The Father in Adolescence: A Mission Towards Salvation

I. The Necessary Role of the Father: Guide in Autonomy and Faith

When we talk about adolescence, we must recognize that this is the moment when the child begins to seek answers beyond the maternal nest. It is here that the father must fully exercise the role that God has entrusted to him: to be the leader who guides his child not only towards emotional maturity but also towards spiritual fulfillment. This authority should not be seen as oppressive or arbitrary but as a service to the good of the family. A father who exercises his authority with justice and love is a special grace for the home, a living image of God’s rule over His creatures.

II. The Virtues of the Father According to St. Thomas Aquinas

St. Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologica, identifies the cardinal virtues as fundamental to the Christian life, and these same virtues are essential for a father who seeks to guide his family toward God. The most important virtues for the paternal role are:

1. Prudence

2. Justice

3. Fortitude

4. Temperance

These cardinal virtues are indispensable for the father to exercise his authority justly, prudently, and lovingly. Through them, the father becomes a living example of virtue, helping his children to grow in goodness.

III. The Holy Spirit: Source of Wisdom and Strength for the Father

The role of the father in the adolescence of his children cannot be exercised adequately without the help of divine grace. It is here that the Holy Spirit becomes the essential source of wisdom and strength for the father in his mission. Although the father receives the grace of state to fulfill his role, this grace needs to be continuously nurtured through the invocation of the Holy Spirit.

IV. The Father as an Active Guide in the Sacramental Life

The father is also responsible for guiding his children in the sacramental life. In many families, the mother has been the one to plant the first seeds of faith, but it is the father who must consolidate and strengthen this teaching.

V. The Father as Authority: Not Passive, But Active and Just

One of the great evils of our time is the passivity of many fathers in the education of their children. This passivity is a form of abdication of the authority and responsibility that God has given the father as the head of the family.

VI. The Urgency of Returning to the Paternal Role in Today’s Society

Today’s society faces a deep crisis regarding the figure of man. On one hand, machismo has distorted the true meaning of male authority, turning it into an abuse of power. On the other hand, the passivity and disinterest of many men have led to an abdication of their responsibility as spiritual leaders of their families.

Bibliography

• St. Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologica. Ediciones B.A.C., Madrid. This classic work remains the fundamental reference on the cardinal virtues and the role of the father as head of the family.

• St. John Chrysostom. Homilies on Family. Editorial Ciudad Nueva. St. John Chrysostom offers profound reflections on the role of fathers in the spiritual and moral education of their children.

• St. Augustine of Hippo. Confessions. Ediciones B.A.C., Madrid. This classic work includes reflections on the importance of education in virtue from a Christian perspective.

• St. Pius X. Encyclical Acerbo Nimis, 1905. In this document, St. Pius X emphasizes the importance of fathers as the first catechists of their children and as spiritual guides in the home.

• St. John Bosco. On Education. Librería Salesiana, Turin. St. John Bosco, known for his love for youth, gives clear examples of the balance between discipline and tenderness in the formation of young people.

• The Life of St. Joseph. In various traditional Church documents, St. Joseph is presented as the model of father and husband, demonstrating the virtues of fortitude, justice, and paternal responsibility.