The central question in discernment is: How shall I die with Christ, to rise with him? How will I lose my life to find it? What will bring me to the point where I can say, with St. Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me”?

Many of us are born into the mess called generational sin: The reality of a family or fatherly wound that often leads into sin for many generations. There are choices we can take to sever our relationship with these sins in our families.

Too many fathers have adopted the same approach with their families, “planting the garden” but ignoring the ongoing and focused work so desperately needed in their home. Stewarding the growth of children is a father's obligation.

With modern education, children are in a world centered on accomplishment rather than eternity. Fathers play a particular role in their children's spiritual upbringing.

A father’s work is cultivated in the home, doing the difficult things like creating order, discipline, and structure. A father’s work demands that we engage in family life, not just be casual observers.

If we neglect the little things, we neglect everything. The big things (marriage, careers, friendships, children) are made of the little things (an unnoticed good deed, a phone call with a friend, sharing a compliment just because).

Children learn about their heavenly Father from their earthly fathers. Fathers should be the head of the family, strong leaders, faithful to their wives, and have a guiding hand in disciplining their children

Our world has become aggressively crude and divisive, while the societal pressures on men and boys to hate their own masculinity has taken its toll on all of us. So what are Catholic families to do? John Heinen recently joined The Homeschooling Saints Podcast to talk about Bringing Back Gentlemanliness.