July 28, 2026

From Competition to Campfire Conversations: Third Annual TKC Games Build Brotherhood in Atlanta

July 28, 2026 / Christian Life, Legionaries of Christ, Regnum Christi, Regnum Christi News

Men from across the Atlanta area and the North American territory came together on May 2 for a day of faith and fellowship, surrounded by the beauty of Gold River Reserve in Georgia.

The Third Annual Thy Kingdom Come Games brought together approximately 80 men, including 10 Legionary priests, for a day designed to foster authentic fellowship through prayer, formation, friendly competition, and, of course, great barbecue!

For the outdoor challenges, the men were divided into teams, each led by a Legionary priest and identified by a name, team color, and large flag, which they carried as they marched together to the playing field. This year’s games included paintball target shooting, human slingshot, disc golf, plastic axe throwing, and, in honor of the World Cup being hosted in Atlanta and across North America this summer, a soccer goal shoot-out. The events were suitable for men of all physical abilities and ages; the oldest participant was 84 years old!

Alongside the friendly rivalry, the men also heard talks from speakers such as Fr. Edward Hopkins and Fr. Bruce Wren, two Legionary priests serving in the Atlanta locality, on what it truly means to be a man, authentic and Christlike.

“You men have what counts. ‘He who endures to the end will be saved,’ says the Lord. Because that’s what counts the most: enduring to the end, holding on, going to the last drop, persevering in the faith.”

– Fr. Edward Hopkins

Another benefit of the event is that it allowed the men to interact with priests in an enjoyable and accessible way, outside of formal parish life.

“Not many men hang around priests,”

says Alex Kucera, one of the event’s organizers and the director of the Regnum Christi men’s section in Atlanta.

“Here, they get to hang around these great priests that can be very fun, very lively, and very competitive, so it’s kind of like getting to know your neighborhood priest!”

Besides saying Mass, the priests were also available to hear confessions all day, and to provide spiritual direction to those who desired it.

But for Alex, above all, the event provided an opportunity for men to come together in authentic brotherhood and fellowship in an otherwise isolating world.

“Men need fellowship with other good men, especially today.

At the heart of the TKC Games is a desire to share the atmosphere of friendship that has become such a source of life for the men’s section in Atlanta. In a culture where many men feel isolated by busy schedules, screens, and solitary routines, the Atlanta locality has discovered what Alex calls its “secret sauce”: simply doing life together. Through shared prayer, competition, meals, conversation, and time with priests, the TKC Games created a “holy microcosm” where men can be accompanied, build genuine friendships, grow in virtue, and bring a renewed faith home to their families and to their own localities.

The organizers hope that this contagious fellowship will spread beyond Atlanta, encouraging other localities to create events and apostolates where men and their families can find the type of fellowship that nourishes faith, fervor, and zeal.

Sacrificial Accompaniment at the Heart of RC Atlanta

“In Atlanta, we very much realize that much has been given to us, and we’re extremely grateful,”

says Alex. That gratitude has become a call to give back, especially as the section continues to grow; there are now 28 men’s teams in Atlanta. With more men joining each year, the Atlanta section sees its abundance as an invitation to share and spread the mission, encouraging others to serve boldly in a way that brings the same spirit of mission to more people.

For this reason, the RC men’s section in Atlanta has chosen as its focus for the past two years the theme of sacrificial accompaniment: giving of themselves so that other men can get to know, love, and serve Christ. Apostolate is a primary focus of the section, so much so that they have established what they call the apostolate to the apostolate: a small group of three or four men dedicated to understanding, supporting, and strengthening apostolic life across the section.

But in Atlanta, apostolate means more than simply putting on a program or an event. Alex explains that it is about building relationships in order to form apostles, who can work together to make Christ’s Kingdom present in the world. In everything they do, whether through structured apostolates, team initiatives, or events like the TKC Games, the goal is the same: to form apostles who live their faith with conviction, serve generously, and bring the spirit of Christ’s mission into their families, workplaces, and communities.

Save the date for the next big RC men’s event!

Many of the organizers for the TKC Games were involved in hosting the 2026 Regnum Christi Men’s Conference held in Atlanta at the beginning of the year, and next year’s RC Men’s Convention is already taking shape! Team Houston stands ready to extend a warm welcome, showcase the best of Texas hospitality and barbecue, and lead the men in reflecting on the powerful theme: Christ Our King! Stay tuned for more details on Texas 2027!

