My Advice to Catholic Young Men
Last week, the popular rapper Zuby, who has amassed a significant following on social media as a self-described “epitome of toxic positivity,” posted an article titled “My Honest Advice For Gen Z Men.” He includes 12 life tips for young men from his perspective as a “successful Millennial.” The article is actually quite good and I recommend young men read it. But as Catholics, we can go deeper. So here’s my advice specifically for young Catholic men, based on my own experiences as a GenX man as well as observation of what works in men I admire. Of course, these are general tips that should be (must be) adapted to each person’s particular situation and state of life.
1) Make Catholicism the Center of Your Life
This one should be obvious, but it bears placing at the top of the list. In literally everything you do, your Catholic Faith must take precedence. This applies to decisions large and small. In deciding what college or field of work to pursue, in choosing a wife, in deciding where to live—Catholicism must come first. It should also be the basis for your weekly and daily routine, as we’ll see in some of the upcoming bits of advice.
Over the years I’ve seen too many Catholic men who sincerely believe, but they slide into a pattern of life in which Catholicism is not prioritized. When they reach their forties, they then realize that their life choices have made it more difficult to pass on the faith to their children, or even to practice it themselves. Perhaps they took a job that undermined their practice of the faith, and now they feel as if they can’t escape the grind to be more serious about Catholicism. Or they chose a wife that didn’t prioritize being Catholic and now the children are being led astray. Or they sent their children to a Catholic school which normalized a “beige” Catholicism.
Above all, put Catholicism first.
2) Rise Early and Be Disciplined
There’s something magical about the early hours of the day, when it’s still dark and most people are still sleeping. Monks have always known this: they rise extremely early, and the longest prayers of the Divine Office are the first ones of the day. Get in a habit of rising early (before 6 a.m.) and don’t hit that snooze alarm. Rising right when your alarm clock goes off is an excellent first penance of the day (see Tip #4).
After rising early, continue with a disciplined routine throughout the day. Don’t che
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LewRockwell.com is a libertarian website that publishes articles, essays, and blog posts advocating for minimal government, free markets, and individual liberty. The site was founded by Lew Rockwell, an American libertarian political commentator, activist, and former congressional staffer. The website often features content that is critical of mainstream politics, state intervention, and foreign policy, among other topics. It is a platform frequently used to disseminate Austrian economics, a school of economic thought that is popular among some libertarians.
