Our Diocese has already started to address this issue. For the past several years (6 I believe), we have had a Men’s March from our riverfront to the Cathedral.That is true. And that is why I am talking about this openly.
WHAT BROUGHT THIS TOPIC ON?
I listened to “Life on the Rock” about men, seminarians and priests participating in an apostolate of the laity that encourages men to be men, not “wimps, baffoons and ??” I forgot the exact terms off my head. But this was a direct quote from the men on the program.
Relating to the topic,Our Diocese has already started to address this issue. For the past several years (6 I believe), we have had a Men’s March from our riverfront to the Cathedral.
It isn’t what you would call a “HUGE” event, but it has grown steadily over the years.
Here is a link to this year’s flyer.
cdop.org/pages/EEventDetailAttachment.aspx?ID=74
You make some very valid points.Relating to the topic,
This is why I joined the Knights of Columbus when I returned to the Church.
However, there is a mixed group of men that don’t seem to know or care enough about the faith to practice it boldly. There are some of course. And hope to be one of them. Don’t get me wrong on my views here. I’ve yet to discus women. My believe about women is quite the same but that women’s strength comes from their willingness, courage and whatever noble trait to submit to their husbands and men in the Church who are trying to do the right things in the Church to encourage other men and especially young teenage boys. The religious orders for women should be brought back in such a manner that the dignity of the vocation is restored to what is once was. Fortunately for us the younger generation is moving towards orthodoxy and we are seeing increases in vocation all over the place. We still have a long way to go though.
Once the natural order is restored we will see an increase in vocations and the decline of what I’m calling wimpy men.
edited to add this story:
A couple of years ago I stood in front of our parish church with a woman leading the group in the absence of the ProLfe Director, also a woman. The message being conveyed to us, about 25, was that our pastor is not supportive of the Pro-Ministry in the Church. They repeated it in front of the abortion clinic. This was absolutely scandalous and I rebuked them all for saying such things about the man I swore to protect. In fact, they were saying this to manipulate what he actually said and did just to get their way. I talked to the priest about this expressing my concerns. He expressed discontent about it and said that this had been an ongoing problem and that this Director had repeatedly said bad things about him and later came to him apologizing. Women typically lead by emotions. And though I support the pro-life ministry I did not support some of the things she was trying to do. It encouraged women to have babies outside of wedlock by offering them financial support and new cars. The pastor refused to allow it, and for good moral reasons, not just financial. In fact, I donated a car at first and after realizing the depth of the problem offered to give it to Catholic Charities which usually did not do this sort of thing, but they really needed it. The woman was so effective at manipulating peple that she conned both of us into not donating it to Catholic Charities but rather to a man whose wife was incarcerated for writing several bad checks and that had 4 daughters. Not that it matters, but they were not Catholic. I saw the need and decided that this would be a good use of that mini-van since the man was also mechanically inclined. But ever since, I’ve never trusted anything this woman has said.
To elaborate. She has conducted herself vindictively all these years, yet she still remains in that office. The pastor should never have allowed her to return after she quit. And even more problematic, he should have fired her form the position under the obvious, disrespect and not being submissive to the authority over her, under him. The bishop changed things Diocese wise and this infuriated them because she kept standing up to Protestants that were irritated at her continual lack of respect. Today, all of the Catholics, defend her. But I talked to the man she claimed was attacking her Catholic faith. I agreed with the man even though he was bible only. Shoving a picture of the Blessed Mother in the face of all those non-Catholic Christians is disturbing if you do not understand the place of the Blessed Mother. And further this woman almost elevates the Blessed Mother to goddess, which is gravely sinful in the eyes of the Church. Spineless men not defending the faith to avoid scandal.
Good for him. You father sounds like a much better father than mine. St. Francis is credit with the statement “Preach the gospel always and when necessary use words.”My father was not an “evangelical type”. He didn’t talk about religion much, but he was honest and forthright in his business and his personal life. He took us to Mass and we received the sacraments. He didn’t do a lot of “God talking”, but loved his wife and loved and disciplined his children. He lived the life and pretty much kept his mouth shut. He led by example. Just because someone doesn’t run around evangelizing, preaching and jumping up and down and shouting about Jesus 24/7 doesn’t make them wimpy and unchristian. My mother was the same way. I think this is where some evangelical types get the wrong idea that Catholic men are wimpy. In my opinion the opposite is true.
A good freind of mine. He and I umpired baseball together. One eveningI saw him get nailed in the head by a ball. He didn’t even go down. He’s anything but a wimp, and that includes his Catholic faith.I can vouch that my perception of Catholic men has always been “wimp” and “buffoon” most all my life. Assuming you give your perspective, why do you have the perception? Further, express the view of the men in your own faith. Catholics are welcome to reply as well.
I disagree that my father’s generation was mislead. My genreation has been horribly mislead and by their own doing. We evangilize best by the way we live. They will know we are Christians by our love, not how loudly we sing and talk.Good for him. You father sounds like a much better father than mine. St. Francis is credit with the statement “Preach the gospel always and when necessary use words.”
