Why I Keep Extra Catholic Magazines for Men in My Truck
How 'The Heroic Man' Magazine Turns Small Talk Into Faith Talk, Because Men Respond Better to Stories Than Speeches
In an era dominated by digital media, the tactile power of a printed Catholic magazine like The Heroic Man can become an exciting tool for the new evangelization, especially among men.
It bridges isolation with belonging, sparks conversations about faith, and invites men into deeper communion with Christ and the Church.
Drawing from my own real-life outreach, here’s how I’m exploring ways to build brotherhood, echoing the Church’s call to integrate the Gospel into everyday culture.
from online to in-person: Chance meet at the Coffee Shop. Picture this: You see a new member on the Heroic Brotherhood app who is from your parish, and you don’t recognize him.
You message him and arrange to meet for coffee. You learn that he is a relatively isolated man who recently retired from his career, and he has been busy looking after his mom, leaving him hungry for friendship and brotherhood.
He’s part of the group but still unknown to many. With The Heroic Man magazine at hand, you offer him a copy to keep conversation going.
During your visit, you spot another retired police officer across the coffee shop. You grab an extra copy of the magazine out of your truck, and head over to say hello to the retired officer. You might hand him the magazine, like I did. No grand speech. Because I share his experiences of service and sacrifice on the force, I know what’s he’s going through in retirement.
These former officers, often stoic and self-reliant, find in the magazine stories of heroic masculinity modeled on saints like St. Joseph. These hidden laborers, spiritual fathers, and intercessors in times of trouble.
That’s what I like about this magazine. It saves me from ‘scripted evangelism.’ I can be real, in the moment. “Have you seen this? Check out this article that impressed me.”
The magazine becomes a bridge, sparking curiosity about the Brotherhood and the calling all men have.
Why The Heroic Man Excels in Men’s Evangelization
The Heroic Man speaks directly to modern men’s struggles (career shifts, isolation, fatherhood) through stories, spiritual reflections, and practical challenges. Unlike fleeting social media posts, a magazine sits on a nightstand, coffee table, or truck dashboards. It keeps you thinking.
Our magazine is meant to encourage and show a “lively faith” and “special contribution Christians make to cultural life,” especially for our young men, dads busy raising young families, and men figuring out that post-career void.
We’re building it to push back on the “psychological pressure” of industrialized societies. When men are trained factory-line mindsets, we default to mistrust, walk by problems, and chase wealth all day. But the Gospel doesn’t let us stay there.
For conferences and men’s groups, it’s ideal: we can foster vocations to lay holiness, where men become “co-workers in the vineyard of the Lord,” working together in evangelization with clergy.
Lay Men as Agents of the New Evangelization
The Church urges laity, especially men, to evangelize through the media they can, integrating Christ’s message into contemporary culture. Pope John Paul II emphasized:
“The communications media can be used ‘to proclaim the Gospel or to reduce it to silence within men’s hearts.’ This poses a serious challenge for believers, especially for parents, families and all those responsible for the formation of children and young people.”
Lay faithful are “skillfully involved in...social areas of life, so that they can be imbued with Gospel ferment,” making proclamation credible through actions.
In parish settings, this means using publications like The Heroic Man to encourage small men’s groups that meet together to pray and listen to the Word of God, or chat about the Be A Man series available on the Heroic Men app.
Practical Steps for Parishes & Brotherhoods
Here’s some ideas to make The Heroic Man helpful to your outreach:
Stockpile and Share: Keep extras in trucks, coffee shops, or parish halls for off-the-cuff gifting.
Tie to Events: Use it at men’s gatherings, conferences, or challenges (e.g., March daily renewal) to build belonging.
Follow Up With Conversation: Ask, “What struck you in the magazine?” leading to Brotherhood invites.
Partner with Clergy: Bishops entrust pastoral care to deacons and laity amid priest shortages—magazines amplify this.
Target Peripheries: Reach retirees, career-shifters, or the isolated, echoing Pope Francis’s call to “go forth...to the peripheries.”
Hidden Heroes in Everyday Outreach. Using The Heroic Man magazine can change casual encounters into evangelistic moments. We work to draw isolated men into the Church’s embrace.
As lay co-workers, we embody the new evangelization: patient, courageous, merciful, like St. Joseph. A printed tool like this hangs around after a phone is put away, calling men to heroic faith, friendship, and mission.