Our Fathers

For Christians, we have a perfect Father in heaven.  He loves us without condition in our sinful and unworthy state.  In his goodness and mercy, he has given us holy men who have been fathers, father figures, and spiritual fathers throughout the ages.

I know many Catholics and Christians look to Saint Joseph for guidance and hope.

In him, we see a man who was asked to protect, provide for and raise Jesus Christ.  In many faith communities, I think, too often, Saint Joseph does not get the proper credit he deserves.  Talk about a man!  He took his expectant bride into his home and trusted what had been revealed to him was true.  He walked in faith, loved Mary and Jesus, and was obedient to his vocation.

My dad is a great example of a loving and holy father.

He protected and provided for our family, prayed over and with us, and sacrificed for us daily.  Seeing him pray the rosary, read sacred Scripture, or read books on apologetics was not uncommon.  Though imperfect, he is a living reflection of our Lord and God.

Not only was I fortunate to have a precious soul as a father, I married one too.

My husband, John, is a practicing Catholic who believes it is his responsibility to be an example to our children in all areas of life-especially his faith life.  He has a very strong core and believes that there is a clear difference between right and wrong.  Grey just isn’t in his color wheel.  He is faithful to me and to our family, and he is generous.  So generous.  We have a shared belief that we have been blessed through hard work, a never give up attitude, and daily miracles that we can’t explain, and we committed early in our marriage that we would “give until it hurt.”  Meaning, we would not give and be charitable out of our excess but out of the funds that we could easily use ourselves or save for retirement.

We continue to be amazed by the life we get to live.

In the valleys and in the mountaintops, John loves unconditionally.  I tell our daughters often, “ If marriage is your vocation, find a man like your daddy!”  He has set the bar high, and for that, I am grateful.  In his love and fidelity, I have a glimpse of what heaven will be like—pure, sweet, glorious, and faithful love.

In a day where masculinity is considered toxic, I give thanks for my father and husband who continue to model the virtue of manhood in our family life.  Thank you to each and every man who puts faith and family above self and lives out his vocation in such an exemplary way!  We love you.