To find out more about RC Atlanta, visit their website at rcatlanta.org.

From Competition to Campfire Conversations: Third Annual TKC Games Build Brotherhood in Atlanta Read More »

Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Uncle Eddy

St Nazarius and St Celsus

July 28, 2026 / Uncle Eddy

Dear Chelsea, My dear and misguided young niece, I do not wish to sound callous, but the simple truth is that you are wasting your tears. When our Lord said, “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted,” he did not mean that we should feel sorry for ourselves and whine pitifully in the face of life’s difficulties. Our tears should be shed for only one reason: the cruel evil of sin and its multifarious brood of miseries. Hardship, rejection, and other such crosses do not need our tears so much as they need our faith. When you accepted the holy chrism on your forehead at confirmation, when the bishop sealed you with the cross of Christ and the grace of the Holy Spirit, you knew very well (or you should have known) that you were entering into a battle, into a life of conflict and constant effort in defense of the Kingdom. Be neither surprised nor deterred by the battle, but freely weep when you see souls succumb to the enemy. Forgive me if this is too blunt, but frankly, I have never had much patience for anyone (including myself) who starts wallowing in his or her self-pity. “Oh it’s so hard to follow Christ! It’s so difficult to be faithful! I am suffering so much! Nothing is working out the way I planned! I thought that being a Christian was supposed to make me happy and joyful, but I feel miserable!” … Why does the Church demand that every place of worship prominently display a crucifix? Just for fun? Hardly. This life is full of many joys, but whether you’re Christian or not, we can’t escape the cross. Jesus did not promise to eliminate life’s burdens; he just promised that if we believe and trust in him, he will lighten them with his love. Today’s saint is a perfect example (one of many). Nazarius was the son of a pagan father (an officer in the Roman army) and a Christian mother, who brought him up to be a Christian. (Some sources even say he was instructed by St Peter himself.) As soon as he was old enough, he set out from his native city of Rome in order to preach the gospel with exemplary dedication and zeal throughout Italy, together with the young Celsus, who served as his assistant. As can be expected, before too long the authorities apprehended him (this was in Milan), demanded that he sacrifice to the Roman gods, and when he refused (announcing his allegiance to the one, true God) they lopped off his head for treason. Christ promises meaning; he promises intimate friendship with God in this life and the next; he often grants experiences of intense and even ecstatic joy – but he never once promised that following him would be easy. Therefore, my dear niece, cry all that you must, but never cry alone; if you turn your tears into prayers, they will bring forth the precious fruits of faith, hope, and love. Very truly yours in Christ, Uncle Eddy

St Nazarius and St Celsus Read More »

What If a Self-described Christian Abandons His Child?

July 28, 2026 / Ask a Priest

Q: My child’s father has recently converted to Christianity and has been in and out of our child’s life for six years and swears he’s on a journey to discover God and do God’s work. I am Muslim and respect all faiths, but he insists that leaving his child to go party in Sydney and take care of another women’s child is “God’s work.” I wanted to get your advice on the whole situation because he keeps saying religion first before everything. I can respect a religious man but, correct me if I’m wrong, where in the Bible does it say to abandon your child and leave him with lifelong issues, to take care of a random woman’s child? He is also hanging around a lot of bad people who engage in drug use and criminal activity. He’s not trying to help them at all but assist them. He keeps insisting that I read the Bible and educate myself, but I’d like to hear it from you, Father. God bless you. — Ava

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC:

I am sorry to hear about the situation.

Being a Christian means believing in Jesus and trying to live in accord with his teachings and commandments.

It’s not very Christian to father a child and basically abandon it — and to claim that it’s “God’s will.”

Nor is it Christian to spend one’s time partying and helping people to use drugs and perpetrate crimes.

It sounds as though your man has a very distorted view of what it means to be Christian. He certainly isn’t modeling Christian behavior for you.

That said, I would encourage you to learn more about Christianity.

You could start by reading the Gospels. And for an overview of the Catholic faith, you might consider getting a copy of the Youth Catechism.

Count on my prayers.

