I have a theory -all Catholics need to read this!

[TEPO]

My theory goes as follows:

The decline in Catholicism that has plagued the West is due to a lack of spiritual guidance through family unit fathering.

With dads being the visionaries and organizers of the family unit, they need to balance their focus between their work, politics, enforcing rules and guiding their families in a more spiritual atmosphere.

What I’m saying is that the fault cannot lay on Church priests, media, politics or whatever… The blame lies in a lack of spiritual strength within Catholic men, especially fathers.

So what I’d like to do is to create a fraternal brotherhood for lay Catholic men based on balancing spirituality and responsibility. It should be guided by God and there should be 7 patron Saints including St Francis, St. Joseph, and 5 others… Every member must choose a Saint as their advocate to mediate between the fraternity and the Father through daily prayer. We would have to promise X amount of time in prayer each week.

There would be a monthly requirement, where we could have special evening Masses. We could organize lectures and meetings discussing priorities and agendas with recognized Catholic Apologists, monks, priests, bishops, etc.

Well, what do you think?

 

[Baelor]

I do not think that we can blame societal problems on something as specific (and yet paradoxically vague) as a lack of “spiritual strength in Catholic men.”

Fathers are not morally bound to be the visionaries and organizers of the family unit; this should be the result of communication and cooperation between the spouses.

 

[mountee]

Your thoughts may be a part of the issue but I do not believe they are the totality of the problem. There are many threads as well as news articles about this very issue and my feelings are that this is a multifaceted problem. The one issue that comes up frequently is a lack of proper formation in the individual, regularly you will see people refer to a lack of being properly catechized. I applaud your ideas but I have to admit that I don’t think that they will successfully erase the issues.

 

[TEPO]

Your thoughts may be a part of the issue but I do not believe they are the totality of the problem. There are many threads as well as news articles about this very issue and my feelings are that this is a multifaceted problem. The one issue that comes up frequently is a lack of proper formation in the individual, regularly you will see people refer to a lack of being properly catechized. I applaud your ideas but I have to admit that I don’t think that they will successfully erase the issues.

Aah, a lack of catechization. Well, what if one of the qualifications into the brotherhood was a promise to catechize our children…?

It really doesn’t fall on the Church to force us to learn about the faith. Its the responsibility of every Church member -especially fathers.

Think of this: that Natural Law, according to Catholic doctrine, mirrors Eternal Law… God is the father of the Church, Bishops are the fathers of the diocese, priests are the fathers of the churches and DADS are the fathers of the family.

 

[TEPO]

I do not think that we can blame societal problems on something as specific (and yet paradoxically vague) as a lack of “spiritual strength in Catholic men.”

Fathers are not morally bound to be the visionaries and organizers of the family unit; this should be the result of communication and cooperation between the spouses.

Yes, this is the claim I’m making… This is my theory. If you were to think about it in depth, perhaps you see that fatherhood and husbandry are much more important roles than we might think… This is why St. Francis would be a good role model for fathers.

This has nothing to do with downgrading women -its all about fulfilling our natural role.

 

[Baelor]

Yes, this is the claim I’m making… This is my theory.

I certainly understand what you were saying. I just think that if you are going to assert that the decline of a faith that includes hundreds of millions of humans is due to a single cause, you should consider offering some evidence.

If you were to think about it in depth, perhaps you see that fatherhood and husbandry are much more important roles than we might think…

I am aware that the roles are very important. No one was disputing this.

This has nothing to do with downgrading women -its all about fulfilling our natural role.

I never said it was about downgrading women. I simply stated that the father is not necessarily called to be the “visionary” and “organizer” of the family unit, whatever those terms mean.

 

[JackieMom]

Yes, this is the claim I’m making… This is my theory. If you were to think about it in depth, perhaps you see that fatherhood and husbandry are much more important roles than we might think… This is why St. Francis would be a good role model for fathers.

This has nothing to do with downgrading women -its all about fulfilling our natural role.

