The very first Male Spirit Retreat in Cleveland opened October 21, 2005 at St. Joseph Christian Life Center.

In the followup after, men wanted to maintain the feelings, the experiences, the connections. And formed three “Circles” — which began to meet biweekly.

Today, January 27, 2026 is the Twentieth Anniversary of the founding of what started as Friday, then moved to Tuesday, and is now the Wednesday Morning Men’s Circle: January 27, 2006!

Tomorrow morning, a half dozen of us will again form our Circle. As we have.  Every other week.  Faithfully. For twenty years.

This is a tribute to the vision and the teaching of Br. Joe. And the strength of the Spirit that enlivens all of us. Let us take heart.

I have encouraged our Circle to recall tomorrow the names of the heroes who have preceded us? Those who founded. And sustained. And led. And those who now continue to lead and inspire and learn and just plain show up.

But gloriously: we should all reflect upon — and I might even suggest share thoughts about — what that experience has meant to us.

And who we are, as men, because of it.

Peter Toomey
Shem Center Board of Trustees
Secretary — National Retreat Planning Team