Dear Friends,

Happy New Year! 2026 has begun, and we remain enthusiastic and committed to proclaiming that Jesus is Lord, there is need for repentance, there is joy in living in the power of the Holy Spirit, and there is amazing hope of what is to come. The battle for souls rages on, and our confidence remains in the inspired Word of God, the authority of the Catholic Church, and the exciting fruitfulness we see across each aspect of our ministry. Thank you for your faithful support—we’re all in this together!

I have exciting news to share . . . I’ve written a book! After years of considering it, I felt the strong prompting and permission of the Holy Spirit to write it. Having worked with boys for many years at Pine Hills Camp and speaking and ministering to men around the world, I am convinced that there’s a crisis of authentic Catholic masculinity in our culture and in the Church. There are two extreme narratives right now: toxic masculinity and hypermasculinity. Either being a man is inherently bad, and therefore all male instincts should be squashed, feared, or neutered, or men need to unreservedly embrace all their base desires and passions, and pursue them to the highest degree, because there’s nothing wrong with being a dominant, successful, sexually-active man. Both of these paths and the loud voices that promulgate them are deeply problematic, since both lead to men being bound, bored, selfish, stagnant, unfruitful, and worst of all, often sinful. In reflecting on this situation, I realized that I had been formed in a different way with a different vision by intentional parents and a Spirit-filled community. I wondered, “What do boys need to know and experience to become men of God? What principles do fathers need to embrace and provide to raise boys who become men of God? What do women need to hear and understand to help empower the men in their lives?” I didn’t feel qualified to address these questions from a sociological, philosophical, or psychological perspective, so instead I wanted to share a series of personal stories of how my dad (and mom) did these things for me. The book is called A Man on Purpose: 10 Rules of Life from a Faithful Father.

Through poignant, often humorous, and real stories, each chapter highlights a principle I learned from my dad about what it means to be a man of God. Some examples include:

• Humble confidence wins.
• Always touch the water! (Pursue passion & adventure)
• Know your identity.
• Embrace suffering.

My dad was a normal guy, who through the power of the Holy Spirit, lived an extraordinary fatherhood. Before he passed away from cancer 10 years ago, he had a strong sense that the Lord had work for him to do in heaven. Several times while writing this book, I was struck by a heavy sense of wanting to honor him, to share my family’s story well, and to honor the Lord for his faithfulness and generosity to my family. My dad’s work continues through my mom, their kids, and their grandkids, and now hopefully through this book. My hope is that it helps men to step out of the confusing and damaging messages assaulting them each day and to stand in their true identities as beloved sons of God, equipped and commissioned to be his man in the world.

In the January newsletter, I share an excerpt to give you a taste of the book. I hope that you consider buying it and sharing it with the men in your life.

May the Lord bless you in this new year! Come Holy Spirit!

Pete Burak

This letter originally appeared in the Renewal Ministries January 2026 newsletter.