Husbandry is the discipline of breeding and raising livestock (or agriculture)

How is fatherhood and being a husband more important than we might think? The Church teaches that these are important and valuable roles already.

Sorry, this sounds a little too “Promise Keepers” for me.

 

[SonSearcher]

My theory goes as follows:

The decline in Catholicism that has plagued the West is due to a lack of spiritual guidance through family unit fathering.

With dads being the visionaries and organizers of the family unit, they need to balance their focus between their work, politics, enforcing rules and guiding their families in a more spiritual atmosphere.

What I’m saying is that the fault cannot lay on Church priests, media, politics or whatever… The blame lies in a lack of spiritual strength within Catholic men, especially fathers.

So what I’d like to do is to create a fraternal brotherhood for lay Catholic men based on balancing spirituality and responsibility. It should be guided by God and there should be 7 patron Saints including St Francis, St. Joseph, and 5 others… Every member must choose a Saint as their advocate to mediate between the fraternity and the Father through daily prayer. We would have to promise X amount of time in prayer each week.

There would be a monthly requirement, where we could have special evening Masses. We could organize lectures and meetings discussing priorities and agendas with recognized Catholic Apologists, monks, priests, bishops, etc.

Well, what do you think?

Satan and original sin are the fundamental reasons. All else stems from that.

 

[TEPO]

To become a member of this fraternity, you must first become ordained into the religious life… You must first become a Deacon.

 

[TEPO]

I certainly understand what you were saying. I just think that if you are going to assert that the decline of a faith that includes hundreds of millions of humans is due to a single cause, you should consider offering some evidence.
.

There needs to be a pole then. I’d be willing to bet that more than half of all atheists come from households where there was poor to no ‘fathering’… Our relationships with our earthly father reflect our relationship with our heavenly father. Natural Law mirrors Eternal Law.

 

[Jacquimae]

Yes, this is the claim I’m making… This is my theory. If you were to think about it in depth, perhaps you see that fatherhood and husbandry are much more important roles than we might think… This is why St. Francis would be a good role model for fathers.

This has nothing to do with downgrading women -its all about fulfilling our natural role.

I wish I would have had a father in my life who did guide me. Dads, if you are there with your families, please do all you can, with your wife and the fellowship of other catholic men and women, to raise children in the faith. Too often so many of our children are being raised in single family homes, or in homes where the father is one religion, or NO religion and the mom does the best she can. I do talk to my great grandson, who is being raised catholic, about the importance of looking to other Catholics for fellowship. But as I have read in the other posts, it is not just one thing, there are numerous issues involved. I think one of the top reasons is that earth, and life here will never measure up to what we need. We are all preparing to move in with our Heavenly Father when the time is right for each one of us.

 

[Baelor]

There needs to be a pole then. I’d be willing to bet that more than half of all atheists come from households where there was poor to no ‘fathering’…

That would be an interesting study. It is still a bit presumptuous to say that the “decline” of Catholicism is entirely attributable to a single cause.

 

[TEPO]

How is fatherhood and being a husband more important than we might think? The Church teaches that these are important and valuable roles already.

Well, sure the Church teaches it, but nobody knows what the Church teaches anymore.

…Nobodys father enforces learning it.

 

[Baelor]

Well, sure the Church teaches it, but nobody knows what the Church teaches anymore.

…Nobodys father enforces learning it.

It is not solely the responsibility of the father to promote an understanding of the faith. The family as a whole – father, mother, children – and the Church – bishops, priests, laymen – all have a responsibility.

 

[TEPO]

I’m serious about this.!

…Somebody PM Jreducation -he’s a dad… He can be our founder.

He knows all about the religious life, and stuff like this.

I’ll help plan out the mission and core values and things like that.

 

[mountee]

Your sincerity is appealing but to be honest placing the entire responsibility on the fathers is not going to sit well with everyone. Obviously some children are raised by single fathers and mothers but in the case of a marriage it is supposed to be an equal partnership. Unlike the Church where woman’s roles are limited a marriage is not the same dynamic. Asking fathers to step up in this process is great but it comes across like you are saying that the wife/mother is not equally responsible. I also agree with others who have stated that the issues you hope to resolve cannot be blamed on a single problem.

