Spirituality in Action: Catholic Pastoral Care of Men in Poland as a Response to Secularisation

Abstract

This article contains some proposals for the development of pastoral care and spiritual formation of men, which might be a response of the Church in Poland to widespread secularisation. I justify this need and some theoretical aspects of men’s spiritual formation. I show the practical aspects and the initiatives that I believe are worth promoting and developing: the coordination of spiritual formation activities among men in Poland, the support of academia and science, and the spiritual formation of candidates for priesthood. Finally, I propose to internationalise men’s spiritual formation. The arguments presented here indicate that proper coordination, promotion, and involvement in the spiritual formation of men could bear good fruit in families and the entire Church in Poland.

1. Introduction

When considering a response to secularisation in Poland, we can reasonably conclude that the most effective strategy involves undertaking comprehensive actions, covering the Church’s life in Poland as broadly as possible. However, this article focuses on one aspect only, which is the pastoral care of men, as the main area of reflection and action. This limited scope of analysis may seem inadequate, but this area, by its very nature, is connected with other areas of the Church’s life as much as the individual parts of the body form a whole (cf. 1 Cor. 12:12–31). More specifically, the idea is that the spiritual revival of men, raising their level of ecclesial awareness, their responsibility for the Church, etc., is beneficial for the whole Church. In this paper, I claim that the spirituality of men should be cultivated—not to show that men are superior to or more unique than women, but to inspire a more committed and thorough cooperation of men with women for salvation and participation in the life of the Church. I believe that the immediate implementation of new initiatives should be carried out.

My considerations rely on the most recent documents dealing with this topic, contemporary literature on the spirituality of men, and the phenomena and processes happening in the Church in Poland regarding the spirituality and pastoral care of men. I have been involved in many of the initiatives that I focus on in what follows. Accompanying men in an individual spiritual direction or conversations and discussions together and keeping in touch with leaders of men’s communities throughout Poland has provided me with ample material for the reflections and proposals contained herein.

2. Justification of the Proposal

In justifying the following proposal for “investment in men”, we should not focus solely on widely discussed negative phenomena, such as the crisis of fatherhood or manhood, men leaving the Church, the incompatibility of the language of preaching with that of contemporary men, no place for men in parish life, etc. These problems are well known. Little known, however, are positive arguments and motivations. David Murrow pointed out, for example, the unused vitality of men. For him, part of this pastorally neglected potential is also pragmatism seen as a male perspective and the understanding of social mechanisms, logical deduction, etc. (Murrow 2007, pp. 90–93).

• Men are the “driving force” of the Church. Of course, this force should be understood figuratively in terms of spiritual vitality, dynamism of action and enterprise, power of influence, etc.
• Properly understood male pragmatism is a vehicle for change in the Church. Pragmatism should also be understood more deeply: practicality cannot be reduced to the functionality of things; it is about a male way of seeing the workings of social mechanisms, logical outcomes (cause–effect), etc.
• Men with a healthy spirituality attract women and children to the Church (Murrow 2007, pp. 90–93). While the activity of the Promise Keepers, a movement originated by Bill McCartney in 1990, was attracting more and more interest in the USA, it also drew the attention of various scholars (Chryssides 2006, pp. 451–53). Horner et al. (Horner et al. 1996, p. 111)’s research revealed the following regularity: while a man undergoing conversion induces a similar change in the life of his wife and children, the conversion of a woman has a lesser impact. When a mother is converted to Christianity, her family follows her in 17% of cases, but when a father embraces the faith in Christ, the other family members follow suit in 93% of cases. Much time has passed since this research, and a lot has changed in the structure of contemporary families. Likewise, the position of men in the family has evolved, but this information can inspire, among others, contemporary sociologists to carry out similar studies.

My proposals here can be justified by the necessity to restore the solid status of men in their families (and perhaps in other communities too). What I have in mind here is well-understood patriarchy, which in Christian and conservative literature is still portrayed as a great value, nowadays unfortunately lost (Pałkiewicz 2023, p. 25). Well-conceived patriarchy refers to such participation of men in the life of the family in which the man is not a destructive force but the opposite: he serves the family, supports and unifies it. It is not about domination as such but a greater degree of mutual complementation and cooperation, in keeping with the Church’s understanding of the role of men and women in the work of salvation.

