What it Means to Be a Real Man

I recently came across this great article on Catholic Exchange by Maurice Bloomberg of the National Fellowship of Catholic Men:

 What is a Real Man – Part 1?

In this article, the writer lists the characteristics of a true Catholic man. This is a long list, but it details those important qualities that all us men need to strive for. Here is just a sample:

A Real Man…

Puts his faith in God – not in himself

Knows he is a child of God

Understands his purpose in life

Is obedient to God’s will.

A Real Man…

Respects himself and other people

Has strength of character as well as body

Behaves with dignity

Accepts responsibility for his actions

Thinks before he acts

Takes pride in his work.

Please click on the link above to read the article and the full list of qualities in the ideal Catholic man. As Mr. Bloomberg points out, society and media are flooding us with  images that are counter to what Christ calls men to be.  It should come as no surprise then that many boys are growing up with no real understanding of what it means to be a man of God.

That brings me to something else that Mr. Bloomberg mentioned in his article, the movie Courageous. This movie is produced by the same people who created the Christian movie Fireproof. In the same way that Fireproof became a tool to strengthen marriages, Courageous looks to do the same for men and men's ministries. Please watch the video below to get a synopsis and behind the scenes look at this new movie scheduled for release in 2011.





Here is the synopsis from the movie's website:

As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, and their partners are confident and focused. They willingly stand up to the worst the world can offer. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood.

While they consistently give their best on the job, good enough seems to be all they can muster as dads. But they're quickly discovering that their standard is missing the mark.

They know that God desires to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, but their children are beginning to drift further and further away from them. Will they be able to find a way to serve and protect those that are most dear to them?

When tragedy hits home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Can a newfound urgency help these dads draw closer to God ... and to their children?

I am impressed and excited that this movie will be addressing the issue of Christian masculinity and fatherhood. I really enjoyed Fireproof and I am looking forward to Courageous. It looks like it will be delivering a powerful message that many of us men need to hear about what makes a real man, especially since society has become inundated with negative portrayals of men and fathers. Click on following link for more information and videos on this movie:  Courageous The Movie.

Please keep this movie and people behind it in your prayers so that is will be successful in reaching many men and turning their hearts back to God and their families.