How does Sean Lynn, the executive director of the Heroic Men, Powered by God Squad Canada apostolate, define a heroic man?

“A heroic man is one who worships the God he is created in the image of,” said the Calgary-based Catholic. “He loves his family, protects them and contributes to his community as God calls him to.”

Lynn hopes the heroism he defined, along with other important traits, are instilled in the Canadian and American men of faith set to participate in the Heroic30 Renew Men Challenge during March. Men who register will receive a daily five-minute video featuring a prominent male lay Catholic or clergy member from the Canada or the U.S. outlining a key aspect of heroic virtue.

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For example, Bishop Scott McCaig of the Military Ordinariate of Canada will present a talk on “Fortitude in Adversity” on day four. Michael Gormley, a mission evangelist for Paradisus Dei’s That Man Is You (TMIY) ministry, is discussing “Justice in Relationships on day 12.

When accepting a call to service from Calgary Bishop William McGrattan to lead a campaign of renewal for men in the diocese, Lynn, the challenge host, expressed his desire to go bigger.

“Why stop at Calgary? Why not have some fun with it and set up challenges like diocese versus diocese or Canada versus the U.S?” said Flynn. “Men might not do it necessarily for themselves, but they also don't want their team to lose. Calgary just cannot lose to Edmonton. It's something that is in our nature.”

He wants this initiative to spread organically like the viral social media phenomenon known as the Ice Bucket Challenge.

“Men can invite and challenge others,” said Lynn, the national director of Heroic Men, powered by God Squad. “It’s not just me or my group. It will be all men taking responsibility to build up the Kingdom of God throughout North America.”

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Choosing March as the challenge month is purposeful. It is the month dedicated to St. Joseph, considered an ultimate model of Christian masculinity and servant leadership.

For several years starting in late 2020, Lynn and his God Squad Canada brethren raised funds to commission a Litany to St. Joseph to honour his more than 400 years as patron saint of Canada. This labour of love was successfully realized in 2025 as the piece composed by Carlos Foggin was performed on March 17, 2025, by the Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra.

The apostolate has also honoured St. Joseph’s legacy of service — and lives up to Lynn’s definition of heroism — by saying yes to service time and time again. Whenever there is a diocesan function that includes a meal, Calgary Catholics are very likely to see Lynn and his team on site taking care of the cooking and service.

It is important to note that the Heroic Men community, founded in the United States nearly eight years ago, was formerly known as the Catholic Men’s Leadership Alliance. The Heroic Men branding was adopted, and a Canadian presence was formed, several years afterwards.

“Heroic Men is a better way for us to capture what we’re seeking for men,” said Lynn. “And the motto is ‘no man left behind.’

“I hear from wives across North America how much they appreciated their husbands or sons going through this,” continued Lynn. “It is just reestablishing that sense of purpose in men to engage in their faith, family and in the world. I feel society has kind of put them in the penalty box for the last number of years, and that's why you're seeing so many young men, looking for an answer and inquiring in the Catholic Church or a deeper meaning of what it is to be an authentic man.”

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Establishing a vibrant online community has been rewarding, and these efforts have been complemented by in-person men’s conferences. The 29th annual God Squad Conference in Calgary is first up on March 13 and 14, one in Montreal on March 21, and another is scheduled for Kelowna from April 24-25.

To learn more about the Heroic30 Renew Men Challenge and the in-person events, visit heroicmen.ca/.