There has been a lot of conversation in the past few days about the fact that there are less men in church. Some blame the presence of too many women involved in the Church for this fact.
I want to correct a historical perception.
In some cultures, in Europe and in immigrant groupings in the States, men did not go to Mass pre-Vatican II.
Two of the ethnic groups which consistently let the women pray on their own were the Italians (and the Sicilians) and the Greeks.
We cannot kid ourselves that men in all cultures have been regular Sunday Mass attenders.
I can say that at the noon Mass at Clarendon Street, that there are actually more men, coming from work, attending Mass.
And, in Malta, among men over fifty, most go to Mass.
However, I have heard young men say that "Oh, all my friend needs to come back to the Church is a good woman."
NO.
Men are the religious leaders in their families, but sadly, some cultures allow the women, or expect the women to be the religious leaders.
This resistance to leadership is not new.
