not as quick to anger. She’s more patient. She’s more loyal. She’s grown more of a heart of service. She was always great. But it’s made her stronger.”
Jeremiah Austin, a parishioner from St. Mark in Fallston, came to the conference with fellow parishioner Richard Raulie. Like many in the room, he recognized that the speakers weren’t just sharing advice, they were issuing a challenge.
“You’re called to get our wives and kids to heaven,” Austin said. “And how many of us know that deeply in ourselves, and then do something about it – not just know about it and sit on the bench and think about it? How many of us get in the game?”
For Birk, that’s exactly the question that drives his mission now: helping men stop sitting on the sidelines.
Also see:
RADIO INTERVIEW: Catching up with Matt Birk/New film on St. Joseph
Ravens’ Matt Birk speaks up for life
Man of Action: Matt Birk boldly embraces pro-life cause
Radio Interview: Catholic Men’s Spirituality
