In 2021, inspired by a photograph of a few hundred men praying the rosary in public in Poland, Patrick McCrystal of Ireland suggested to his friend, Owen Gallagher, that they should do the same in Ireland. These public rosaries caught on, and now, each first Saturday of the month, thousands of Catholic men take to city and town squares throughout Ireland, on their knees, to publicly pray the rosary together.

The purpose of this public witness is to repent for themselves and other men in Ireland who have not treated the women in their lives as well as they should have. McCrystal observes that had men taken responsibility for the women in their lives, there would be no abortion crisis.

That is quite a statement and makes me wonder what men, particularly fathers, can do to reduce the number of abortions.

We can look to St. Joseph, who reflects the fatherhood of God the Father. Borrowing a few titles of him from the “Litany of St. Joseph,” we can consider how fathers play an important role in building a culture of life.

Joseph most faithful — Of course, everything should start with prayer, so having a rich prayer life and participating in the sacraments are essential for fathers. I believe that in families where fathers lead in prayer and attend Mass, children are more likely to retain their Catholic faith.

Spouse of the mother of God — It is important for children to see their father love and respect their mother not only so the children learn to respectfully treat their future spouses but also to learn how they should expect to be treated. A loving marital relationship is the foundation for forming a healthy and faithful family where the Catholic faith thrives.

Joseph most chaste — According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2021, 87 percent of the women who had abortions in the U.S. were single. It goes without saying that had men been living chaste lives, there would be far fewer abortions. It is critical that fathers teach their sons to respect women and to treat them not as objects, but with reverence, and to respect the sanctity of marriage.

Additionally, part of living chastely within marriage is being open to life. God willing, when babies are born into families, it sends a powerful, unspoken message that their family respects life.

Pillar of families — The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “The family should live in such a way that its members learn to care and take responsibility for the young, the old, the sick, the handicapped, and the poor.” As leaders of their families, fathers play a critical role in modeling pro-life values.

Foster father of the Son of God — In raising Jesus, St. Joseph must have delighted in Him. Children need to know that their fathers delight in them. Knowing they are loved, they are less likely to go looking for love outside of marriage.

By their bold, public witness, the men of Ireland aspire to be more loving husbands, fathers, brothers, and uncles. St. Joseph provides a role model to help men become better men.

St. Joseph, Head of the Holy Family, pray for us!

— Originally published in the Summer 2024 issue of  Vermont Catholic magazine.