There is, however, another factor justifying “investment” in the spirituality of men in Poland, emphasised throughout this text. An analysis of recent enunciations of military and geopolitical experts plus concrete actions taken by Polish leaders (war purchases, increasing the number of units in Poland’s eastern territories) suggests that Poland is bracing for war. The Church in Poland is not addressing this issue—one might even say that the Church does not see any threat nor the possibility of Poland’s active involvement in a defensive war in its territory. In early 2023, war experts suggested that Russia would need just “a few years” to be able to attack Poland, but, in late 2023, the chief of the National Security Office, Jacek Siewiera, referring to the current situation in Central and Eastern Europe, stated that the countries of NATO’s Eastern Flank had a ”three-year-long time horizon to prepare for a confrontation” (Kozioł 2023). Of course, officially, the Church is not in a position to prepare people for war, but this possibility does raise some questions: What can the Church do in the face of such extensive military activities? The inner, spiritual side of the war in Ukraine revealed the tremendous role of morale, patriotism, and faith in God among soldiers.1 The Church, it seems, cannot passively look at the developing situation and its assessment by experts. By taking action aimed at men, it can help them grow their inner strength, sense of honour, general ethos of the soldier, etc. Perhaps Poland will soon need men who are full of character, steadfast, and devoted to enduring spiritual values derived from Christian spirituality. War elicits a wide range of humane behaviours (helping each other, dedication, supporting the weak, etc.). The Church can be instrumental in the formation of such attitudes (as evidenced throughout history). It seems necessary for the Church to resume this role now.

The above arguments, I believe, prove that overall reflection on this topic is necessary. They also indicate the need to enliven the spiritual potential of men. The following sections offer indications of how this can be achieved and how this is actually achieved in Poland and other countries.

3. Theoretical Foundation

Every good practice needs a good theory. A good theory of action sets the direction to follow and the goals to achieve. In our case, they are as follows:

• To search for and strengthen men’s own identity as an anthropological basis for building spirituality;
• To search for community of personality, tasks, social roles, etc., and build bonds among men in the Church;
• To search for a male model of holiness, based strictly on evangelical principles;
• To assist in growing for fatherhood as the realisation of the most important male vocation, which is most fully realised through fatherhood (biological or spiritual);
• The ultimate goal of all initiatives is to achieve a “radical conversion to become a disciple of Christ” (Weigel 2014, p. 207).

The following sources can be used when working with men. Their order below is not accidental.

The Bible. First, one should focus on the simple and most relevant elements of salvation history and Christian spirituality. Topics of interest to men are, for example, the nature and attributes of God, the body and soul, worldly matters in light of God’s word, etc. The Bible is the most important source here also because it presents a whole range of male characters (Abraham the pilgrim, Moses the leader, Samson the warrior, etc.). Men will find a great deal of inspiration here for strengthening their male faith. A classic is, for example, Anselm Grün’s Kämpfen und lieben: Wie Männer zu sich selbst finden [Fighting and loving: How men find themselves], in which he collected and described the spiritual profiles of the most important men in the Bible, trying to showcase their male qualities and the tasks they undertake (Grün 2004).

Fairy tales, legends, and myths. They contain universal wisdom that has shaped men throughout the ages. Drawing on myths, fairy tales, legends, etc., is one of the clearest characteristics of the contemporary revival of reflection on manliness, as well as many male movements and initiatives (Dziadek 2018; Mayes 2016).

Considering the contemporary search for the sources of male spirituality, we must say that the value of myth needs to be vindicated. Bruno Bettelheim, among others, pointed to the universal and timeless relevance of myths and fairy tales as stories that not only uncover the most important truths about man but also have a positive influence on personality development (Bettelheim 1985). The Peter Pan syndrome, so well-known and often analysed in the context of men’s failure to mature, has its origin here.2 One of the books on growing into manhood read most widely by men is Robert Bly’s Iron John. This is quite phenomenal, because the whole idea of discovering male identity contained in this story is based on a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm (Bly 1993, pp. 80–87). The value of myths in the shaping of men is also argued by the author of another widely read monograph on becoming a man, John Sowers (Sowers 2014, pp. 125–35).

