As Father’s Day approaches in this year of St. Joseph, we have a timely moment to thank and pray for our fathers, the men who helped give us both physical and spiritual life.
I think of my father, Albert, who grew up on farms, never went to high school, served in World War II, guarding Japanese prisoners on Guam, married my mother Catherine, had six children, worked in a factory, and gave his whole life to us as his sons.
For both of my parents, life was never about them, but rather, God, Church, family, and work.
Through his example of faith, prayer, service, and generosity, my father modeled the nature and look of spiritual fatherhood.
He was a farmer, soldier, factory worker, husband, father, practicing Catholic, disciple. In all of it, his love for the Lord and the Church was the guiding principle of his life.
Men as examples of the faith
Statistically, a young person has a far greater chance of remaining a practicing Catholic for life, if both parents live the faith.
This point is obvious. What may be surprising is the influence of the father here.
In families where the father practices the faith, but the mother does not, the children still remain active Catholics at high levels, whereas if the mother lives Catholicism but the father does not, the level of religious fidelity among the children is lower, especially boys. This data does not diminish the importance of the mother’s role in faith formation; it is essential.
But we cannot underestimate the significant impact a faithful, loving, and prayerful father has on his family, especially his sons.
If boys see their father rejecting religion or simply being lukewarm in its practice, they will absorb the wrong lesson that active participation in the Church is not for them.
In recent years, men’s ministries have grown significantly in the Catholic Church.
Many parishes in our diocese have groups of men who meet regularly for prayer, formation, and fellowship, often very early in the morning before work.
The Knights of Columbus continues its effective mission of joining Catholic men together in prayer, service, fraternity, and fidelity.
This autumn will see our second Men of Christ gathering in the diocese for a day of Mass, Confession, and inspiring speakers.
Programs like Exodus 90 encourage men to jumpstart their faith and mentor each other in relationships of support and friendship.
Many men belong to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, seeking holiness through fellowship with fellow Vincentians and living out the works of mercy in their own communities.
These efforts have already borne great fruit and are truly the work of the Holy Spirit.
I pray that every Catholic man in our diocese actively seeks a specific way of intensifying his Catholic faith.
Looking to St. Joseph
As we ponder St. Joseph in this year especially dedicated to him, we can understand the specifics of holiness expressed in the life of this extraordinary man, chosen by God to be the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the foster father of Christ Himself.
Joseph only appears in Matthew’s Gospel, speaks no recorded words of profundity, often is depicted in the background of Holy Family images, yet must have been a man of remarkable faith, charity, courage, and sacrifice.
He accepts in faith the message of the angel to take Mary as his wife, guides the Blessed Virgin and the Christ Child to Egypt as they flee from the wrath of Herod, and pours out his heart and love in those mysterious hidden years of Nazareth as Jesus grew in wisdom, age, and grace.
Joseph protects his family from danger, cares for his wife and the Christ Child with love, teaches Jesus and helps form His humanity as He grows up, preparing for the extraordinary mission of salvation.
In profound obedience and trust, Joseph accepts the mysterious plan of God for his life, even when it seems impossible or opaque.
He perfectly fulfilled his role as husband, father, carpenter, believer, saint.
Celebrating fathers
This Sunday, we pray for all of our fathers, grandfathers, spiritual fathers, priests, and deacons who mentor, inspire, guide, and lead us in faith.
May the Lord bless them abundantly, especially our priests, whose exercise of spiritual fatherhood nourishes the life of our parishes and people.
I pray for the young men of our diocese: May they take the example of St. Joseph as their guide and inspiration to truly make a gift of themselves in the Sacraments of Marriage or Holy Orders, undergirded by a life of faith and virtue.
As with any vocation or practice, a young person needs to be mentored and guided, to experience living examples of what a priest, husband, father looks and acts like, in order to see such a life of heroism and giving as even possible.
Think of both the young men and women in your life, and ask how you can encourage, mentor, pray, and guide them into a stance of openness towards the vocation that God is calling them to.
In an age which is often defined as a crisis of spiritual fatherhood and motherhood, we need robust and authentic witnesses of sanctity and generosity.
In many ways, I am a priest because of my parents’ faith and goodness.
For all of our fathers, we give thanks and praise to God!