The Mastermind for Forward-thinking Catholic Men

A mastermind is a group of people who meet regularly to focus and share their knowledge and experience as a powerful way to promote the growth and improvement of its members.

Our mastermind meets in a private online "clubhouse" where we seek answers and advice, offer expertise and share wisdom, hold each other accountable, vent in good company, and try to infuse Catholic faith into all aspects of our lives.

Rest assured, we are not all talk! MCM is a braintrust built upon our members' collective talents. You are welcome to just hang out or step forward to teach courses, run workshops, create podcasts, or lead a discussion on some special interest.

It seems the world is awash in information, yet thirsting for meaning. Together we cut through it and get down to what you really need to know.

Our aim is to provide all the resources you'll need to walk this life in the company of Jesus. 

I am Terry McQuillan. Dad. Partner. Catholic. American. Coach.

As a health & wellness coach, certified in functional medicine and eating psychology,  I help people put into practice the often heard doctors orders to "eat better, get some exercise, and stop stressing out!"

Such advice is especially challenging for men who, despite good intentions, find little to support them in practical ways.  Many guys can't tell a whole food from a processed food, think it's only exercise if they sweat profusely, and find it nearly impossible to let go of stress.

Covid has only made things even more difficult to figure out, more isolating, and left us with a lot less motivation.  There has been a silver lining, though -- it has led us all to make profound adjustments, which for me has been the wisdom and courage to narrow my practice to Catholic men.

I don’t think of myself as a holy-roller, but when I see true well-being, I spot Jesus thriving in that client every time.  MCM is my answer to His call to serve my tribe with the promise that our brotherhood with Jesus will be a formidable counter-force to the pervasive evil always knocking at our door.  I have no doubt that He has prepared me for this very moment.

I love helping people get where they want to go in life.  In my practice, each client and I work together to overcome his particular physical, mental and spiritual hurdles with the practical knowledge, support and accountability he needs to succeed.

Our measure of success is when he:

• is well informed, pro-active, and self-empowered in all aspects of his life, especially when it comes to health-related decisions
• is confident in his knowledge about healthy food choices and eating practices
• has developed habits in daily movement and activities that will ensure his physical fitness
• has mastered the mindfulness needed to keep balanced in body-mind-soul
• deeply appreciates Catholicism as a coherent, universal faith that leads to abundant life

Building a network for these men is the next logical step, but I can’t do it alone.  MCM needs founding members who will help shape it into an indispensable resource for those ready to take charge of their well being as the first step toward victory.

MCM is geared more for sinners than saints; and we don't strive to be religious olympians, either!

Any man who identifies as Catholic in a personal way -- whether that connection is quite tenuous or deeply embedded in his soul -- is encouraged to apply to join us. There is no litmus test. MCM is intended to attract and serve a broad range of Catholic men, from the guy who has never questioned much, to the one who has long struggled with misgivings.

Although we generally exclude clergy so all members will speak most candidly, we highly encourage them to engage with clergy or seek spiritual direction outside of MCM. Clergy, along with many experts, will be invited to lead discussions or make presentations based on our member's pre-determined interests.

My great hope is that many men will take refuge here precisely because they do not want to abandon their faith in the face of seemingly irreconcilable differences with the Church.

Our mission is not so much to be better Catholics as it is to be better men by infusing Catholic moral principles and practices into every aspect of our lives.

If your aim is to perfect your Catholic faith, there are endless resources out there, and we would gladly support your effort.  But our aim is simply to make Catholicism central to living faith-filled lives true to God's purpose.

Think of holistic well-being as a stool built with three legs — body, mind, and soul.  When one comes up short, the whole thing starts to wobble. In the natural world we find that triangulated structures are the mightiest structures, and this intertwining strength echoes the spiritual power expressed in the Holy Trinity. (The word holistic is, in fact, derived from holy!)

Personal transformation does not come about from changing diet, pumping more iron, or saying more prayers. The key lies in discovering the combination of efforts that bring your body, mind and soul into balance, and using Fitness + Focus + Faith as cornerstones for the search:

• Fitness takes in all efforts geared to physical health and strength, such as exploring food and nutrition, and distinguishing exercise from movement
• Focus is built on mindfulness, such as mental acuity, intellectual stimulation, habit formation, and gratitude
• Faith is what gives it all cohesion by looking to God for purpose and receiving the grace to act with an intent that is all encompassing 

On weekly 90 minute zoom calls, we will talk, laugh, ponder, ask questions, share knowledge, get advice and generally cheer each other on.  Our most important aim is to learn more about ourselves as Catholic men, discern God’s plans for us, and make plans accordingly.

Masterminds have a great feature called the Hot Seat, an opportunity for one member to present a personal challenge or dilemma to engage the power of the group's braintrust in his search for answers.

MCM offers members a sense of belonging and the friendly accountability that comes with camaraderie.  We grow together.  Pray together.  Get irreverent together.  We listen to each other.  And when we speak of differences, we do so with respect.