Psychological knowledge of personality differences and the anthropology of men. Exploring and accepting male characteristics (and even being satisfied with them) is a very important anthropological aspect of men’s development. The use of psychological knowledge about being a male is of great interest to men seeking their own personal and spiritual development. Anthropological and psychological knowledge helps them not only know themselves but also manage their lives wisely.

Hagiography. Stories of holy men told without trivialisation or “sugarcoating” become a powerful motivator for men to enter the path of Christian spirituality. A good example would be Ramon Llull’s The Book of the Order of Chivalry. Although the work of this eminent scholar and missionary dates back to the 13th century, it is a universal source of teaching on male virtues, morality, and Catholic faith (Lull 2019).

Cultural models. Culture (literature, film) is an abundant source of models of manliness. Even if the characters portrayed here are fictitious, learning about them is a source of self-reflection for contemporary men. This can be seen, for example, in discussion clubs or meetings inspired by a recently seen film that portrays courage, honour, integrity, inner struggle, etc. It should be strongly emphasised at this point that advocating traditional male values is not equal to being a conservatist. Rather, they should be understood and fostered as the essence of manliness! When proposing the spiritual formation of men, it is worth reviving tradition and history, because men’s ideals in the past very often inspired subsequent generations of men who perpetuated these models, even if in an altered form. The continuity of male ideals, canons, and approved attitudes is highly beneficial. On the one hand, it allows us to use proven and tested models; on the other hand, it allows the essential freedom, urging people to search for new forms fitting the changing times. In their quest for a contemporary male ethos, spirituality, etc., contemporary men are not limited, as it seems, to the alternative created by some theorists of manliness—either tradition or modernity. Breaking with tradition and old models relegates one to the realm of ahistoricity, while a literal and “fundamental” submission to tradition carries the risk of losing touch with reality. Theology, being familiar with the concepts of “signs of the times”, “inculturation”, or “aggiornamento”, can develop a modern understanding of traditional ideals of manliness such as the “chivalric ethos”, which gave rise to the model of the “man of honour”, the “nobleman”, or the “gentleman”. Over the last two decades, for example, we have been hearing of the “cult of the cursed soldiers”, i.e., soldiers of the pro-independence underground of the post-war era. Recently, however, we have been able to observe a rapid decrease in this cult and mounting (sometimes justified) criticism of it. In 2017, Paweł Rzewuski wrote the following in the yearly Teologia polityczna: “I observe with a growing distaste the amount of kitsch associated with their cult, cheap pathos and second-rate special effects. This can hardly benefit their memory.” He noted a mythologisation, trivialization, and politicisation of this ethos (Rzewuski 2023). In order to revive the spiritual shaping of men, it would be instructive to revisit the ethos of Polish heroes, but with greater diligence and a more discerning attitude to their heroic attitudes. Here, for example, an outstanding role model awaiting rediscovery is that of Colonel Łukasz Ciepliński (Rybicki 2022, pp. 175–95).

By placing all the above sources, as broadly as possible, in the existential context of specific men, the circumstances in which they live, the tasks they face, and so on, the theological content proclaimed and discussed within them will gain a sapiential dimension, no longer being abstract, which is of great importance for men (cf. Francis 2023, p. 7).

The presentation and analysis of the theoretical aspects, intended goals, and subjects for men’s moulding are not sufficient to address the entire issue of men’s spiritual formation. Perhaps, it is even more difficult to pinpoint specific actions that should be undertaken in this regard.

4. Practical Aspects of the Actions Undertaken

In this section, I will discuss how the issues outlined above can be communicated to men, how they can be addressed at meetings and discussions, and how they can be used to foster men’s Christian attitudes.