You father is not a wimp, bafoon or whatever from what you’ve said about him. I’m not referring to men like that but mostly about those that don’t teach their children. You said he did, so he in essence stood up to the plate. It’s ashame that his generation was misled to believe that we are not responsible to evangelize, because WE ARE. All baptized Christians are called to evangelize. Evangelizing comes in many forms. Not everyone that is part of the body of Christ can be a big toe or a finger.
I can vouch that my perception of Catholic men has always been “wimp” and “buffoon” most all my life. Assuming you give your perspective, why do you have the perception? Further, express the view of the men in your own faith. Catholics are welcome to reply as well.
I just checked and found a pulse. So I guess I’m real.Is this guy for real???
Wimpy? Buffoons? I could not agree with you. It takes courage to be a man of any faith and to admit it to others in todays world. My brother is Catholic and a K of C member. He is a state trooper for over 25 years, He is far from wimpy and far from being a buffoon. I’m sorry to say that it takes a wimpy person who is a buffoon to call someone that just because of their religion. Could it be because you have a low outlook of yourself that you have of call Catholic men names to make you feel better or is it because you are just ignorant who can’t see what real men are. Wimpy and buffoons, give me a break.I can vouch that my perception of Catholic men has always been “wimp” and “buffoon” most all my life. Assuming you give your perspective, why do you have the perception? Further, express the view of the men in your own faith. Catholics are welcome to reply as well.
You’ve missed my point.Wimpy? Buffoons? I could not agree with you. It takes courage to be a man of any faith and to admit it to others in todays world. My brother is Catholic and a K of C member. He is a state trooper for over 25 years, He is far from wimpy and far from being a buffoon. I’m sorry to say that it takes a wimpy person who is a buffoon to call someone that just because of their religion. Could it be because you have a low outlook of yourself that you have of call Catholic men names to make you feel better or is it because you are just ignorant who can’t see what real men are. Wimpy and buffoons, give me a break.
And your point is?You’ve missed my point.
I am stupid?And your point is?
What you are seeing is not a real picture of the faithful, but a false image created by a small group. There is a movement in this country that started years ago that says that if a man shows emotions of any sort, he is a wimp. There was a backlash against it that said that men need to get in touch with their feminin side. Both of them are full of it.
Men naturally repress emotions. It is a needed action in the protectors. The problem is that the heads of many academic institution dove head first into the feminine man idea, which led to the influx of homosexual seminarians.
Catholic men are like all men. Some are “wimpy” and some are not. Some are “bafoons” and some are not. Sorry.
I don’t see anything “sissy” about “feeding the hungry”, “visiting those in prison”, or shedding tears over a child cancer victim.For example, one of the decons in my parrish was Special forces in Viet Nam. Another member was a Navy SEAL. Neither of them are wimps. Not to mention all the mafia guys who have been Catholic through the years. Heck, I hold a black belt myself.
Mafia guys unless they repent are not saved. All this talk of special forces etc… sounds like boasting. Men don’t have to physically fight or kill to be men. They would be REAL MEN if they would go visit the hospital a few times every month.For example, one of the decons in my parrish was Special forces in Viet Nam. Another member was a Navy SEAL. Neither of them are wimps. Not to mention all the mafia guys who have been Catholic through the years. Heck, I hold a black belt myself.
I don’t see nothing wrong with me crying at all. But why do they cry? Is thier a good reason? Sure, crying all the time is stupid or men or women. The holy spirit leads all people into truth. So if crying is silly then men won’t lead into crying (unless there is a good reason).Men naturally repress emotions. It is a needed action in the protectors. The problem is that the heads of many academic institution dove head first into the feminine man idea, which led to the influx of homosexual seminarians.
Really what is your point? If I missed it I would like to know what I missed.I am stupid?
I said nothing of the sort. I am adressing the idea that in order to be male and Catholic, you must be borderline gay or dumb, which seems to be the claim made.I don’t see anything “sissy” about “feeding the hungry”, “visiting those in prison”, or shedding tears over a child cancer victim.
The main reason Christian men are hated is BECAUSE they don’t do the acts of charity in Matthew 25. That’s why thier mocked (thier crying is mocked too). A lot of people view churches as self righteous social clubs.
Mafia guys unless they repent are not saved. All this talk of special forces etc… sounds like boasting. Men don’t have to physically fight or kill to be men. They would be REAL MEN if they would go visit the hospital a few times every month.
Sure a lot of guys like to do “man” things. Whatever. But a man who esercises everyday (in secret) and then does charity (in secret) would be doing the will of God. Not some boaster.
Again, you are not reading what I am writting. The idea set forth by the OP is that Catholic men are either castrada or idiots. Neither is true. I am not saying that DOING what Christ calls us to do is anything masculine or feminine. I am saying that one need not check his testosterone at the door to be a Catholic.There are a lot of men who have done real “macho” things overseas. But now they just sit around and drink and whine. They never do any acts of charity or nothing. So maybe they were men in the past but not very manly now.
I stated it in the above. You must have missed it. It’s not like its one thing. I was merely going through a mental exercise for my own sake. I gave my experiences in brief. But I have struggled with male identity not having grown up always with a father present in my life. The rest is just details of how I migrated from one thought to the next. Details, that’s all. I’m NOT accusing Catholic men of uniquely being wimps, etc. I gave a background somewhere.Really what is your point? If I missed it I would like to know what I missed.