A ‘real man’ is a sexist social construct meant to shame men into behaviour that might not help in their own, or others', flourishing. St. Joseph stands as a contraction to the egoism and aggression demanded by ‘real man’ stereotypes: he was celibate, he chose to treat the woman the world said had betrayed him with gentleness and mercy, he cared for a child not his own, he worked a tradesman's job despite an exalted lineage, he remained a silent, background figure, and his death went unrecorded by history. And yet he is the patron saint of Canada and has been loved by millions and millions of people for the past two millennia.It is interesting to note that the majority of Facebook responses came from women whereas the majority of responses to an earlier, similarly slanted question (directed at defining true femininity) also came from women, primarily. This could simply mean that either women are on Facebook way more than men or that maybe women simply feel a stronger need to articulate the differences between men and women! As if on cue, this article in yesterday’s Globe & Mail confirms the former speculation! But both men and women will find this discussion helpful as it is impossible to talk about ‘real men’ without referencing ‘real women’! As Mateo Castano puts it:
I saw a movie called Jesus of Nazareth and Joseph, the husband of Mary, beautifully tells St. Anne that a man is "only half a person" referring to marriage and how it is the complete giving of self to another where a man is fully himself. This of course applies to the admirable vocation of celibacy in priests who also give themselves completely to the Church, in their belongings, obedience, and the foregoing sex on earth for the glory of Christ and His Church in heaven. So a real man is a man that gives himself completely, holding nothing back, just as Jesus did for us on the cross; He is the only standard.Join us tonight for the weekly edition of Perspectives Friday, April 9th at 7pm and 11pm ET (8 PT), and Sunday April 11th at the same times, for a chance to hear Fr. Chris Valka, Jason Gennaro and Jay Wall articulate their experiences of true manhood and how they try to be faithful to these ideals from within their own vocations.
On December 7, Pope Francis will hold a consistory for the creation of new Cardinals. Then on December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, he will preside over a Holy Mass of Thanksgiving with the new Cardinals.
As most longtime Catholics know, it’s easy to hear the Gospels repeatedly preached on Sundays, but not to understand, remember, or (consequently) truly value any of what you’d just heard.
Euthanasia is becoming accessible to an increasing number of Canadians. What should we know about these changes?
Twenty years ago, I was at a crucial point in my life. In 2003, I graduated from college and I began my Salt + Light Media career.
On Wednesday, October 25, the Salt + Light Media original documentary Walking Together was awarded the Prix Excellence (Award of Excellence) from AMéCO, the Montreal-based Catholic and Ecumenical Media Association.