The Unspoken Crisis: Are Men Abandoning the Church & Triggering Its Collapse?

Are we witnessing a crisis of masculinity within the Church?

On a recent episode of The Catholic Talk Show, hosts Ryan Scheel, Ryan Dellacrosse and Father Rich Pagano sat down with guest John Edwards to discuss an existential crisis the Church has battled for decades - a concerning drop in the number of men actively participating in it.

From their perspective, the root of this problem can be traced back to societal pressures and misconceptions about masculinity.

John Edwards argued that "men have a God-given right to stand up and claim the role that they were called to have, whether it's the vocation of the priesthood or fatherhood."

The guys highlighted the critical role of men's ministries and the importance of fostering authentic relationships and vulnerability among men.

"Vulnerability is one of the bravest things that you can do, and it's very masculine. Men don't realize the importance of their role in the Church because we're too busy buying the lies of the world."

They also emphasized the need for men to lead by example, particularly as fathers, and stressed the importance of living the faith.

"When the father isn't leading, the family dies as far as participation in the Church. If you don't live your faith, you can't expect your children to come out Catholic. It's not an easy bake oven; you have to live it."

They gave a call to arms for men to reclaim their faith and play a more active role in the Church.

"We need men to step up to the front line. We need you in the trenches because we need to be a part of this revival in this reform," Father Rich implored.

Edwards hopes sharing his mission will lead men to forming authentic friendships and finding purpose in their lives.

"I want people to know it doesn't matter what you've done, God can use you.”

Here's the full episode below:

Let’s rekindle the spirit of active male participation within the Church!