For many men today, one would think a "holy hour" means being able to watch the second half of a game without interruption, and that a "retreat" is 36 holes of golf interspersed with appropriate beverages. In many parishes I’ve visited, the women far outnumber the men in the pews (and in the sanctuary).

There are countless things competing for men’s time and attention and, frankly, we don’t always do a good job of prioritizing, of putting first things first. And what could be more important than bending the knee before Our Heavenly Father, the source of all fatherhood?

St. Joseph’s entire life was ordered to God. This enabled him to reflect in his actions an interior life that perfected his manhood.

We know that children learn mostly by example. They know where our heart is and what our priorities are. There simply isn’t a better example for children than a father on his knees before Our Lord in prayer. This holds true as well for our spiritual fathers. The faithful are always edified and strengthened in their own prayer lives when they witness the sincere, devoted prayer of priests. Without prayer, dads and priests become less like fathers and more like mere managers.

St. Joseph teaches us the goodness and value of human work, especially manual labor. Work allows us to cooperate with God as stewards of His creation, and it also furthers our own personal development. In other words, hard work is for "our own good." Honest labor has been redeemed by Christ so that it contributes to our sanctification. That’s why, for example, experienced vocation directors recommend training young men in the discipline and virtue of industriousness as an aid to fostering vocations.

St. Joseph the Worker must have played a significant role in Jesus’ human formation. Through His experience of His foster father’s God-centered work ethic, Jesus "became strong, filled with wisdom" (Lk. 2:40).

We hear much today about absent fathers, priestless parishes, and empty seminaries. Families and parishes slog along as best they can in such circumstances, sometimes heroically, but we all know that this is far from the ideal. Fathers are irreplaceable, and calling men to fully accept the responsibilities of fatherhood must be part of the renewal of families and the priesthood.

The idea here isn’t merely to fill a void. Instead, the presence of a father is a dynamic reality that should benefit the entire family entrusted to him. This presence presupposes a certain availability, or living for others—laying down one’s life for our loved ones. This is sacrificial and eminently priestly exercise.

Many modern men think St. Joseph got it all wrong. After all, this is the age of Viagra, no-fault divorce, and the "sexual revolution." The goal seemingly is sex without responsibility, but St. Joseph accepted the serious responsibility of marriage and family while foregoing the pleasure of marital intimacy.

St. Joseph got it exactly right. He is a vitally important witness to modern man that it is possible and necessary—in fact, noble and manly—to live in accordance with the Church’s teachings on sexual morality. Not all men, particularly married men, are called to perpetual continence. But all men according to their state in life are called to chastity and at certain times in their lives (e.g., before marriage and possibly at times during marriage) are called to continence. The marital act is a sacred expression of one’s total gift to one’s spouse and must not degenerate into a merely recreational, selfish act of self-gratification.

St. Joseph gives himself totally to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He embodies true love and marital fidelity to his beloved spouse even in the absence of physical intimacy.

Meanwhile, priests act in the person of Christ. Our Blessed Lord is the bridegroom, the Church is His bride. In a very real sense, then, priests are wedded to the Church. Their chaste, faithful betrothal to the Family of God—and their fidelity to the teachings of the Church—renders their priesthood life-giving and fruitful.

First, in 2001 we published the men’s Bible study Boys to Men, by Scripture professor Tim Gray and former CUF president Curtis Martin, who now heads the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS). This accessible men’s study, which bears an imprimatur from Archbishop Charles Chaput, has chapters on each of the theological (faith, hope, and charity) and moral (prudence, justice, temperance, and courage) virtues, which are the building blocks for building up a new generation of godly men. This powerful study is already in its fifth printing.

Then last year we published The Unchanging Heart of the Priesthood by Fr. Thomas Acklin, O.S.B. This book lays out the timeless beauty, dignity, and excellence of the ordained priesthood at a time when the very institution is under severe attack. Over 40 bishops from around the world have written to thank us for publishing this significant title, which in one year has already gone through three printings.

In the current (March/April) issue of Lay Witness, we are featuring articles on topics that promise to be of keen interest to men, including:

† What the Catholic faith means to major league All-Star first baseman Mike Sweeney
† How to become the father you were meant to be
† How pornography kills a family
† Why meekness is necessary for today’s men
† Whether anger is ever justified

We are working with men’s groups and other Catholic organizations to make this issue available to as many men as possible, and we need your help.

Are there any men in your life who would benefit from this issue of Lay Witness? If so, please give us their name and address and we’ll send them a complimentary copy. It’s as easy as that. Simply click here to email us your request.

In order to print additional copies of this special issue and to mail it to all those who might benefit, we also need your financial assistance. Please consider a special, tax-deductible gift to CUF this Lenten season. Click here to make an online donation using our secure server. (You can also mail a donation to the address at the bottom of the page.)

Above all, we ask your prayers, through the intercession of St. Joseph, that the Lord will raise up a new generation of godly men who are faithful spouses and fathers, and that our efforts at CUF will further this noble effort.

United in the Faith,