This Wise Father Knew What Was Best

(Giancarlo Giuliani/CNS, Catholic Press Photo)

I was blessed to have a wonderful father.

He was wise and handsome, charming and God-fearing, and ever so dedicated to his family. Yes, he had annoying flaws (he liberally shared the worst Dad pranks and jokes with my friends) and made major mistakes (like when he chose to say nothing instead of speaking up). Nonetheless, Dad was an incredible role model that I still try to emulate years after his death.

Days before he drew his final breath, he became obsessed with telling me his deep thoughts about life. In fact, he gave me marching orders to carry out. I remember being amazed at what he said because it seemed (at the time) to be lofty and irrelevant.

Why was this information so important to him that he had to share it with me at the end of his life?

Why was it significant, anyway? 

As the months click by after his passing, the magnitude of Dad's words have come into focus. His acuity continues to impact my life in ways that I never anticipated. It almost seems as if dear old Dad was prophetic in his final hours; that he had been empowered by God to share divine wisdom with me in hopes that his words would guide me on my earthly journey.

They share what they know to be true with their kids and grand kids hoping it will help them flourish.

A spiritual father for us all

Though he was never a father in the technical sense, Pope Paul VI was a spiritual father to the Catholic Church. Like my father, Pope Paul VI was dedicated to his family. He listened to them. He prayed for them. And, he left them a legacy of wisdom within a beautiful document called Humanae Vitae (On Human Life).

Pope Paul VI wanted his children to know how to preserve the beauty of sexual love. He explained why the two ends of marriage—love and life—should remain together in all conjugal acts and predicted dire consequences when contraceptive actions separated them. His letter was sent to the world in love. Sadly, it was rejected in anger.

This holy father spoke but his children didn't listen.

In fact, they left him and they left his home, the Church.

I remember how despondent my dad would get when he thought his children weren't heeding his advice. I can other imagine how painful it was for Pope Paul VI to watch the world tumble into sexual immorality. Since his death, four different holy fathers have watched the predictions proclaimed by Pope Paul VI come true.

Instead of living in a culture where the gift of fertility, marriage and family life are honored, we have a “Me Too” movement which demonstrates the widespread prevalence of sexual assault, harassment and the disintegration of God’s plan for human love. Natural fertility has been replace at great cost with artificial contraception and conception. Fewer families are founded on a traditional marriage leading to poorer outcomes for the children.

If only the children would have listened to any of these wise and dedicated fathers. If only they would have considered the message worthy of reflection and contemplation. If only they had embraced its wisdom.

Hindsight is 20/20 when it comes to a lot of things in life.

As we close in on the 50th anniversary of Humanae Vitae I pray that you will do the following.

1. Read (or reread) the full document. Sit with it. Soak in its words. Pray with it.
2. Share the document with others. Convene a small group discussion to explore the history between the promulgation and today's cultural events.
3. Learn more about natural methods of family planning. Trust me, there is a lot to learn and appreciate about following God's intended plan for love and life.

Because he reflected God, I trusted him and believed in him. His example helped me trust and believe in men who also lived a Godly life, like Pope Paul VI. Dad was a wise guy who knew best. Thank you, Dad for your legacy of love. I miss you...