Fathers of Saint Joseph – Meeting Notes [23rd May 2026]

Date: 23 May 2026

Location: St Mary's Church, Pope's Quay, Cork

Opening Context

We began our meeting with a time of Adoration before reflecting together on this week's reading.

Reflection Reading

Book: LEAD: The Four Marks of Fatherly Greatness

Author: Devin Schadt

Pillar: Pillar 4 – Discover the Disciple (Embrace the Child)

Reading: 175 – Identifying the Temple

Pages: 403–404

Lucas Cranach the Younger and Workshop (c.1545–1550) Christ Blessing the Children. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Available at: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436035 (Accessed: 31 July 2026).

This week's reading invited us to look beyond what is immediately visible in our children and recognise the deeper reality that every baptised child is a living temple of God. Devin Schadt explains that many unhealthy patterns of parenting stem not simply from our own wounds or weaknesses, but from failing to see our children as places where God already dwells and is at work.

The reading also reminds fathers that they are called to become the voice of the Father. Through encouragement, loving correction and affirming the gifts God has placed within their children, fathers help reveal their children's true identity as beloved sons and daughters of God. Rather than defining a child by failures or weaknesses, we are invited to intentionally look for God's presence within them and help them grow into the people He created them to become.

Call to Action

Identify the gifts, talents and abilities God has placed within your children, and intentionally affirm them so they come to recognise God's presence and purpose in their lives.

Reflection Associated with the Reading

The accompanying examination of conscience invites fathers to ask whether they truly see their children as living temples of God and whether their words, guidance and example help reveal that identity. It also challenges us to cultivate our children's gifts while helping them understand that their lives are ultimately ordered towards loving God and serving others.

Personal Reflections & Final Thought

One of the greatest rediscoveries for me recently has been what it truly means to be a temple of the Holy Spirit. A few days ago I was speaking with my children about this and trying to explain what St Paul teaches, as well as how the early Church understood these words.

The best example I could think of was our own home. When the house is untidy, toys are scattered everywhere, things are out of place and there is an unpleasant smell, we naturally do not enjoy spending time there. But when everything is clean, organised and welcoming, we enjoy being at home. We want to play, read together and even invite friends to visit.

That simple image helped me explain something much deeper. Our hearts are meant to be a dwelling place for God. Through our love for Him, our desire to know Him, regular participation in Holy Mass, frequent Confession and a faithful sacramental life, we continually prepare our hearts for His presence. These practices are not simply religious duties; they are our spiritual hygiene. Just as we care for our homes, we must also care for our souls. The more we open ourselves to God's grace, the more the Holy Spirit finds a welcoming place to dwell within us, transforming us from the inside out.

As a father, I hope not only to remember this truth for myself but also to help my children appreciate the incredible dignity they already possess as temples of the Holy Spirit.

Scripture

The reading draws particularly on the following passages:

• 1 Corinthians 3:16–17 – "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" 1 Corinthians 3 (USCCB) (see verses 16–17)

• 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 – "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you...?" 1 Corinthians 6 (USCCB) (see verses 19–20)

• Ephesians 4:30 – "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God..." Ephesians 4 (USCCB) (see verse 30)

These passages form the biblical foundation for this week's reflection on recognising ourselves and our children as temples of the Holy Spirit.