Every year as Father’s Day approaches, we’re given a chance to pause and celebrate the men who lead with love, protect with strength, and guide with conviction. But in a world that often confuses authority with control and undervalues the quiet sacrifices of good men, where can Catholic fathers turn for a deeper vision of what fatherhood truly means?
The Church offers many examples—but few shine as brightly, or as relevantly, as St. Thomas More.
Yes, he was a lawyer. Yes, a statesman. Yes, a saint. But before all that, he was a father—in every sense of the word. And in this Thirtieth Anniversary Edition of Thomas More: A Portrait of Courage by Dr. Gerard B. Wegemer, readers get a deeply human and inspiring portrait of a man whose greatest victories were not just in courtrooms or councils, but in the hearts of his children and the legacy he left in their lives.
He Put His Family First—Even in the Public Eye
In an age when public roles often overshadow personal vocations, Thomas More managed both—but never confused them. Even as Chancellor of England, one of the most powerful men in the realm, he never saw his family as secondary to his mission.
He made time to teach his children personally, to pray with them, to educate his daughters just as he did his sons (a radical idea at the time), and to foster in them a love for truth, for God, and for moral integrity.
What can Catholic dads take from that today?
That no career, no ministry, no external success is worth the sacrifice of your children's souls. That your presence—steady, loving, and faithful—matters more than you think.
He Chose Conscience Over Comfort
St. Thomas More's martyrdom is well known. What’s sometimes forgotten is the deeply personal cost he paid for standing firm in his convictions. He lost his position, his wealth, and ultimately his life—not in the name of defiance, but in the name of fidelity.
He didn’t die just for a political principle. He died for the truth, for the unity of the Church, and for the example he wanted to leave his children. That fidelity to Christ shaped every decision—even when it broke his heart.
What can that teach today’s dads?
That your children are watching. That faith lived consistently—especially in adversity—is one of the most powerful legacies a man can leave. You don’t need a martyr’s crown to live with that kind of courage. But you do need integrity, humility, and daily dependence on God.
He Knew Joy and Holiness Go Hand in Hand
Thomas More wasn’t a grim-faced martyr. He was warm, witty, and full of humor. He brought joy into his home and found happiness in the ordinary rhythms of family life. In Thomas More: A Portrait of Courage, you see not just the saint, but the man—a man who laughed with his kids, cherished his wife, and loved good conversation.
Today, with so many pressures and distractions competing for attention, Catholic dads can take heart in that example. Holiness doesn't mean solemnity 24/7. It means bringing God into everything—even dinner table jokes, morning prayers, and bedtime stories.
This Father’s Day, Let’s Raise the Bar
We don’t need more perfect fathers—we need more present ones. More faithful ones. Men who, like St. Thomas More, love their families enough to fight for what’s right, speak the truth in love, and lead with humility and courage.
So whether you're a dad yourself or looking to honor the one who helped shape you—this is the time.
Gift him something that feeds the soul. Thomas More: A Portrait of Courage is the kind of book that doesn’t just inform—it strengthens, affirms, and inspires.
