A Fatherly Hello

An Introduction

My name is Ryan. As a new father, with my daughter 5 months old at the start of this journey, I have done a great deal of thinking on the state of fatherhood in the modern world. I believe that it is my time to share my thoughts in hopes that you and I together can remind the world of what a father, and more so a man, is meant to be. 

Cliché Buzz Words of Modernity

Many men are lost. They do not know who they are supposed to be. There is an unjust attack that has begun against them, an attack that is very much a product of modernity. The world tells us that masculinity is toxic. Men around the world hide in the shadows, afraid to speak up for themselves out of fear of being labeled as such. 

I am not afraid of this threat, for it is a lie. There is no such thing as toxic masculinity; it is a phrase that bears no real meaning. True masculinity can never be deemed as toxic, for true masculinity equates to a set of character traits and virtues proper to men in order for them to succeed in becoming what they are called to be: fathers. 

Therefore, it is when a man fails in his calling that he can be deemed as toxic, but that would not be his masculinity but rather his human frailty.

A Call to Fatherhood

All men are called to be a father- be it to their own children, or in a spiritual sense to those around them. How then, do we define fatherhood? It is not something that can be simply summed up in one sentence. Instead, we must define fatherhood by the roles that one must take on in order to succeed. 

A father has many roles, but I think all of them can be encompassed in some way by three main roles. 

First, a father is to be the priest of the church at home. Second, he is to be rock that his family is built upon. Lastly, a father is to be a source of joy to his children- or at least humor, via terrible dad jokes.

Contemplation

Over the course of this blog, we are going to reflect upon these roles in three ways, one for each role. 

On Sundays, we will dwell upon the Word of God. As priest of the church at home, it is essential for fathers to have a deep understanding and love for sacred scripture. 

On Wednesdays, we'll discuss the virtues of masculinity essential to fathers. 

Lastly, on Saturdays, we'll embrace the joyful aspects of fatherhood and just talk about life. 

I ask that you join me on this journey together as we rediscover fatherhood and learn everything that it is meant to be.