Closed retreats for men in retreat centres. Weekend stays (Friday to Sunday) in retreat houses bring great results. While conducting retreats of this kind in recent years, I have addressed topics such as “To be and to have”, “Our work: A blessing or a curse?”, “The body and soul in our lives”, “Eucharistic spirituality of men”, “To have a father and to be a father”, “Wisdom and foolishness of men”, “Towards maturity”, and “Mysteries of the liturgy”.

Weekend trips. This refers to trips combined with sporting activities (yachting, hiking in the mountains) or creating opportunities to tighten family ties (e.g., trips of fathers with their children, separately with either daughters or sons). Of course, the point is not to deprecate fatherly relationships with other children, but to create a situation where a child has the father all to herself for some time—she has all the father’s attention. This is highly beneficial for the development of both of them and their family life. Every parish can support such activities, and no special efforts of the clergy are necessary to organise them.

Prayer and discussion groups in parishes. Regular weekly prayer and discussion meetings are challenging. Experience shows that monthly meetings linked to an event or problem work best. A guide to such meetings could be drafted for each parish and group, containing a spiritual formation programme, topics to be addressed, etc. Emerging men’s groups seek such materials but fail to find them.

Transplantation, adaptation, and promotion of men’s formation programmes and ideas that have already been proven abroad. One such valuable programme, popular with thousands of men, is Exodus 90. Originating in the USA, it is an invitation for men to take up certain tasks, for a period of 90 days, that are extremely rewarding personally and spiritually. In this time, men undertake a number of sacrifices (e.g., they do not wash in hot water, watch television, films, give up entertainment or alcohol). They also commit to an hour of prayer, for which they are assigned specific content to meditate on via a customised application on their phones. Small group meetings of the participants are also part of the programme: they share their successes and failures during the programme. Each man has his own “anchor”, i.e., another participant who supports his companion every evening in a short conversation (Doerr 2023). In recent years, several hundred men in Poland have joined the Exodus 90 programme (Jakimowicz 2021, pp. 32–33), but it is not yet widely known, either in Poland or internationally.

I have presented only some forms of pastoral action; some are being successfully implemented, while others are hardly ever used or used on a small scale. My feeling is that they should be promoted more widely. So, it is worth looking at the initiatives that are gaining in popularity in Poland.

5. Initiatives Already in Place but in Need of Support, Promotion, and Development

The project of investing in the spiritual formation of men in the Polish Church presented here was born in reflection of and at the beginning of men’s “awakening”. Therefore, we need to think which existing initiatives are worth supporting and advertising to everyone. Let us look at some of them.

Men’s Rosary. The first Men‘s Rosary service was held on 7 April 2018 in Warsaw. The main goal of this initiative is to make up to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the sins of Polish men, especially fathers, and strive to fulfil the Lwów Oath and the Pledge of Jasna Góra. The name “Men’s Rosary” derives from the idea that only men participate in the initiative. They believe their role is to protect those whom God has put in their care on Earth, not only materially but also spiritually. For the originators of the initiative, the essential thing is the presence of a priest to lead this service and say a homily during the Mass. Men’s Rosary is aimed at men of all walks of life and ages. Nowadays, such services take place in many cities in Poland3 and abroad. Participants (usually several dozen men), holding a rosary in their hands, go to selected churches in the city and pray. Each cycle of services—processions on the first five Saturdays—is organised at a different church. Throughout the procession, it is important to maintain an orderly procession, hold the rosary in the hand, and keep silent. Upon reaching the church, there is a meditation and then Mass, which is the final, culminating event of the service. In this way, the “Christological principle” of the event is preserved. Surveys of men participating in Men’s Rosary confirm the many benefits of this practice: strengthening the life of the Church, coming closer to the sacraments, engaging more seriously in social roles (as a husband, father), etc. (Kołodziej 2022, pp. 297–313). The rosary in the hands of men gives them great inner strength, as evidenced by the many testimonies they give in meetings or the media. They say that the rosary has rescued them from the depths of alcoholism, pornography, drugs, and so on. In this sense, the rosary also becomes a “weapon” against evil, and we need not be afraid of this military metaphor. This initiative should not only be promoted and supported, but these rare meetings of men should also be enriched with retreats, nationwide meetings, or materials linked to the theme of “the rosary in the hands of men”.

