Legatus grows in Central Pennsylvania

Receiving a personal letter from the local Bishop to attend a meeting will capture almost anyone’s attention.

Charter members of Legatus’ Harrisburg Chapter gather with Bishop Ronald Gainer and Tom Monaghan at the Hershey Hotel in Hershey, Pa., on May 31 (Chris Heisey photos)

Last September, several Catholic business leaders in the Diocese of Harrisburg, PA were intrigued when they received a business-sized envelope with a letter from Bishop Ronald Gainer asking them to consider forming a new Legatus chapter.

Breaking ground

“Just the fact that the letter came from the bishop meant I was going to be there because I have great respect for him,” said Hank Christ, who had never heard of Legatus until he attended the first organizational meeting last fall.

Christ, 66, and his wife of 43 years, Edna, immediately signed up after that first meeting.

“I said, ‘This is the forum I’m looking for,’” Christ said.

The Christs were among 25 member-couples on hand when the Harrisburg Chapter chartered on May 31 at the Hershey Hotel in Hershey, Pa.

Bishop Gainer, the chapter’s chaplain, celebrated Mass and delivered the homily. During the investiture and pinning ceremony, he handed each member-couple their pins, shook their hands and posed for pictures with them.

Bishop Gainer also officiated at the installation of officers and led the St. Thomas Aquinas Prayer to close the Mass and the ceremonial portion of the evening. The bishop then invited everyone to the reception, where Legatus founder Tom Monaghan signed copies of his book Pizza Tiger for each couple.

L-R: Legatus founder Tom Monaghan, Edna & Hank Christ, Bishop Ronald Gainer

“It was a great evening,” said Christ, adding that he had the pleasure of interviewing Monaghan during a “fireside chat” after dinner. Christ asked Monaghan questions about his business acumen, his philosophy on life and his motivation for founding Legatus.

“Having Mr. Monaghan there, his personal experience, him taking questions from the founding members, was very rewarding,” said John DiSanto, a founding member of the chapter with his wife, Maria.

Building the chapter

DiSanto, 56, said there was considerable local interest in starting the new chapter. The student of lifelong learning who takes his Catholic faith seriously said he was interested when he heard about the opportunity last fall to join Legatus.

“Legatus gives us a good, organized opportunity to meet with likeminded business leaders, whether they’re male or female — and hear from world-class speakers,” said DiSanto, who along with his wife recruited five other couples to become members.

Their “pitch” to prospective members, DiSanto said, is simple: “Legatus is unique in that it offers an opportunity to work on my faith, to spend time with my wife, and to meet other like-minded people.”

Maria DiSanto said she does not “oversell” Legatus to prospective members since “Legatus sells itself.”

Legatus founder Tom Monaghan and Legate Hank Christ engage in a “fire-side chat” at the chapter’s May 31 chartering event

“I usually say, ‘This is strictly a date night for you and your spouse, no strings attached,’” Maria said. “You’re not asked to do anything except come, have dinner, have the opportunity to go to Confession and pray the rosary.

“We like it for the fact that it’s one of those events for fellowship,” she added. “It’s for your faith, hearing a good speaker and it’s a quality evening.”

The fact that the bishop is the chapter’s chaplain also sends a signal to prospects that Legatus is worth their consideration. Bishop Gainer was the founding chaplain of Legatus’ Lexington Chapter when he was a bishop in Kentucky, and he had been wanting to start a new chapter since he arrived in Pennsylvania two years ago.

“It just shows our bishop’s commitment to Legatus and the importance of truly being ambassadors for our faith,” Maria said.

Growth-minded

John DiSanto said Legatus offers a valuable opportunity for busy business professionals to take time out and be rejuvenated spiritually.

“It’s a nice way to reflect on what’s important in life,” he said. “What’s very nice about this is starting our evening with the rosary and/or Confession, celebrating the Holy Mass, then having a speaker along with a meal. It’s a great organization and it’s bringing real value to me on a spiritual level.”

L-R: John DiSanto, Tom Monaghan, Maria DiSanto, Bishop Ronald Gainer

The DiSantos have been meeting new people from other parts of the diocese. They regularly speak to couples about joining Legatus and share their experiences with them.

“I am sure we will continue to grow as each member will look within their network to see who they can bring to Legatus,” Maria said.

Christ, who along with his wife attended the 2016 Legatus Summit in Orlando, said he expects the Harrisburg Chapter will quickly grow beyond the founding 25 member-couples.

“We know that in order to be successful, we need to double that number,” Christ said. “So we want to continue the growth we’ve enjoyed in our first year and bring more people into the chapter.”

BRIAN FRAGA is a Legatus magazine staff writer.