Catholic bishop talks to men about fatherhood, procreation

A working father's day is never done, but each time it ends in bliss when he spends sunset with his child at a lake fronting Mayon Volcano. EV ESPIRITU/INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines—Saying that real manhood “is not machismo, but being responsible,” one of the country’s leading Catholic prelates called on the faithful Saturday to rediscover the “immense value” of fatherhood.

In a pastoral letter, Nueva Caceres Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi, OP, warned that the traditional meaning of fatherhood today was being “challenged and undervalued.”

“And we oftentimes wonder: Where are the fathers? To young men who are seeking to have a family of their own, I admonish you: Prepare well for marriage and family life. Be ready to embrace the responsibility of being a husband and father with utmost seriousness,” said Legaspi, whose metropolitan see is based in Naga City.

“Marriage and fatherhood are not games of chance. For us, these are grace and responsibility. Do not have false illusions. The mark of real manhood is not machismo, but being responsible,” he added.

Legaspi said fatherhood is “both a marvelous gift and a serious responsibility” that entails standing up for the rights of the unborn.

“It includes the power to bring forth life, a participation in the creative act of God. Fatherhood, therefore, should not be left to chance nor be enjoyed simply for oneself,” Legaspi said.

“The fruit of (marriage) is a human being endowed with dignity, intellect and will—a human person, with a soul,” he said.

“Thus, for us Christians, every human life has to be protected and cared for from the very moment of conception up until its natural end. This too is fatherhood!” Legaspi added.

The archbishop said he was aware of “the hardships of many fathers” like those separated from their families “due to work or other reasons… (Or) those who find no vision for their family; those who have failed their wife and children; those who have lost their family; those who are gripped by poverty; those who are sick and in pain.”

“To these fathers I say: Put your confidence in the Lord. Rise above your failures. Straighten what is wrong. Recover the sense of respect for oneself and for your family. Support and pray for your wife and children. You know well the sufferings of children who grow without their fathers,” he added.

And yet, Legaspi said, there were inspiring stories of fathers “who sacrifice their own enjoyment, even personal dreams and gain for the welfare of their family.”

“There are likewise fathers who have turned their back from vices to dedicate themselves more fully to the family,” Legaspi said.

“Dear Brothers and Sisters, I ask you, especially the young, to pray for your fathers. They too need your appreciation, support and care,” he added.