Tato.Net. The Tato.Net initiative for fathers was conceived and launched by a lay theologian, Dr Dariusz Cupiał. It helps build attitudes of responsible fatherhood. It inspires men to create personal “dad plans” by organising relevant workshops. It cooperates with organisations having an impact on contemporary fatherhood, both individually and socially. These activities include running the website www.tato.net, workshops for fathers, a network of fathers‘ clubs, social campaigns, conferences, seminars, and training courses addressed to different audiences and actors, conducted to raise awareness and disseminate knowledge related to the role of the father in the family and society, gathering knowledge, and publishing on issues related to fatherhood (Cupiał 2015, p. 160). Although not a religious movement, it endorses the values represented by the Catholic Church in Poland. Fathers’ meetings could potentially be held in every parish. Needless to say, the individual elements of the ethos of a Catholic father are tightly interconnected, and he needs a lot of support today, which can often be found in a group whose members trust and can support each other.

Men of Saint Joseph International (MOSJI) is a movement dedicated to Saint Joseph (in Poland, Men of Saint Joseph). As we read on its website, the movement’s mission and ministry spring from a desire to share spiritual experiences with Catholic men, as well as those graces and inspirations experienced by the Roman Catholic Church and the so-called Charismatic Renewal. It is a response to the words of Jesus in Matthew (10:8): “You have received freely, so give freely.” Although born out of and strongly linked to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, MOSJI welcomes all male Catholics. The accommodating attitude to various ways in which charismatic gifts can be realised encompasses respect for the different backgrounds from which those attending MOSJI meetings come. MOSJI is the organiser of the Polish national “Siege of Jasna Góra”, a gathering where thousands of men participate in person or online. However, information about the event does not seem to be reaching a broad audience of men, as many men in Polish churches have not heard of it.

Warriors of Mary—Only4Men. This is a men’s community that strongly emphasises its veneration of Mary. It was formed during open spiritual formation meetings for men at Ląd. Currently, the spiritual guardian of the community is Father Piotr Pączkowski, SDB. The purpose of the community is to ensure spiritual formation at regular meetings (both nationwide and regionally) and a solemn declaration of allegiance to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the so-called “knighting” ceremony, which takes place once a year. The nationwide meetings held by the Warriors of Mary take place monthly or every two months. The members of the community are men from different backgrounds, such as husbands, fathers, single men, discerners, and priests from different parts of Poland and the world. The formation programme includes the following: holding a 33-day retreat to prepare for and perform an act of entrustment to Jesus with Mary’s intercession, prayer for priests, active participation in the sacramental life (confession, Eucharist, communion, adoration), acts of penance (e.g., prostration prayer and various forms of sacrifice), active participation in the life of the community and the Church, participation in First Saturdays Devotion, study of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Salesian Preventive System of St. John Bosco, apologetic materials, and proposals sent to the leaders, and saying the prayer of Saint Patrick’s Breastplate (Bulas 2004, pp. 1836–37). Spiritual formation is grounded in human development and men’s maturity, which includes building relationships within the family, as well as in and outside the community, discipline and physical improvement through activities (e.g., sport), setting a good example, and, as the Code of the Warriors of Mary puts it, “not setting a bad example outside the community” (Warriors of Mary 2023).

Knights of John Paul II. This is another community established in Poland, although based on the spirituality of the Knights of Columbus. Its mission involves defending Christian values, including the family, life (from conception to natural death), fostering patriotism and love of the homeland, striving for the holiness of its members, promoting the teachings of John Paul II, promoting Catholic lay spirituality and mutual fraternal assistance, supporting the clergy (in every area of life), promoting male spirituality, and supporting Christians in the Holy Land (Order of the Knights of John Paul II 2023).

