Gentlemen, I need your help.

The focus of my PhD is the question “is there a Catholic view of Masculinity?” Part of my research is reading on gender identity, particularly relating to masculinity. When I saw that the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRS) have released a discussion paper titled “Protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and sex and/or gender identity” I thought I had better read it. Discussion papers are important stages in policy development in Australia so, when a body as important at the AHRS write a paper on this, you can count on somebody bringing it to parliament sooner or later.

The damage pornography does to a relationship and to an individual are well documented. I want to consider here just one of the effects of pornography on a couple and consider a possible problem not identified in most discussions of marriage.

One of the problems of porn is that it presents one partner (usually the man) with an unrealistic view of what to expect in and of a sexual partner. That is, it presents an airbrushed reality with a model who is begging to do things any sane woman would find beneath her dignity. As Simcha Fisher puts it,

If you can summon up a panting beauty just by touching your iPod screen, then why go to the trouble of getting to know an actual woman—learning who she really is, winning her love, and dedicating your life to serving her?

Do we form our kids or do you they form us?

Being a father, my thoughts and discussions with other fathers frequently visit the matter of my childrens’ formation. Are the children receiving the best moral and religious possible? Am I a good role model, mentor and support to their formation? Any brief moment of relaxation is usually disintegrated by a nagging sense of guilt over perceived failures, or worry about failures I do not actually know about yet, but am certain exist.

Any parent will know what I mean by residual guilt in parenting.[...]

Cross posted from With a Grain of Salt Quality Time? Work is interesting and rewarding. It is fantastic to have a job doing what I love (at least some of the time), but at what point does ‘all work and no play’ make this “Jack” a dull boy? It is true that is I am [...]

Simcha Fisher has an excellent article on NFP at inside Catholic titled “It’s time to talk honestly about NFP” A provocative snippet Welcome to NFP Club. The first rule of NFP Club is: You do not talk about NFP Club.You can’t talk to engaged couples about NFP — you’ll scare them away. You can’t talk [...]

While I’m plugging books, I was present at the launch of Fr Ken Barker’s new book “Young Men, Rise Up!” recently. I thought that Bishop Porteous summarised the state of ‘manhood’ today very well in his address. Here is a snippet, the full text is linked. “Manhood and masculinity have come under some scrutiny and [...]

While we are on the topic, has anyone here yet referred to the ongoing discussion at Simcha’s blog on the post 10 Ways Wives Can Make NFP Easier on their Husbands and the followup post 10 Ways Husbands Can Make NFP Easier on the Wives? If not, attention married men! Check out the discussion. From [...]

For anyone interested I have posted a review of Gregory Popcak’s new book “Holy Sex” (subtitled “A Catholic Guide to Toe Curling, Mind Blowing, Infallible Loving”) on my blog. A small Taste… God wants you to have the most amazing sex life possible! Yes that’s right! Ignore the false propaganda that God and his Church [...]

Cross posted at Cum Grano Salis Later in 2008 I will be teaching a 12 hour unit on “The Genius of Man” which is supposed to be a complimentary unit to the late JPII’s now famous concept “The Genius of Woman”. Catholic women, and women everywhere have grown comfortable talking about the unique nature and [...]

This is a quick post to ask for your feedback please gentlemen. I have heard many unchurched men say that ‘Church is for women and broken men’, meaning that a man who is not down on his luck would not be seen in a church building. The statistics of the man/woman ratio in Western churches [...]