How Boys Grow Up and Why Some Men Don’t

What if the real crisis facing Catholic families isn't just bad behavior or wandering faith, but the complete loss of a proven path for boys to become men? Jim and Meghan sit down with Jason Craig, Farmer, Theologian, and Executive Director of Fraternus, to explore why traditional rites of passage disappeared from our culture and what it's costing our sons. Drawing from his own journey as a convert who experienced both Protestant youth ministry and Catholic parish life, Jason makes a compelling case that boys don't need more programs or relevance; they need mature men who will initiate them into a brotherhood worth joining. With clarity and conviction, he challenges families to rethink everything from youth ministry strategies to how we build lasting Catholic communities.

What’s in this episode:

• The fundamental shift from boys becoming men to extended adolescence
• Why has every society in history had rites of passage except ours?
• Jason's conversion story and the masculinity crisis in Catholic parishes
• The three essential stages of initiation every boy needs
• Why youth ministry as a strategy isn't working for Catholic families
• How Fraternus creates the brotherhood of men boys want to join
• The power of one man introducing himself to a fatherless boy
• Practical steps for fathers to begin initiating their sons
• Why building things together matters more than consuming information
• The importance of local community and keeping families rooted
• One resource every Catholic family should know: Getting offline with your family and building something together
• Book he is currently reading: The Sanctifier: The Classic Work on the Holy Spirit by Archbishop Luis Martinez
• Advice to his younger self: You don't have wisdom yet because you haven't experienced it
• Final wisdom for listeners: Cultivate your local community and stop forming children to leave

Resources Mentioned:

Fraternus – Catholic brotherhood for men and boys, including Ways of the Fathers materials

The Ways of the Fathers – Six-week experience on rites of passage and male initiation

Leaving Boyhood Behind – Jason's book on the loss of rites of passage (second edition)

Liturgy of the Land – Jason's book on homesteading and family life

Sword and Spade Magazine – Publication featuring Catholic families building culture and community