What If a Self-described Christian Abandons His Child? Read More »

Sheep That Remind Us to Remember

July 28, 2026 / Regnum Christi News, Weekly Message, Weekly Message Blog

Dear Friends,

A Movie Review of Sorts

Mom and I recently saw the movie The Sheep Detectives. Reminiscent of old-school Disney movies, it is an innocent and entertaining romp where very human-like sheep are the protagonists. Their loving shepherd, George (played by Hugh Jackman), lives alone in a trailer in the same field as his flock. Every evening before sending them off to sleep, George reads to them from a murder mystery. Only when the sheep are alone do we realize that they can speak with each other as we do. Brighter than we thought, they still are… well, sheep. Then one fateful evening, their beloved shepherd is murdered. The local officer of the small town is neither too bright nor too interested in the possibility of foul play. Therefore, Lily, the brightest of the sheep, decides it is their job to solve the mystery. Now the story really begins.

If you want to know the rest of the story, you will have to watch the movie. There is, however, one message worth some reflection [spoiler alert]. The flock has the ability to decide to forget something they find unpleasant. They simply count to three and collectively erase the event from their memory. There are, however, two older sheep—Mopple and Sebastian—who do not have or want the gift of forgetfulness. At one point, when particularly frustrated, Lily wanted to quit the investigation and forget the whole thing:

Lily: Tonight isn’t the first time I’ve seen a sheep die, is it?

Mopple: No.

Lily: How many times have I forgotten?

Mopple: More than I can count.

Lily: You’ve carried this all alone, all this time?

Mopple: Yes, I remember every bad thing. But I remember good things, too. I remember my mother’s face. I remember old friends and how they loved me. And you will remember Sebastian, too.

Lily: It hurts. Remembering hurts.

Mopple: I know. But if you forget, you can’t save the others, and Sebastian will have died for nothing. Caleb will come for you tomorrow, and you’ll follow your new shepherd just like the other stupid, frightened sheep. And we’ll all die. I’m sorry, Lily, I am. But it’s our memory that keeps the ones we love alive.

We could learn from these sheep.

I’d like to reflect briefly upon memory–the ease of forgetting, the importance of remembering, and practical ways to cultivate memory.

It is easy to forget. We forget for many reasons. First, we can simply lack the habit of remembering. For the last several decades, schools have no longer trained children to memorize. Now that we can digitally save all the information on a phone or a computer, we have even less need to remember. Secondly, we can be so distracted by a hectic life and copious media consumption that we don’t take time for silent reflection. Thirdly, like Lily, we can intentionally forget because the memory simply hurts too much. Like the sheep, it seems we have conditioned ourselves to easily forget.

If we do not reflect upon the past, we risk the danger of repeating past mistakes or, worse still, of forgetting who we are. On the first point, philosopher George Santayana writes,

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. In the first stage of life the mind is frivolous and easily distracted; it misses progress by failing in consecutiveness and persistence. This is the condition of children and barbarians, in whom instinct has learned nothing from experience.”

— George Santayana, The Life of Reason

This quote also applies intergenerationally. If we do not know history, we are more prone to repeat its mistakes. One example is the renewed attraction of many young adults to communism only about four decades since its fall in Eastern Europe.

More serious still is when a family or a nation simply forgets who they are because there was a break with their history and their culture. It is indicative that tyrants hoping to suppress a society first try to erase its cultural identity to supplant it with one more amenable to their ideology. That is why when the Nazis overran Poland in the Second World War, Karol Wojtyla [the future St. Pope John Paul II] and friends resisted through secret recitals of Polish literature and poetry to small groups of Poles. They needed to remember who they were.[1]

Israel in the Old Testament, and the Church in the New, constantly reiterate memory. The first part of the Shema quotes Deuteronomy:

“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength. Take to heart these words which I command you today. Keep repeating them to your children. Recite them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them on your arm as a sign and let them be as a pendant on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.”

(Deut. 6:4–9)

In remembering God’s salvific actions of the past, the Jews mystically make that saving power present in their own lives. Similarly, this occurs in every Mass, but at a much deeper level. Jesus commanded us to celebrate the Eucharist, “in memory of me” (Lk. 22:19), and through the consecration, the bread and wine truly become Our Lord’s Body and Blood. Through grace, memory brings about the substantial presence of Our Lord. The Catechism states, “the liturgy is the memorial of the mystery of salvation. The Holy Spirit is the Church’s living memory.” (CCC 1099)

How do we cultivate memory in our families, in our culture, and in our Church? Study history. Read authentic histories of our nation, our Church, and even our families. The closer you are to the original or primary sources, the better. For the Church, that would be Scripture, the Catechism, and Church history—especially the lives of the saints. For Americans, that would be our founding documents and accurate stories of our history. For families, it would be discovering the family tree and gathering family stories and images. Have the older generation tell their story. Record it in some fashion.

