What Is the Role of a Father in a Catholic Family

The Essential Part of the Father

February 10, 2014

Divorce rates skyrocketing; adultery rampant; not-married cohabitating couples; children abased by their fathers or mothers; "same-sexual activity unions" adopting children and calling this the "modern family"; pornography invading homes, leading to powerful addictions and total alienation from other members of the family unit: all of this is a bird'south heart view of the family situation in the modern world.

Nonetheless, followers of Jesus Christ lift up the banner with the discussion HOPE. Hope is ane of the three theological virtues that are infused in the soul in the moment of Baptism: Faith, Hope and Clemency.

Hope is the virtue by which we identify our full trust in God. Despite our failures, weaknesses, shortcomings, our sins and total fragility we know that God is our Rock, our Fortress, and our Light in the midst of the dark tunnel.  As the Archangel Gabriel announced to Mary, "Nothing is impossible for God."

In this brief essay we would like to present one theme to strengthen families that are under assault, and that is the importance of the father in the formation of wholesome, solid and holy families.  The female parent is the heart of the family merely the father is the "head" of the family.

What then are goals that every man who is called to the spousal relationship vocation should aim to attain so that indeed he tin can alive out what is true "fatherhood" in a earth of "driblet-out dads", negligent fathers, and overly timid men?

Beginning, to be a good begetter he should showtime bea proficient "Son of God the Father".  The Male parent of the family represents and reflects the paradigm of God the Male parent. If a father has an identity crisis in the spiritual realm—that is to say, he does non understand his intimate relationship to God the Father—and then he will not be able to transmit to his children and family unit an authentic vision of God the Father.

However, if the earthly father has encountered God the Begetter in an intimate, personal, filial, and convincing way and then he will exist able to transmit this fatherhood to those whom God will place under his intendance.

A prime case tin be found in the life of Karol Woytyla— the hereafter Holy Father, Pope John Paul 2.  He lost his mother at 9 years of historic period and so spent much of his time with his father; they even shared the same bedroom at night.

Young Karol recalls waking up in the early hours, fashion earlier dawn, and seeing the effigy of his male parent kneeling, deeply absorbed in prayer.   This instance of his male parent left an indelible impression on the immature Karol.  His earthly Father had a deep and intimate relationship to God the Father and transmitted this to his son.

And so Karol would go the bully "Holy Father"—Pope John Paul II, 1 of the greatest and clearest reflections of true fatherhood in the history of the world.

2d, later placing primary emphasis onhis relationship with God the Father, a true father should love his married woman.  The honey and friendship that he has with his wife should be indispensable.  This love should not stagnate, or worse notwithstanding, fizzle out.  On the contrary this human dearest blessed supernaturally by the sacrament of Holy Matrimony should flower, grow, and flourish until the moment of expiry.

All likewise many marriages lose their vibrancy; the honey grows common cold to the point that both alive in the same business firm every bit if they were strangers to each other. Obviously the children volition suffer the consequences!

How can spouses maintain the flame enkindled and burning bright? As in whatever action, sport, or profession, the human relationship between spouses demands work, andhard work—blood, sweat and tears.

First of all both should cultivate an ever deeper human relationship with God. How? Prayer (both individual and family, calling to mind the words of the Rosary priest Father Patrick Peyton, "The family that prays together stays together"); the Sacramental life (frequent confession and Holy Communion); devotion to Mary manifested by the daily recitation of the Holy Rosary—of these are part and parcel of growing in a mutual relationship with God.  This, of course, volition foster unity between themselves as hubby and wife.

Other activities should not be excluded such as a Spousal relationship Retreat on an annual basis, Marriage See, every bit well as cultivating good friendships amongst other proficient Catholic couples!

Tertiary, the father should love his children and see them as a precious treasure that God has given to him with the master purpose of bringing these trivial ones to their ultimate destiny which is heaven.   A child is a gift given to father and female parent but with the primary purpose of the parents being ladders by which the children can climb to sky.

An accurate father outset should provide for the spiritual need of the child. He should teach his kid to pray as soon equally possible. Lilliputian children are like sponges. The nature of a sponge is to absorb; it can absorb dingy water or clean water. Likewise a child tin absorb the dirt of the modernistic world or, through the help of a good father, blot that which is pure, noble and uplifting.

The begetter should be the teacher to the child especially in prayer.   He should be always mindful of the immortal proverb of Male parent Patrick Peyton:  "The family that prays together stays together." With respect to the art of prayer, the begetter should practice three unlike aspects of prayer: 1) He should exist a human of prayer and non exist afraid to manifest information technology publicly.  At that place is a saying that praises prayer as such: "The man is greatest when he is plant on his knees!"   Why? Considering he recognizes that truthful greatness comes from the Begetter of all good gifts, God Himself. ii) He should pray with the family—the blessing of the meal, the family unit Rosary and the active participation in holy Mass which is of course the greatest of all prayers. 3) Finally, a true father should be like Moses who elevated his arms then that the Jews could win the boxing confronting their enemies. A begetter should pray frequently and fervently for his family for their protection from all evils— physical, moral, spiritual—and for his family unit's sanctification and salvation.

An authentic Christian begetter should have his eyes fixed on heaven at all times and stay aware of the globe and the dangers that menace the flock (his wife and children) entrusted to him.

The greatest desire of the father for his family unit should be the salvation of their immortal souls. Jesus said, "What would it profit a human if he gain the whole world and lose his soul in the process? What tin can we offer in exchange for our immortal soul?"

Until we have restored the essential part of the father in the family to his proper place the world will suffer intensely. Homo who is called to the vocation of marriage assumes an enormously important responsibleness.   The end of the vocation is holiness of life and the heavenly reward.

Even so, human being (the begetter) must strive daily to cultivate a deeper human relationship to God. His wife must be cherished every bit his greatest souvenir on earth.  Then, as God sends children, they should be treasured as priceless gems. The male parent must receive them willingly from the hands of the Father, the Creator. They should be formed by the father emotionally, intellectually, morally, but especially spiritually.  Indeed the begetter should practise all in his power to instill in them a deep-rooted Fearfulness of the Lord, but even more, a tender and loving trust and dearest for our Heavenly Begetter.

Let us plow to the best of earthly fathers, the good Saint Joseph, and beg for his powerful intercession. St. Joseph, ornament of the domestic life, patron of families, patron of fathers, pray for u.s.a.!

This postal service is past Fr. Ed Broom, and information technology originally appeared on Catholic Commutation. It is reprinted with permission.

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Source: https://catholicgentleman.com/2014/02/the-essential-role-of-the-father/#:~:text=A%20father%20should%20pray%20frequently,his%20family's%20sanctification%20and%20salvation.

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