"Discovering the Fatherhood of God in a Gender-Neutral Society"

Discovering the Fatherhood of God in a Gender-Neutral Society | Mary Anastasia

In a popular movie of several years ago, a cherubic six-year-old girl blithely explains her family drawing to her dumb struck kindergarten companions: "This is Mark, he's my daytime Daddy; this is Peter, he's my main Daddy; this is Jack, he's my biological Daddy; this is my Mommy, and this is me." This situation, while admittedly contrived for the sake of the comedic story line, still points up a "wrinkle" in modern thinking which sometimes poses problems for the catechesis of children and adolescents. This "wrinkle," or, more properly, this deviation, is the clouding of the concept of fatherhood. This lack of a human "reference point" can make it very difficult to teach young people about the loving Fatherhood of God. This paper will explore the background of the problem, and then look to the Church's teaching for the response of Faith.

The first point to be examined in this review of the problem is one which impacts all the other points. This is the assault on "manliness" in our society today. A very wise man once said, "There is no one so narrow as an open-minded liberal." This statement is illustrated by the rabid way in which the "doctrine" known as "political correctness" is wielded by that small but violently vocal segment of society, the radical feminists. While claiming to champion "equality" between males and females, they have really brought about the emasculation of language and induced a "hunted quarry syndrome" among men today. Those qualities of maleness which once defined the role of the man in the fabric of society have been vilified into grounds for prosecution: the strength which makes him the protector suddenly becomes "animalistic aggression"; the logic and lucidity which give him the ability to provide for his family suddenly become "paternalistic oppression"; the love which moves him to desire children is criticized as "patriarchal enslavement." A generation of men has learned to suppress its instinctive chivalry for fear of fiery retribution. Masculine forms of language have become the dirtiest of swear words and masculinity in men (but not in women) a punishable offense. In short, the essential dignity of being created "male" through the deliberate act of the Creator has been shredded at the altar of misguided "equality."

This emasculated mind-set leads to tangible situations in which the concept of fatherhood is darkened beyond recognition. Webster defines "father" as both a noun and as a verb. As a noun, "father" is listed as "a male parent," while in its verb form it means "to act or serve as a father." In today's society, we very often see the noun function without the verb function: biological fathering is not followed by the continuing presence and nurturing of the male parent. The root of this phenomenon lies in a defective understanding of sexuality, aptly described by Pope John Paul II in his document, The Gospel of Life:

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Comments

[Todd]

Somehow, I don't think it's very manly to accept victimhood at the hands of boogey-feminists. I'm very happy to be a man and a father. I take my role seriously. I don't feel at all threatened by feminists, and certainly not by liberals. In fact, I know many men who, like me, are both liberal and feminist, and we do quite well with the expression of our masculinity and in the responsibility of fatherhood.

While acknowledging that there are always individuals who denigrate fathers because of bad experiences, it's easy enough for a man to set the tone in his own life, to give good example to his kids and his peers, and to simply move on when the occasional embittered person takes a stand. Real men need neither to punch out the bitter, nor let our lives be governed by what others think, say, or broadcast. Happy Father's Day to all, and let it be a blessed one.

[Howard]

I'm with Todd on this one. A real man doesn't stop being a man because someone might call him a dirty word!

Besides, I suspect our culture of pornography has done more damage to the practice of true fatherhood than have feminist slogans.

[Clare Krishan]

Hectoring tone not recommended to be emulated by any pastoral homilists, IMHO!

Naggy nanny is the domain of the old-fashioned paternalists, usually the Government, no?

Here's a much more sympathetic TOB take on fatherhood, from Anthony Esolen: http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/catholic_stories/cs0384.htm

[ The Unquiet Men - On those who are leaving the reservation ] "You speak to the white man," says the Indian chief, his countenance scarred with age and battle. "You tell them, Big McLintock."

The catechetical work being pleaded for 13 years ago didn't get done, did it? Fathers Cutie, Maciel and Friedl have put the kabosh on that approach, so lets drop the empty moralisms shall we? Satanic Harry Potter and jeremiads against Katrina kept a good man from being installed bishop for a valid and licit reason, the flock weren't impressed that the messenger had their best interests at heart. Appearances can be very deceptive, and a whole generation that grew up with the inanities they did (contraception's ok, women priests are likely, charity is what's deducted from my paycheck as taxes) will need a purer witness to fatherhood from the Church than "do as as I say, no as I do."

http://www.traces-cl.com/2009E/04/theannounce.html

"The problem is that for the method to become an experience of life, we must avoid the temptation to see it as a vision to be “applied.” This will not overcome the devastating and fruitless dualism. Instead, the method becomes life through following another to whom this has happened." Fr. Lorenzo Albacete

(my emphasis)