What does it mean to be a man? How are Catholic men supposed to navigate the tumultuous world we live in today? And what role does prayer play in that challenging task?
The Catholic tradition has always emphasized the importance of a robust prayer life and constant communication with God as foundation of a holy life. It is through prayer that we can discern God’s will for us and listen for what God is saying to us in a given situation. Through prayer, we abandon ourselves to God’s will and open ourselves up to being the hands of God in the world.
A new book from Mike Pacer aims to help men, in particular, to strengthen their prayer lives as Catholic men, per se. Published by Ignatius Press, Prayers for Catholic Men is a new edition of a book published originally many years ago. The book is intended as a simple, comprehensive guide to help men grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ, building a strong habit of prayer infused into every moment of life, and introducing men to the spiritual riches of an active daily prayer life.
Pacer describes himself as a “recovering” trial attorney in Chicago, who strives to live a devout, masculine spirituality and seeks to help other men do the same. His previous books included Mercy and Hope and The Three Comings of Christ.
Pacer is also the Founder and CEO of 5 Stones, “a Catholic nonprofit that partners with mission-driven organizations to magnify their messages of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness,” he explains.
He recently spoke with Catholic World Report about Prayers for Catholic Men and the challenges of living as a Catholic man today.
Catholic World Report: How did the book come about, and how did Ignatius Press come to publish its edition?
Mike Pacer: I felt that there was a great need for a simple book to accompany and guide men on their lifelong spiritual journey. It had to be eminently approachable so as to meet anyone anywhere on their faith walk, yet also challenge them to grow. I also felt that there was a need for such a book to be written by a layman with a shared experience of life.
Since its first printing, I have lived more years, experienced more aspects of life, met more men of varying backgrounds, and gained new insights. This enabled me to expand the first edition significantly.
CWR: Is it important for men to have prayer books specifically geared towards them? Why?
Pacer: It is important for men to develop a deep relationship with God based upon an authentic masculine spirituality. Men are just as much called to holiness and spirituality as are women.
It is truly manly to be a good and holy son, brother, husband, and father. In these varying roles, men have unique challenges.
Sadly, there are far fewer resources for men than there are for women to guide them in becoming holy. Yet holiness is the key for men to achieve true health and happiness (a fact ignored by the secular “self-help” books more widely read by men).
CWR: How has your own experience as a husband and father guided how you pray and the way you wrote and structured this book?
Pacer: The wisdom shared with me by many mentors and learned through the reading of the Bible and spiritual classics, together with my life experience, is the structure that supports this work. I have listened, learned, and experienced many things. I have walked close to God, and sometimes have run away from Him.
All of these experiences–my works, joys, sorrows, sufferings, accomplishments, and failures–are the foundation for my writing this book.
CWR: There has been a movement over the last couple of decades, emphasizing the importance of what you might call “men’s spirituality” in the Church, which often involves a communal element. Is it important for Catholic men to support each other, or can they operate just fine without such support?
Pacer: Sadly, men often feel that they must “figure it out” all by themselves. It is easy to talk to other men about work challenges.
Few men will reach out with fears of losing their job, an addiction to pornography, or marital challenges, let alone discussing how to grow closer to God. Men need help, both from books like this and from the fraternity of other men. Just as men need business mentors and confidants, they need the same for spiritual growth. This book helps men to understand that they must look outside of themselves for help.
As men, we are expected to have a certain kind of strength—a certain kind of fortitude. Yet, true manliness requires humility/vulnerability; we must admit our weaknesses and seek help from God and other men.
It is manly to admit weakness and dependency. Only a fool thinks that he has it all figured out and can weather every storm by himself.
CWR: What are some of your favorite prayers and devotions? How have they helped you grow as a Catholic man?
Pacer: Daily Mass and regular Confession are the cornerstones of my faith life.
The Rosary is the devotion par excellence of the Catholic faith. In her apparitions, the Blessed Mother has implored us to pray this devotion. Its importance has been lauded by countless saints and holy men and women. While it is a constant struggle to remain focused on the particular event of the decade while praying it, this constant effort keeps me close to Christ and makes his presence real to me.
