Many men may feel that the Church is more for women and children, and that it has become almost feminized in the last few generations. This at the same time, the so-called feminists, who have done more to damage authentic manhood than guyliner or manscara, decry that the Catholic Church, or especially the hierarchy,  is misogynistic, anti-women, and patriarchal. Well, obviously, they both can’t be right, but there is some truth to the way some men feel, in that fewer men than woman and children attend Mass, and that women at the parish level, seem to run and staff more committees than do men. But this was not always the case, nor was it the way Christ established His Church, upon a patriarchal foundation which does not mean that Jesus, or the Church is somehow anti-women. For the feminization of the culture generally and the Church in particular has had disastrous effects on two successive generations of Catholics, not just Catholic men, losing their faith at an alarming rate. For Mass attendance by fathers is the single greatest factor to ensure that the Catholic faith is passed on to our children. Statistics show that if fathers attend Mass regularly, an incredible 74% of their children will attend Mass regularly as adults. Conversely, where fathers don’t attend Mass, a whopping 61% of their children will completely abandon their Faith.


      These sobering statistics show not only that fathers are called by God to be the patriarchs of their Domestic Churches, but also that many of us have failed in our primary responsibility as fathers. The good news however, is there is an easy fix, a sure way to reverse this troubling trend that has been disastrous for our children, their families, the church, the culture and their eternal souls of we fathers who have failed, and our descendants who are far from God. The simple and sure first step is to attend Mass every Sunday with our families. Also in attending Mass regularly, we will be


      


       We not only must not forget the heroic nature of our faith as it has been practiced throughout its nearly 2000 year history, but we must reclaim it, for it is our spiritual birthright, and if we don’t, what we pass on to the next generations will be a weaker, more timid, lukewarm faith than it was created by Christ to be. For Jesus chose 12 real men, unpolished, hardy, audacious men to spread His gospel and build His Church across the known, and hostile world. Even before Jesus chose His first apostle, look to Jesus’ own cousin, the last prophet, and greatest man born to woman, he was literally a caveman-the polar opposite of the metrosexuals who are the unwanted poster children of the sad surrender to so-called feminism. But look mostly to Jesus, who was not as He has recently been portrayed, a wimpy, sandal-wearing, pacifist, but a carpenter and a stonecutter, a muscular, powerful, man’s man, so strong and courageous that He willingly suffered the most unspeakable mental, emotional and physical tortures without a word or act of resistance or protest, with perceived weakness, obedience, and love. And because of the work and examples of these bold and resolute men, and the blood of the martyrs, the nascent Church grew to the ends of the earth, overcoming even the invincible Roman Empire. This is why we need these bold, zealous, hardy men today to be examples to our wives, children, and to the culture, to overcome this secular, anti-Christian empire which is spreading across the former Christendom. For without these authentic men and models of a vigorous faith, had she been led by tepid, timid, tolerant, politically correct bureaucratic bishops, the Early Church may not have spread outside of Judea.

 

There were remarkable priests who prayed for and preached a pious defense of Christendom and inspired millions to defend by arms all that we held holy, including St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Juan Capistrano, and Pope Pius V. There were Catholic military orders of audacious warrior monks who prayed and fought for the faith, knowing that success in the spiritual realm was critical for success in battle, including the Knights of Malta, the Teutonic Knights, the Hospitallers, and the great and feared Knights Templar. So our models and examples are out there, and we in the Church Militant can emulate their dedication and virtues, and pray for their intercession now that they comprise the Church Triumphant.


      If our Church has lost a certain degree of its authentic masculinity, it’s only because we as men have abdicated our responsibility and God-given role as educators of our children in the Faith, and living examples of Christian virtue and authentic manhood. But as none can argue that the spiritual warfare that has been raging has spilled over into the culture, and that we appear to be losing on both fronts, the time has come to enlist,

 

bringing more men into the Church, correcting the perception that Mass is just for old people, or women, or children. For outside our brief personal history with the Mass, and whatever anecdotal evidence we may possess, some of the most manly men, greatest warriors, most powerful kings, the wisest scholars, participated in the Holy Mass, from great Cathedrals to bloody battlefields, even risking life and limb in order to do so. We need to reclaim our heritage, our legacy, this mantle of rugged, masculine, heroic Catholicism, and in so doing, infusing the Church with vitality, zeal, and courage. We must bring with us the brave spirit of Elijah, the countercultural spirit of John the Baptist, the undaunted spirit of the martyrs, the chivalrous spirit of the crusading knights, with the humble and obedient spirit of mystics, monks and preachers. For the absence of men has left a great void in the Church, and our return en masse, will help renew and transform her, for the better. And this transformation is already well underway, as evidenced by not only the number of authentic men returning to their faith, but especially with the great influx of zealous, devout, obedient, and manly young men entering the priesthood. 



       Remember too that the Church on earth is called the Church Militant for a reason. She is down here on earth engaged in spiritual and occasional physical warfare, in the battle for souls, and the defense of all she holds dear. The Church Militant has fought with, converted and tamed violent Goths, Barbarians, Slavs, Illyrians, Franks, Germanic, Celts, Vikings, Magyars, turned back Attila the Hun from sacking Rome, reclaimed the Holy Land, and protected Christians and Christian Lands from the attacks, kidnappings, rapes, and beheadings of Muslims. There were great soldier saints going all the way back to St Longinus, the centurion who pierced the heart of Christ with his lance, along with St. Maurice and the Theban Legion, St. Sebastian, St. Martin of Tours, St. George, St. Louis, St. Ferdinand, St. Ignatius, and the bravest (and dare I say, most masculine) soldier in all of France, St. Joan of Arc.


      

 

suit up, and enter the fray, to turn the tide in this decline of Christian culture, and reclaim for Christ what is rightfully His, including the millions of souls hanging in the balance. Ready to enlist-just                      to add your name to the glorious list of Catholic soldier saints.


Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.                                                                                                                                                                       

-Holy Spirit Prayer
 


II Restoration Of The Church

COURAGEOUS CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY