Profile
In addition to being an ordained Deacon in the Archdiocese of Detroit, Deacon John has successfully held leadership positions in the Information Technology field and was certified as an instructor in Professional Leadership Training. As a recognized public speaker, Deacon John has created several talks designed to help fathers and families persevere in today’s culture. These skills along with his deep faith, give Deacon John a unique perspective on how to incorporate our Catholic faith into our everyday life. Below are some of the subjects that he has presented at men’s conferences, marriage enrichment talks, parish events as well as subject specific workshops. Deacon John can also customize a specific talk to met your individual requirements.
Parenting in a Relentless Culture
Igniting the Light of Christ in the Hearts of Our Children
This series of talks is aimed at helping families live and pass on the Catholic faith to their children. Parents and Grandparents of all ages as well as newlyweds who plan to start a family are the target audience. The series is delivered over two consecutive sessions. It is highly recommended that those interested should attend both sessions. By attending this talk series, parents will discover how to overcome the challenges they face in attempting to form the faith life of their children in today’s culture. The first session’s discussions set a necessary foundation, answering the questions; Where is God in today’s world and why are people turning away from Him? The follow-on session introduces how parents can bring the light of Christ to their children in a meaningful and enduring way. You will also hear about many simple yet effective activities that parents can use to help children discover and strengthen their faith.
The goal of this series is to enable you to ignite the light of Christ in your family’s heart so that it can burn brightly in the hearts of your children.
Leadership Workshop
Shepherding in Today’s Relentless Culture
Deacon John developed this very popular leadership workshop intended to help individuals identify and hone their own leadership capabilities. This talk encourages audience participation, and lively interaction has never been a challenge. Those attending will be guided through three short workshops. They are made up of a combination of discussions, presentations, videos and a few funny as well as challenging stories. Each section provides proven guidance focusing on building one’s abilities to become a Christ-centered leader. Individuals will be shown varying methods, techniques and will be given tools that will enable them to be a more effective spiritual leader of their family as well as a trusted leader in their daily and professional life.
Looking to become more Christ-centered in your vocation, in your job and especially as a father? “Shepherding in Today’s Relentless Culture” leadership workshop will help you be the kind of leader that Christ wants you to be.
Marriage Workshop/Retreat
Covenant – Living In Love
The matrimonial bond is evident throughout all Holy Scriptures, from Genesis through Revelation. In Matthew’s Gospel we read that “…from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ [and the man is to] be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This matrimonial bond was raised by Jesus Christ to the dignity of a sacrament at the wedding of Cana.
Dietrich Von Hildebrand describes this marriage covenant as “being the living, tangible, sacramental sign of God’s extravagant love. God’s love, mercy and forgiveness is, limitless and without reservation.” The marital relationship by its very nature expresses these qualities and is lived out through the sacramental bond that is established in the lives of married couples.
The goal of this retreat is to lead couples to develop a deeper understanding of these foundational elements in their own marriage. We will discover how they serve to support and fortify the loving relationship between husbands and wives. We will further reveal how the power of God’s Grace that is received through the Sacrament of Marriage strengthens the bond between husbands and wives and how that Grace further empowers them to combat the forces of today’s culture that would seek to drive them apart.
Deacon John and Laura Manera, sharing personal lived experiences as well as practical everyday practices, will guide couples in the discovery of simple yet effective techniques that they can use to improve and strengthen their marriage. Improving communications, dealing with conflict, and understanding outside influences that either enhance or detract from their marital relationship are discussed in a helpful and understandable way. At the conclusion of this talk, our hope is that married couples will be ready to take their marriage to new and fulfilling levels, living out the joy of marriage as God has intended.
Sacrament of The Holy Eucharist
Jesus’ True Presence
The Eucharist is the center of our Christian spiritual life. It is the means in which we receive God’s life changing grace into our hearts, bodies and souls. But, did you ever wonder how it is possible that Jesus is truly present in the Holy Eucharist? How is the gift given to us? How do we know that Jesus is truly present, body, soul and divinity? How does the Eucharist bring me closer to God?
This talk will investigate these and many other questions regarding the Holy Eucharist. Using Sacred Scriptures and the Catechism of the Catholic Church as a starting point we will unfold a logical and reasonable explanation of Jesus’ true presence. We will then discuss how we can then use this precious gift to convert our hearts and actively live out the likeness of Christ.
Regardless of your current understanding of the Catholic faith, whether a beginner or one who has an in depth knowledge of the faith, you will be assured to come away with a fresh perspective on the Eucharist. This popular talk has been heard by many and a common response from those who attended is, “everyone should hear this talk!”
Deacon John Manera discusses the concept of Truth from a Catholic perspective. This talk will explore two forces of truth facing us every day, Subjective Truth and Objective Truth. You will discover essential sources of truth that you can trust. And through the use of these sources confidently guide you and your families to safely navigate the false truths being handed to us by our modern culture.