Challenge to Catholic men

Sydney
24 August 2003

Catholic Mission aid boost

Weekly crusade wins news prize

Me and the Pope: Photo jogs memory

Kids celebrate Mary’s day

Virus boy will join Susan’s pilgrimage

Situation ‘much improved’, says Solomons trust chief

Challenge to Catholic men

Something to Yell! About

Children and ‘frail elderly’ at risk

‘Immensely in debt’ to women’s league

Scholarship honours Fr Les

Editorial: A small crusade

Letters: Bob Hope’s faith

Conversation: Fr Phillip Linden, priest and theologian - Suffering in the face of the poor

Voice of Youth: Rich Dad, Poor Dad poorer still

Jubilee of a ‘loving and caring priest’

British movie on Mother Teresa dropped from festival

Bl Mary Mackillop Feast Day ... by the people, for the people

Catholic Women’s League: Our women are still in a league of their own after 90 years

Readers open their hearts to students

Solomon Islands: What can the Church do?

Challenge to Catholic men

“I want to put a proposal to you tonight ... that we as Catholic men take responsibility for the spiritual and moral state of the city of Sydney,” said Bishop-elect Julian Porteous.

He told the men’s spirituality group, Momentum, at Peakhurst parish, that marriage and fatherhood are the ultimate expressions of the male vocation.

Men, particularly fathers, have a vocation to be protectors of life, to foster, encourage, forgive and teach and to be humble examples of Christ’s love within the family and the wider community as well.

“We cannot limit the role and characteristics gifted to us as fathers, just within the four walls of our home,” he said.

“We as Christian families cannot be isolated from the environment in which we live but must continue to strive to be involved more broadly to effect a deeper kind of spiritual awareness (in society).”

He said that the level of morality in society is directly dependent on the level of people’s spirituality. Thus in order to have a positive effect on society, rejuvenation of personal faith should be the primary goal.