The ministry meetings, which always begin with a prayer and end with members reciting the rosary, draw 20-30 men each week. Colón, who admitted to having “misconceptions about the faith” before returning to church, encouraged his buddy John McCarthy, 23, to attend a ministry meeting. Colón and McCarthy — the youngest participants in the ministry — represent a surge in young men in the U.S. returning to religion. Father Panicali also makes himself available to anyone who wishes to go to confession after the meetings. And the ministry has spawned friendships beyond St. Helen Church, with participants connecting through WhatsApp group chats.