E6 Catholic Men's Conference

Jesus defeated death so you can live.

Why They Mock “Thoughts and Prayers” Secular figures mock the phrase “thoughts and prayers” for several reasons. Some do not understand prayer. To them, prayer is nothing more than wishful thinking or a sentimental slogan. When they hear “thoughts and prayers,” they perceive it as a meaningless platitude and, in truth, it often is, when repeated reflexively without any real prayer behind it. Some know what prayer is but choose not to pray. Many were raised Catholic or Protestant, yet have either drifted from the faith or rejected it altogether. For them, the idea of offering prayer in response to tragedy feels hollow because it is disconnected from their lived reality. Some are adversarial toward religion itself. They are hostile toward theism in general, Christianity in particular, and Christians most specifically. To such people, steeped in a secular mindset, the very notion of praying to a God they doubt or even deny exists seems absurd. In their eyes, it is empty talk that achieves nothing. Others confuse prayer with passivity. Even if they grant that prayer might have some spiritual value, they argue that “thoughts and prayers” is used as a substitute for real action, especially in the wake of mass shootings and other public crises. What they fail to recognize is that Christian prayer is not merely, or even mostly, a plea for protection from harm. Jesus Himself said: “In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Authentic prayer extends far beyond asking for safety or self-preservation. We pray for our enemies, for forgiveness, for the souls of those who die, for fortitude in danger, for consolation of the grieving, for strength to endure suffering, for God to thwart the designs of the wicked, and for courage and hope in the face of death. And here is where, ironically, the critics have a point. The phrase “thoughts and prayers” has been diluted by overuse into something that often sounds trite and perfunctory, like slapping a ribbon decal on a car to virtue-signal support for [fill in the blank] cause. To bear authentic, heart-changing public witness to the real power of prayer and, more importantly, to God’s presence, we Christians must be intentional and specific in our prayerful solidarity. Instead of merely saying “thoughts and prayers,” we can say: “I am praying that God will console and comfort those affected by this tragedy.” “I am praying that in His justice God will thwart the evil intentions of the wicked.” “I am praying that God will protect the innocent in moments of danger.” “I am praying that when tragedies do occur, the Lord will guide us to act wisely and courageously so such suffering is not repeated.” Such words do not reduce prayer to a hollow gesture or an empty platitude. They testify to real faith in the living God, who hears and responds, and they remind us that prayer and action are not enemies but companions. Prayer does not replace action; it inspires, strengthens, accompanies it. By grounding our response to tragedies in authentic prayer, we prevent the phrase from being reduced to a trivial sentiment and remind the world that God is present and hears our prayers even in our darkest hours. — Patrick Madrid

In its 10th year, E6 Catholic Men’s Conference continues to change hearts: archindy.org/criterion/loca… @E6CONFERENCE

@HarmelAcademy Thanks for being there!

@E6CONFERENCE Underway! 1,500 dudes. Pretty darn impressive.

@chaneykn Thanks so much for being a part of it! It was a great day!

@E6CONFERENCE Stellar effort again this year. My dad and I always enjoy this day, and I always leave feeling challenged and empowered. May God continue to bless your efforts. 🙏

Watch ALL of E6 2025 here! youtube.com/watch?v=wUxQ6f…

The 10th annual of @E6CONFERENCE is happening now at East Central HS in SE Indiana. 1,500 men are attending it. @ChrisStefanick is a keynote speaker at this event sponsored by @AllParish. Coverage to come from @SeanGIndy, reporter for @criteriononline.

We are 100% SOLD OUT for the 10th Annual E6 Catholic Men’s Conference! please keep us in your prayers as we will do the same for you. We are truly grateful to see 1500 men get off the coach and into the breach to “Armor Up” spiritually and be with us on Saturday morning.

We are 100% SOLD OUT for the 10th Annual E6 Catholic Men’s Conference! Please SHARE this with anyone attending: • We will have free coffee, muffins and donuts waiting for you. • Download our 2025 program: e6catholicmensconference.com/.../f5e668...

We are 100% SOLD OUT for the 10th Annual E6 Catholic Men’s Conference! Please SHARE this with anyone attending: • Doors open at 6:30am with our first speaker, Chris Stefanick, beginning at 8:15am. We’re starting with a BANG with this year, so DON'T BE LATE!

FAQ's on our E6 Holy Mass.

DOWNLOAD OR SAVE THE 2025 E6 PROGRAM HERE!e6catholicmensconference.com/_files/ugd/f5e…

We are at 99% capacity and will sell out very soon. Do not wait! Join 1500 men who want to take their vocation seriously and register while you can at e6cmc.com!

We are at 95% capacity...register now before we sell out! E6CMC.COM