 

[LSK]

My theory goes as follows:

The decline in Catholicism that has plagued the West is due to a lack of spiritual guidance through family unit fathering.

With dads being the visionaries and organizers of the family unit, they need to balance their focus between their work, politics, enforcing rules and guiding their families in a more spiritual atmosphere.

What I’m saying is that the fault cannot lay on Church priests, media, politics or whatever… The blame lies in a lack of spiritual strength within Catholic men, especially fathers.

So what I’d like to do is to create a fraternal brotherhood for lay Catholic men based on balancing spirituality and responsibility. It should be guided by God and there should be 7 patron Saints including St Francis, St. Joseph, and 5 others… Every member must choose a Saint as their advocate to mediate between the fraternity and the Father through daily prayer. We would have to promise X amount of time in prayer each week.

There would be a monthly requirement, where we could have special evening Masses. We could organize lectures and meetings discussing priorities and agendas with recognized Catholic Apologists, monks, priests, bishops, etc.

Well, what do you think?

Isn’t there an organization now under the protection of St Joseph for just such a situation? I thought I heard about it on Catholic Radio.

 

[Edward_H]

My theory goes as follows:

The decline in Catholicism that has plagued the West is due to a lack of spiritual guidance through family unit fathering.

With dads being the visionaries and organizers of the family unit, they need to balance their focus between their work, politics, enforcing rules and guiding their families in a more spiritual atmosphere.

What I’m saying is that the fault cannot lay on Church priests, media, politics or whatever… The blame lies in a lack of spiritual strength within Catholic men, especially fathers.

So what I’d like to do is to create a fraternal brotherhood for lay Catholic men based on balancing spirituality and responsibility. It should be guided by God and there should be 7 patron Saints including St Francis, St. Joseph, and 5 others… Every member must choose a Saint as their advocate to mediate between the fraternity and the Father through daily prayer. We would have to promise X amount of time in prayer each week.

There would be a monthly requirement, where we could have special evening Masses. We could organize lectures and meetings discussing priorities and agendas with recognized Catholic Apologists, monks, priests, bishops, etc.

Well, what do you think?

I think you’ve tapped the major point here…sure not everything can be laid here…but most decline is the result of men who have shirked their duty…in the home, in the office, or in political life. We’ve failed to love and avoid sin to the point of heroic virtue…of shedding blood, as St Paul tells us.

Well said and thought out.

Men have been half stepping or marking time.

 

[Kamaduck]

There needs to be a pole then. I’d be willing to bet that more than half of all atheists come from households where there was poor to no ‘fathering’… Our relationships with our earthly father reflect our relationship with our heavenly father. Natural Law mirrors Eternal Law.

I guess everybody without a father is kind of doomed, then? Bad news for all the kids I know whose dads have died…

I encourage both men and women to take responsibility for their actions, so your fraternity sounds like a fine idea. I don’t think all our problems can be chalked up to the irresponisbility of men, but getting them to be more responsible certainly can’t hurt. Good luck.

 

[Ontheway]

I think that this problem has to do with the breakup of all social structures. From the extended family, where everyone was Catholic and the grandparents and all the cousins were a great Catholic resource.
Our flight to suburbia destroyed the old church-based neighborhoods, where the church, the school and all sorts of community structures supported the life style based on Christian values and beliefs.
We have lost all of that. Our families now include more atheists, agnostics, protestants than Catholics. Our neighborhoods lack any sense of cohesion. Even after living in one place for 10 years or more, we remain isolated from our neighbors.
The church is no help either. We attend church each Sunday and know only a handful of people, at best.
It is not the father or the mother, but our circumstances which make things so difficult.
Maybe we need to follow the example of the baptists and others who manage to create vibrant communities around their churches.