Happy Fathers Day! Remember, Dads, Your Little Ones Look Up to You1

Portrait of Frans Snyder Family by Anthony Van Dyck 1599-1641 

Happy Father's Day!

And remember, Dads, you are the spiritual heads of your homes. Studies show that the greatest predictor of whether children will practice the faith as adults is whether Dad, not Mom, practiced the faith. It all starts at home: around the table praying grace -- at Mass on Sunday -- in the Confession line -- saying night prayers -- praying with your kids to do their best and practice good sportsmanship before the big game, etc.

If you love your children, let them know the faith is serious to you. And may God bless you with the grace to make your home a little domestic church where God is always first. Faith doesn't just happen. If you don't give the example and the verbal encouragement, your children are likely to fall into the statistics of lapsed Catholics later on. How will you feel on Judgment Day if God shows you all the generations of lost Catholics because you failed to do your best to pass on the faith. You are that vital, Dads!

And, kids, pray for your dads because they will be accountable to God for the job they did as spiritual heads of their families. I hope many will be praying rosaries today for all dads especially your own. Happy Father's Day to my own dad and grandfathers, brother Tom, and godfather (rest in peace), my husband Larry, father of our five children, my three living brothers, and my two sons and three sons-in-law and all my father-friends. May God bless you all abundantly. A special Father's Day greeting to son Neil whose wife gave him the greatest Father's Day gift yesterday, a new baby, Joshua. May he grow up to be a warrior for the faith like his Old Testament namesake.

Happy Father's Day!

There's something especially appropriate about celebrating Father's Day on the Feast of the Holy Trinity. After all, the family is the best image on earth for the reality of the Holy Trinity. The love of a father and mother generate new life like the love between the Father and the Son generates the Holy Spirit. What a blessing that we lowly humans can participate in the creative love of God Himself. What an incredible delusion the devil has spawned to convince people to destroy their capacity to be "like God" in creating new life!

I am especially grateful today for godly men and husbands who "love their wives as Christ loves the Church" with a sacrificial love that puts their families ahead of their own selfish inclinations. I am so blessed to be married to one! And I have two sons and three sons-in-law who are great daddies to their combined nineteen children! Thanks, dads from a grateful gramma.

I am also most grateful for the other fathers I know who gave up marriage and family to devote themselves wholeheartedly to the flock. When I think of the good priests I know (and have known) who not only serve but suffer for their people, I'm edified and humbled. I want to imitate their self-sacrificing love.

May St. John Vianney intercede for all priest-fathers today and may St. Thomas More, that so faithful Catholic layman and father, intercede for all daddies. Mother Mary, I place all their needs at your feet and ask for your powerful intercession for them before the throne of God. "Hail Mary, full of grace...."