Don Riccardo Mensual, 58 years old
Depressed, fearful, violent, prevaricator: how did we come to define as the man and why did the male take such extreme and disparate traits in the contemporary imagination? We talk about it with Don Riccardo Mensual58 years old, member of the Pontifical Academy for Life and Author of the book Full of grace. The challenge for the male of our time (Saint Paul).
Which idea of male lives contemporary society?
«Over the past decades, the public discourse focused on the woman while the man, whose role should have been rethinking, was only asked to get aside. Today we live in times of excessive identity fluidity and costs it is also the male model ».
What consequences did the “man put aside”?
«A void of reflection was created that led to the current absence of a model. But, by dint of fileing, even a statue falls on itself ».
In addition to the man itself, the paternal figure also went into crisis. What are the fathers for?
«Paternity is neither patriarchate nor paternalism, we need education and training. We need the paternal being of the male, fathers conscious of their role within the family are needed. Once upon a time, the men exempt themselves from the education of their children, while now we cross a new season, in which parental care have four hands and two hearts: many young people want to learn to be fathers immediately, transmitting serenity and smiles. For man paternity is a characterizing trait, to be built and to be cultivated, also because it is fathers in all ages of life ».
Does it still make sense to speak of virility?
«The word risks remaining old, debased, offensive … the root is virin Latin man, and many bind it to VISForce. However, it is necessary to reconcile the ability to be solid and stable to the strength of reliability, to think of man as an individual who has the strength to educate and be a teacher, of which one can trust ».
What are the temptations of the male today?
«First of all, I am going to say that the use of violence is ridiculous, as well as dangerous. Then I think of haste, impatience, to wanting to “arrive immediately”, perhaps also given by sexual characteristics. Again, look at himself as a larger external muscles, risking to neglect the inner muscle, the heart ».
Can contemporary man be “full of grace”?
“Certainly. The full of grace knows how to reconcile virility and kindness. As I said, grace, attention and care are not in contrast with the ability to be a leader. True power does without arrogance, physical strength, violence certainly. In this it helps the Christian spirit: God is capable of sharing his power, putting it to the service ».
What is the role of women in the construction of the male?
«The Pope says that in marriage the role of his wife is to make her husband a more man man, more at the service of life. On the other hand, the woman of the woman towards her freedom also involves man: emancipation must not become loneliness ».
Which biblical figure can more inspire today’s males?
“Giovanni Battista, a great worker who has the strength to indicate the construction of the road -” smooth out in the steppe the road of our God ” – but he is also able to take a step back -” He must grow and I instead decrease “. He is a new male, who does not think he can do everything alone ».