The following are also active in Poland: Mężczyźni Jana Chrzciciela [Men of John the Baptist], Bractwo Przedmurza [Fraternitas Antemuralis], Lew Judy [Lion of Judah], Męska Strona Rzeczywistości [Men’s Version of Reality], Męskie Plutony Różańca [Men’s Rosary Platoons], Męska Grupa św. Andrzeja Boboli [Men’s Group of Saint Andrew Bobola], Przymierze Wojowników [Alliance of Warriors], W Połowie Drogi [Halfway], Knights of Columbus, Vera Virtu, Soul Hunters, Bracia Zmartwychwstania [Brothers of the Resurrection], Nazaret Męska Grupa Różańcowa [Nazareth Men‘s Rosary Group], Niepokonani Niepokalanej [Unconquered of the Immaculate], and many other men’s religious groups (Rybicki 2020, p. 232). Their abundance suggests that their number will quickly grow, which is why another point on the agenda is to call people to “join forces”, hence the need for essential coordination.

The initiatives mentioned above are carried out on an individual basis, and people implementing them hardly ever exchange their experiences in this regard, hence the need for some kind of coordination and exchange of practical information regarding such forms of action.

6. Coordination of Activities

There are also problems with the grassroots development of men’s groups. One of the most popular male initiatives (Warriors of Mary) was even addressed by the Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, which, following inquiry by a commission specially created for this purpose, declared some errors in the ongoing spiritual formation and preaching.4 This case highlights the urgent need for some coordination of such activities and vigilance on the part of priests and those who feel responsible for what is happening to the “male” Church in Poland. To address the idea of joined forces and coordination, a grassroots initiative has emerged so that men’s group leaders can meet or participate in leadership workshops. The coordination of men’s groups requires, as it were, the appointment of a commission for pastoral care of men within the bishops’ conference of each country. As a result, a national council for the pastoral care of men at the Polish Bishops’ Conference should be established. It should be noted that a corresponding commission for the pastoral care of women does exist. It was called into being by Blessed Stefan Wyszyński in response to the perceived growing threat of feminist ideology. The leaders of some men’s groups, having contact with episcopal representatives, have been demanding that an appropriate body be created and a person responsible for coordinating these activities appointed; however, for the time being, the matter remains a postulate awaiting its implementation. Just as other groups benefit from pastoral care, each diocese would benefit from having a priest in charge of “‘men’s pastoral care”, who would know the local community and any grassroots initiatives and initiate and coordinate men’s development, alongside conventions and meetings with men of other dioceses, visit parishes, encourage men to form men’s groups or join existing ones, support leaders, provide information materials, etc. When no such permanent coordination exists in dioceses, we sometimes develop an impression that pastoral action is limited to interventions in cases of blatant irregularities, which are more like fires needing to be extinguished.

Speaking of coordination, we should consider the coverage of this topic in the media. Poland’s most widely read weekly Gość Niedzielny publishes a short article about male groups every few months, which is clearly not enough. In Austria, for example, one diocese publishes and sends to parishes a magazine addressed to men. This allows them to read not only about things like enthusiasm in faith (Nussbaumer 2022, p. 3) but also about keeping fit, saving money, leisure activities, male crises, etc. (Simbürger 2022, pp. 12–13). Most importantly, the magazine informs readers about meetings, conferences, and retreats for men, as well as the latest books or music CDs which can be of interest to religious men. It seems that a Catholic magazine or website for men is a necessary project in Poland today.

Another problematic issue, discussed below, is the lack of support from academia, including theology, which could enhance spiritual pursuits and the longing for spiritual growth among men.

