How important is Father's Day? Is it important or is it forgettable? I say, in the minds of a lot of Americans, especially men, it's no big deal. Now, when it comes to Mother's Day, no one would dare forget. I'm convinced that greeting card companies sell more Mother's Day cards than Father's Day cards. If this fact is true, does it mean that mothers are more important than fathers?

My Webster dictionary defines "father" as a man who has begotten a child.

Let me think about this a minute. Maybe this definition gives me the reason why greeting card companies sell fewer cards on Father's Day. In today's world too many men enjoy the sexual pleasure involved with fathering a child but not the responsibility of raising that child. The Catholic Church teaches and I truly believe that both mothers and fathers are important, and each plays a distinctive role in the life and faith of a family.

Let me tell you about two important fathers. Both were born in 1920, lived through the Great Depression, were involved in World War II, were born and raised Catholic, and spent the majority of their lives shepherding their families.

One was born on May 18 and died on April 2, 2005. You and I and the whole world came to know and love this father: Pope John Paul II. He lived his life for Christ and His Church.

This second father was born on April 11, 1920. He got married in late 1941 and joined the US Army Air Corp in 1942. He was honorably discharged in 1945 and divorced his first wife later that year. He married his second wife, a Protestant, in late 1946. He fathered a daughter in 1947, a son in 1950, and another son in 1952. He and his Protestant wife agreed to raise their three children Catholic. He faithfully worshipped with his children every Sunday at Mass even though he could not receive the sacraments, because he had remarried outside the Church. This father never bad-mouthed Christ or His Church. In 1990, he received permission from the Church to return to the sacraments. He died of cancer in 1994, leaving behind his wife, three children, numerous grandchildren, and many friends and buddies. This man was my father. He lived his life for Christ and His Church.

During my father's life, though he had many short comings and prejudices that disappointed me, I realized that he lavished many gifts on me: food, clothes, a home, respect for those in a position of authority, insight into people and what makes them tick, and unrestrained love; but it wasn't until two or three years after his death that I recognized the greatest gift he ever gave me---my Catholic faith, my belief in the one true God and the Church He founded nearly 2000 years ago.

In today's way of thinking, my father had every reason to turn his back on the Catholic Church and it's teaching on divorce and remarriage; but he didn't. He remained Catholic and raised his children Catholic. I will be forever thankful to my father for the greatest gift any father or mother can give their son or daughter: their Catholic Christian faith. This gift my father gave me is a greater gift than the gift of life itself. For those who faithfully live their Catholic faith---and I underscore faithfully---will enter the gates of heaven.

Some of you like me have good memories of your father; and some of you don't. I understand that. I'm sympathetic to that reality as is the Church. Whatever your situation, remember this undeniable truth: whether your earthly father does or doesn't, did or didn't love you, your heavenly Father loved you yesterday, loves you today, and will love you tomorrow. This is why nothing is more important than our love for God. We must always strive to love and respect our earthly father; but this is unachievable unless we first place all our trust in our heavenly Father. Ps 27:10 says, "Even if my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me in."

God gave each one of us our earthly father. Some are good, some are bad; some are gentle, some are mean; some are loving, and some are down right hateful. God calls each of us to work with the father He gave us and the situations He lays before us. I admit that this is not easy. Most of us hold grudges and are reluctant to forgive. What is the one thing God wants for each one of us? Eternal salvation with Him in heaven; and He gives us the means to achieve it. Sometimes that means flows through our earthly father, whether a good man or bad. If your father is mean to you, be kind to him and pray for him. That's why God gave you that father: that you might be the vehicle for his salvation as well as your own.

Our Lord tells us, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna." Other human beings can destroy our human bodies; but so what, they cannot destroy our soul. God can destroy our body and our soul. Fear the loss of God's love not the loss of another human beings love. Live your life for God, no matter how difficult or painful. If your father was mean to you, or abused your mother, God is challenging you to learn from your father's mistakes and to show understanding, support, and compassion for your spouse, your children, and your friends. And yes, God wants you to pray for your "mean" father. Your path to heaven depends on your ability to use God's grace to love and care for others: that includes a mean and abusive father. Like Pope John Paul II and my father, live your life for Christ and His Church.

For more insight read CCC paragraphs 2214-20. Also, pull out your "Catholic" Bible and reference Ex 20:12; Deut 5:16; Tob 4:3-6; Prov 1:8; Sir 3:1-16; Is 49:15; Mt 10:28, 37-39; Eph 3:14-15; 6:4; Heb 12:5b-6.