Prayers and novenas to Saint Joseph have been very important in key moments of my life, especially in early marriage and child rearing. He was a man like me. Through his struggles and obedience, he is my example of manliness and my mentor.
I have always found “O Jesus Hidden God” by Fr. H.A. Rawes to be one of the most beautiful prayers ever written. It draws me into the reality of Christ’s love for me and desire to be in communion with me in a very special (almost mystical) way.
CWR: What do you hope readers will take away from the book?
Pacer: I pray that they would hear the call to walk with God all day, every day, and realize that this is, in fact, possible. I would invite them to carry this book with them every day and use it to help them enter into a rhythm of prayer that becomes habitual.
CWR: Any further thoughts?
Pacer: To every man, no matter where they are in their physical or spiritual life, I would say: “God loves you just as you are. No past or current sin is a barrier to God’s forgiveness and love. You are beautiful in his eyes. Your deepest identity is that you are a beloved son of the Father. Let God forgive you, love you, guide you, and shower blessings upon you, especially the blessing of eternity with him in heaven.”
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Do you want to be a true Christian, God fearing man? Read, study and obey the Scriptures first and then weigh them against any man-made catechisms or traditions. If they in any way contradict or add to Holy Scripture, you’re in the wrong faith or cult.
Prayers need to emphasized by the family early on. Before a boy become a man, he is a boy. Prayers should be nurtured at the beginning ie as boys. Simple daily prayers like developing and nurturing the importance of morning and evening prayers, such as a Our Father, 3 Hail Mail and Glory Be and then including additional prayers to the Guarding Angel and Saint Michael the Arch Angel would be good. Slowly add a more expanded prayer format by to saying a prayer to St Joseph. For a more radical approach, how about setting aside one day a week for a family Rosary, maybe with Father in the lead or starting out the prayers, then alternating with the mother and children. I could go on and on, but the point is that prayer needs to be inculcated early on by the Father and Mother. Men’s role in praying includes leading the family in prayer too.
To add another layer, how about encouraging boys to be alter servers, something that is almost gone. The Church should have a program to bring back important nearly extinct past practices, such as boys being Alter Servers.
Along with this book, how about a book focused on teaching boys to pray, with Fathers being in the lead.
This sounds like a wonderful book and i hope many men read it. Loved the interview with the author. Men dont have to tough it out alone. They need to know God is with them, as are their friends. Real men are sad. Real men can cry. Real men do pray. Showing who you really are to friends is not a weakness. And God already knows who you are.
“Sadly,” says Mike Pacer, “there are far fewer resources for men than there are for women to guide them in becoming holy. Yet holiness is the key for men to achieve true health and happiness…”
He must be talking the new genres of women’s-this and men’s-that popular press of rote prayers and mental meditation exercises.
The very best truly spiritual works, whether The Cloud Of Unknowing, St. John of the Cross’ deeper expositions on the same writing, De Sales’, De Chantal’s, De Caussade’s, Grou’s, Chapman’s further expositions on the Cloud and St. John, all, ALL are spiritual guides to union with God/holiness where sex is beside the point.
http://www.mysticprayer.blogspot.com
Sola Scriptura, huh? You know who and what decided what scriptures were to be judged as inspired by the Holy Spirit, and as worthy to be included in The Bible as it is known? The answer is the assorted bishops, and councils, using sacred tradition in the one Catholic Church made that call, 300-400yrs later them using what was handed down through that tradition received from the Apostles. There was no “Bible” at all before then, only tradition and scattered writings passed around amongst the various churches of the Catholic Church.
The above was intended to be a reply to “brian” in the very first comment, and showed as such until it posted. No idea why the reply to him got changed to a generic reply to article.
The above was intended to be a reply to “brian” in the very first comment, and showed as such until it posted. No idea why the reply to him got changed to a generic reply to article.