Even as an individual, it is important to recall your own story. Prayerfully reflect upon your past so you can see the many marvels God has worked in your life. If there are serious wounds from your past, seek counseling to heal your memory.

Memory helps us avoid mistakes from the past, remember who we are, and remind us that God is with us along the way. Memory matters.

And we mustn’t forget—we have the Sheep Detectives to thank for their reminder.

God bless,

Fr. John Bullock, LC

[1] cf. George Weigel. Witness to Hope.

Sheep That Remind Us to Remember Read More »

July 28, 2026 – I Can Only Imagine

July 28, 2026 / Daily Meditations

<a href="https://rss.com/podcasts/rcdailymeditations/3020098/">July 28, 2026 – I Can Only Imagine | RSS.com</a>

Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

Matthew 13:36-43

Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the Evil One, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, give me ears to hear the message you intend for me to take from this time of prayer.

Encountering Christ:

Explain It to Us: As the disciples followed Our Lord away from the crowds and into a private home, they asked Jesus to explain his parable to them. They set a good example for us. In our quiet time of reflection, away from the crowds in our life, we please the Lord when we read and study his word to seek deeper understanding. If we’re confused by something he seems to be saying, we simply ask, “Explain it, please,” and he will, either in the moment, or later in a way that often surprises and delights us. Our Lord wants us to ask for the spiritual gifts of wisdom and knowledge so that we may one day say, like Saint Paul, “In him we live and move and have our being.” Understanding the Scriptures aids in this transformation.
The Devil Is Real: Jesus warns us about the Devil—the enemy who sows weeds, which are souls who will be burned up by fire at the end of the age. This is a pretty sobering reality, yet four of ten American Catholics don’t believe in Satan, claiming that he is merely a symbol, not a person. To deny his existence can be dangerous spiritual folly. According to Pope Francis, “Some say: but Father, the devil does not exist, it is evil, such an ethereal evil… But God’s Word is clear.” And C. S. Lewis warns us in the Screwtape Letters, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors.”
The Righteous Will Shine: What good news Our Lord declares about the destiny of the righteous! At the end of the age, the righteous will have absorbed all the grace sent by the Lord, they will have endured the ever-present temptations of evil, and they will have heard with their ears the will of their Father and acted upon it. With an absence of weeds (imagine a kingdom without evil) the righteous will freely shine, reflecting the light of the Father. This news is cause for rejoicing!

Conversing with Christ: Lord, please help me to hold these realities of heaven and hell in the forefront of my mind, not so that I am disturbed, but that I am properly oriented. Allow me to anticipate with supernatural hope that many, many souls will one day join you where the “righteous will shine.”

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will actively look for little signs of heaven throughout my day.

Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for parents who have college-aged young adults: A Spiritual Toolbox: Tips for Parenting through the First Year of College. She is a wife of over thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of twelve and counting.

July 28, 2026 – I Can Only Imagine Read More »

The Regnum Christi Identity

4 Vocations: 1 Spiritual Family

The Regnum Christi Mission

Locations by Country

News & Resources

Prayer Resources

Media

Series

Events

From Competition to Campfire Conversations: Third Annual TKC Games Build Brotherhood in Atlanta

St Nazarius and St Celsus

What If a Self-described Christian Abandons His Child?

Sheep That Remind Us to Remember

Dear Friends,

July 28, 2026 – I Can Only Imagine

Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

The Regnum Christi Identity

4 Vocations: 1 Spiritual Family

The Regnum Christi Mission

Locations by Country

News & Resources

Prayer Resources

Media

Series

Events

July 28, 2026

From Competition to Campfire Conversations: Third Annual TKC Games Build Brotherhood in Atlanta

St Nazarius and St Celsus

What If a Self-described Christian Abandons His Child?

Sheep That Remind Us to Remember

Dear Friends,

July 28, 2026 – I Can Only Imagine

Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

Events

Donate

Looking for another country?

Contact Regnum Christi near you

News & Resources

News & Resources

The Regnum Christi Mission

The Regnum Christi Family

The Regnum Christi Identity

Alex Kucera

Atlanta