If you have followed CMCS for a while, then you know about
Bishop Perry's Virtues of a Catholic Man (PDF). Many men have made this a part of their daily prayer routine and witness how much it has changed their lives. You just work on one Virtue at time until it becomes a habit, and then move on to the next Virtue.
According to its etymology the word virtue (Latin virtus) signifies manliness or courage ... (“The term virtue is from the word that signifies man; a man’s chief quality is fortitude”; Cicero, “Tuscul.”, I, xi, 18). Taken in its widest sense virtue means the excellence of perfection of a thing, just as vice, its contrary, denotes a defect or absence of perfection due to a thing.
One of the Virtues of a Catholic Man are:
"A Catholic man passes his faith to his children and sees to their religious education." Men have shared with me how their adult children have left the faith and wonder if the witness they have provided them was all worth it. Myself included.
Remember that, you are not responsible for the decisions that your children make, but you are responsible to God in passing your faith on to your Children.
I for one was a 'steeple chaser' during my College years, which helped me to better understand why I am a Catholic. My parents were both an excellent example of their belief and being VERY Catholic.
Being an example is one of the best ways to pass on your faith, and how much you believe in the magisterial teachings and dogma of the Catholic Catechism. For example, with the Eucharist, did you know that very few Catholics, approximately 30 percent, fully believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist?
Men, do you believe in the Real Presence, if not, why is that? I want to know, so please tell me. I will post some responses (without names) in a future blog post.
If you've not heard, the Bishops of the United States have announced a Eucharistic Revival for the next few years. The National Eucharistic Revival is envisioned to be a true Revival to rediscover the source and summit of our Faith through a deep commitment of prayer, pilgrimage, and worship on the part of the entire Church in the United States.
Click here for a podcast about this from the Chicago Archdiocese Office of Divine Worship. And click here for Bishop Perry’s blog article, in case you missed it.
Take a listen to
this episode of The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast. Fr. Mike reminds us of the gift of the Eucharist and shares the way it transformed his own life. It is the heart of our faith, our spiritual nourishment, the bread that we live for, and the teaching worth dying for.