7. Support of Science

In 2018, the First International Catholic Men’s Conference took place in Rome, with the theme “The Call to Holiness”, organised under the auspices of the Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe by the Men of Saint Joseph from Poland. We can read the following in the open letter: “Men stand in need of guidance by Church scholars and those competent in character development to generate a robust vision of Christian manliness—a vision both resonating and empowering. Such teachings should find basis in Scripture, Church teaching, and longstanding tradition. Also, neurological studies, physiology, and other sciences can make incisive contributions. Integrating foundational teachings on manliness in resources for men’s groups would prove valuable” (Open Letter 2018, p. 71). These thoughts can be applied to the issue at hand and the question of how the Church in Poland can respond to advancing secularisation. Male spiritual formation should be supported by Polish scholarly circles in every possible way. It is both necessary and feasible. We do not inhabit a theological desert. On the contrary, Poland has large ranks of outstanding theologians, many educational centres, and facilities to support the spiritual formation of men. The popularisation of science—in this case, the theology of manhood, Christian anthropology, and biblical science (biblical male figures)—could bear very good fruit in the spiritual formation of men. Considering how important it is for them to understand the truths of the faith, be able to address the cardinal truths about the human person, and see the logic behind them, the demand for the support of science and scholars becomes all the more important. As experts dealing with so-called individual differences confirm, the rational component in the male spiritual growth is much more important than it is for women (Dyczewski 2008, pp. 762–64).

All initiatives and proposals presented in this paper relate to men at large; some of them, however, follow the path of priesthood and become local community leaders. They bear considerable responsibility for the Church. Therefore, their maturity—as persons and men—cannot be overlooked in the context of our considerations.

8. Investing in the Mature Experience of Manhood in Priests and Candidates for the Priesthood

In his post-synodal apostolic exhortation Pastores dabo vobis, John Paul II set out four dimensions of priestly formation: 1. human, 2. spiritual, 3. Intellectual, and 4. pastoral (John Paul II 1992, pp. 43–59). The first dimension, which, for the Pope, is fundamental, includes spiritual formation for manhood, discussed here but still not considered. It is a serious issue that has a bearing on all other dimensions of spiritual formation: “Future priests should therefore cultivate a series of human qualities, not only out of proper and due growth and realization of self, but also with a view to the ministry. These qualities are needed for them to be balanced people, strong and free, capable of bearing the weight of pastoral responsibilities” (John Paul II 1992, p. 43). These words could be interpreted as a call for men’s spiritual formation in preparation for priesthood. Phrases like “realization of self” or “balanced people, strong and free” suggest the need to address spiritual formation for manhood and lead to questions about other manly qualities.

The current problems with sexual abuse among clergy are only the tip of the iceberg, as there are other numerous issues such as gender identification, the maturation of the emotional and sexual spheres in clerical persons, etc. Manhood formation has become such a pressing and relevant issue that can no longer be overlooked in human formation (Rybicki 2018, pp. 80–90). Boys used to learn to be men from their fathers and grandfathers; today, this generational link is already broken, so it is necessary to seek models of manliness outside the immediate family circle. The men gathered in Rome at the First International Catholic Men’s Conference wrote the following in the aforementioned open letter: “We suggest respectfully that many problems with clergy and religious are caused by a lack of sound training in authentic Christian manliness, well-adjusted psycho-sexual integration, and an efficacious spiritual development. All men, regardless of vocation, should receive thorough and integrated training in these areas and all the relevant virtues” (Open Letter 2018, p. 71).

Spiritual formation towards a mature experience of manliness in clergy could take place at several levels: spiritual, psychological, educational, communal (relational), etc. Fundamentally, it is useful to accept manliness as a gift, a talent, a value to be accepted and developed. It would also be necessary to emphasise personal maturity in priestly formation (and not just psychotherapy understood as helping to remove obstacles to functioning). Therefore, it is worth focusing on what is strong and developing it in young men rather than only dealing with (and treating) weaknesses and psychological wounds. It is also utterly important to draw attention to the value of male virtues (the so-called Roman Virtues). The way in which they are lived out should be continued and modified: honour, courage, caring skills, and responsibility for one’s word. In manliness formation, it would be worthwhile, for example, to organise meetings between seminarians and mature men who, in an atmosphere of trust and support, could “fill the wound left by the absent father” felt by, after all, the many candidates to priesthood (Rybicki 2018, pp. 87–88).

