I am back in Albuquerque, road-weary but unquestionably energized by the weekend I spent in Anaheim, California representing MALEs at the Religious Education Congress. Amid the ebb and flow of the 40,000 people that visited the convention center, I had the great blessing of getting to know some of the men who are actively involved in the MALEs Southern California region.

During our time together I was continually moved by how changed the guys say they are by their involvement in MALEs. The same core qualities were present in each man as we spoke. The steady, clear-eyed gaze as he shared the story of how he learned of Richard's teachings. The passionate undercurrent in his voice when he described his experience at the Men's Rites of Passage. The quiet resolution and open warmth with which he spoke of ongoing involvement in his men's group back home. I know from speaking with guys from other regions as well that their experience of MALEs, while varying from man to man, has had a significant impact on their lives.

All of these exchanges serve only to re-affirm my decision to join the CAC as Men's Work Manager. I am extremely grateful to Richard and Stephen for this opportunity to help contribute to the growth of MALEs and I want to share with you all a bit of the path that has led me to the CAC.

I was born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the son of a high school social studies teacher and a ready-mix truck driver. My Catholic upbringing was marked most profoundly by the presence of the Marianist clergy at my high school. Their approach to religious education encouraged the questioning of one's faith, helped us understand its relevance to ideas of social justice and living in a contemporary society, and instilled in us a lasting respect for other religions and sources of wisdom. One man in particular, our chaplain, actively sought me out my freshman year when he learned of my parents' separation. He became a constant source of support for me during that fragile time and remains a close friend 21 years later.

I graduated with a bachelor's degree in Spanish from the University of Michigan, thus beginning a longstanding love affair with Hispanic cultures and language. I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Bolivia and following my return to the States, earned a graduate degree from MIT in urban policy. From there, I moved to New York City, where I held a series of leadership positions with non-profit organizations in the educational and environmental sustainability fields, as well as advising Fortune 500 companies on communications with non-profits around issues of social concern. When I am not working, I try to stay in shape (always a challenge!) and my appetite for creative expression finds an outlet in writing poetry and acting.

In recent years I have had a growing desire to align my work more closely with my interests in ministry, the mysteries of the human spirit and psyche, and the presence of the Divine in our lives. Watching my dad slowly lose his life to bone marrow cancer moved me into a place of even more profound reflection about my calling. It was at the encouragement of another close friend and mentor, a college history professor of mine who had long been aware of Richard Rohr's work, that I made my first visit to the Center for Action and Contemplation.

Since my own journey has been shaped at critical moments by a handful of men who serve as my friends, brothers, fathers and mentors, I recognize the vital importance of MALEs. Set in motion by Richard and Stephen, and now being expanded by Conveners and other Elders across the U.S. and the world, it's clear how much this program has resonated with men—and also with the women in men's lives!

As one of the men in Southern California pointed out during our time together last weekend, MALEs finds itself at a new commencement of sorts. We are at a moment in which the continued success of MALEs depends upon our ability to "scale up" the program's reach by collectively discerning the most effective approaches to our communications, finance, and organizational development. I hope to make strong contributions to these next steps in our journey together.

We appreciate the four brothers who responded to Stephen's call for donations in the inaugural issue of The Drumbeat—we have received $500 so far. If we want to make MALEs a viable program for the longer haul, we need many more guys to show their support as well. Please make a secure online donation today or contact me to sign up for a monthly pledge (phone: 505-242-9588 x109 or email: msholler@cacradicalgrace.org.

Thank you for all the hearty words of welcome and support I have received in my first eight weeks on the job. I look forward to doing the Rites in Arizona in late April and to working with each of you to carry MALEs forward.

Peace and Fire,

Matt Sholler