One of the most hot-button issues of our current culture is the oft-invoked “crisis of masculinity.”

The situation is dire: Men are falling behind at school, in the workplace, and in the home. Cases of depression, loneliness, addiction, and suicide are at all-time highs. The multiple waves of feminist advancement have earned for women significant increases in academic, interpersonal, and career success and safety, combatting longtime domination by men... But we have yet to embrace as a culture a new understanding of masculinity that brings men out from under that domination as well. Meanwhile, our society increasingly valorizes men who take the will to power to its worst ends.

Our Catholic faith calls us to something else through the example of Jesus, and the Church has a unique opportunity to provide spaces that allow men to explore new ways of relating to each other and to themselves.

This episode is spearheaded by Bernardin Scholar Patrick Brown, a longtime high school teacher and current employee of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Our guest expert is Dr. Karen Ross. Karen is professor of feminist and sexual ethics and director of the Pathways program at Catholic Theological Union.

Mentioned in the episode:

Of Boys and Men by Richard Reeves

She Who Is by Elizabeth Johnson, CSJ

“Intimacy as a Modern (Catholic) Cardinal Virtue (for Boys and Men)” by Hoon Choi

For the Love of Men by Liz Plank

Mother God by Teresa Kim Pecinovsky

What is God Like? by Rachel Held Evans

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bernardincenter.substack.com