David Murrow, who we mentioned earlier, in his work on men in the Church devoted an entire chapter to the problem of the manliness of priests and candidates for priesthood. It is worth quoting just a few of his observations to get the sense of the significance of investing in the manliness of priests: “Men need a strong spiritual guide”, “Priests should be manly, strong and decisive”, “Men appreciate the confidence and conviction of priests”, “Men like priests who present themselves as manly”, and “Men want a priest who is a normal guy” (Murrow 2007, pp. 305–12). George Weigel, in his work titled Evangelical Catholicism: Deep Reform in the 21st-Century Church, also devoted a lot of space to future priestly formation. He pointed out that strengthening male priestly identity gives rise to healthy brotherly bonds between priests. These bonds, in turn, are invaluable in the human experience of celibacy, loneliness, and daily problems. The author compares these to the bonds of fighting soldiers: their brotherhood of arms is a tremendous source of inner strength (Weigel 2014, p. 219).

Although the issues mentioned above relate mainly to Poland, the overall picture has a global dimension, so it would be advantageous to benefit from the reflections and experiences of men living outside their mother countries, in foreign communities.

9. Internationalisation

Leaders of foreign groups and communities sometimes attend meetings of men’s groups and communities operating in Poland. It also happens that some men’s communities established in Poland also reach beyond its borders to contact Poles living there and initiate small groups and projects. Sometimes Polish men organise pilgrimages or meetings in other countries (e.g., a pilgrimage to Kahlenberg, Austria). This idea should be pursued using existing contacts between men, their knowledge of languages and various kinds of student exchanges. Men in some countries organise themselves, meet, go on pilgrimages, and create new initiatives, while in others they either know nothing or very little about such possibilities. The flow of such information would be very motivating. It can be supposed that men in other countries know little about Polish initiatives in men’s circles. Therefore, internationalisation is the exchange of information, experiences, formation materials, mutual visits, and personal contacts. By launching World Youth Day, John Paul II set in motion an avalanche of encounters, contacts, friendship, and support among the youth of many countries whose churches had hitherto known little about each other. A similar idea could also be applied to the spiritual shaping of men. The point is not to just organise some sort of World Men’s Day but generally create opportunities and chances to meet and share experiences. This opens up a vast space of creativity for priests and group leaders. There are many groups with which Polish men’s organisations could make contact, such as the Harvesters (UK), Kingsmen (Netherlands), the Catholic Men’s Leadership Alliance (USA), the National Fellowship of Catholic Men and The Kings Men (USA, Pennsylvania, New Jersey), Crossing the Goal (an initiative of EWTN, USA), and finally the Men’s Academy, whose president is Phillip Chavez, the principal author of the above-cited open letter on the occasion of the First International Catholic Men’s Conference.

10. Conclusions

In this paper, we have barely touched on some areas where specific actions could be initiated or further developed. It should be noted, however, that the mere identification of such areas is advantageous, since, nowadays, the Church is not interested in the collective pastoral care of men; rather, this is addressed by individual priests, who often struggle with the lack of time and resources. In fact, each of the points we have raised might be further developed, starting with the justification of why it is necessary to take care of men. However, it seems that our considerations in this paper could lead to the following conditions: (i) The Polish circumstances make it possible to support the pastoral care and shaping of men. (ii) There are resources, the theoretical basis, the literature, etc., for this and a host of committed priests who see great value in this but lack a guiding idea or programme. (iii) Our observation of existing initiatives shows that there is demand, openness, and even “longing for spirituality” among men in Poland. (iv) Proper coordination, promotion, and involvement in the area of the Church proposed here would greatly benefit both individual families and the Church in Poland.

In sum, our discussion of the issues and problems indicated in this paper can prove useful for pastoral care and spiritual growth not only in Poland but also globally. The personal and spiritual growth of men must not be taken for granted, but it should be addressed by concrete support activities, which are gaining increasing recognition among the Christian faithful. Also, wherever a desire for spiritual growth arises among men—in order to establish male communities or support one another in fulfilling various social roles—they can benefit from the experiences of the communities that have already undertaken many successful actions. Evidently, the organisation of men into groups and communities is nothing new, but modern times pose ever more challenges and call us to pursue new social roles. The ideas and initiatives that I have presented here can be a relevant proposal for male spiritual development across the globe. Moreover, the spiritual and human values I have mentioned are universal.