Massachusetts - A Catholic school in Massachusetts has incorporated an after-school program called ‘The Young Men’s Club’ aiming to teach boys how to be gentlemen.
Father Jay Mello said that St. Michael’s School situated in the inner city of Fall River, Massachusetts came up with the unique concept to counter men in society who don’t take responsibility for raising their children and don’t pass down values to their children. “The club is part of an attempt to “recapture manhood,” he said.
Golfing is just one activity the boys participate in as part of the club, which is run by the school’s principal, Ryan Klein, and its custodian, Michael Lubold.
“This is an opportunity for us to make a positive impact on these developing young men to embody what a Catholic gentleman is,” Klein told Catholic News Agency.
The goal of the club is to combat a “societal masculinity crisis” by instilling virtues such as respect, patience, and kindness in its participants.
For Klein, being a gentleman is directly tied to the Catholic faith.
Michael Lubold (left), the custodian at St. Michael's School in Fall River, Massachusetts, and principal Ryan Klein (center) are teaching boys the virtues of being a gentleman in an after-school program call the Young Men's Club. Courtesy of Father Jay Mello/CNA
According to Father Jay Mello, golfing is a great way for boys of all athletic abilities to learn focus, self-control, and discipline.
“Golf is very much a mind game, and it’s very much like the Christian life. We all get bad shots on the golf course, but it’s how you recover from that bad shot that will determine your score,” he said.
In addition to golfing, the club also teaches boys traditional masculine roles, such as using tools, changing tires, and making household repairs.
The hope is to instill the virtues now so that the students have a foundation to continue throughout their lives.
Klein believes that being a gentleman is directly tied to the Catholic faith, and that the confusing expectations of what it means to be a man in today’s culture need to be addressed.
The club is part of an attempt to “recapture manhood” by forming boys in basic skills and virtues.
Thirteen-year-old Cole Michael Souza, an eighth-grade student, has already begun working on the virtues he’s learned, such as kindness, honesty, and circumspection. He believes that in order to be a gentleman, one must be respectful and can’t be rude, and that being a Christian means being as good as possible.