Fathers' Day

Today is Fathers' day.

It had been something of a sore point for me, long before I actually became a dad myself, that the Church rightly makes a very big thing of Mothering Sunday but all too often completely ignores Father's Day. On the majority of occasions in the past when I went to church on Fathers' Day the fact would literally not get so much as a mention. Once or twice I pointed out to various vicars that the church was seriously missing a trick in this respect: the reponse was to point out that Mothering Sunday was an official part of the church calendar while Fathers' day isn't. which merely demonstrated that the responsibility for the missed opportunity for celebrate the role of dads went right to the top.

Well that wasn't the case today, at least in St James' Church Whitehaven, who pulled out all the stops to make something of the fact that it was Fathers' Day.

Both Mums and Dads have an important role in society, and you don't have to go all the way with Fathers 4 Justice to recognise that a failure, by secular society as well as the church, to pay enough attention and respect to the role of fathers has had a significant social cost, particularly to children who have missed out on the support of a father in their life.

It was nice for once to see that mistake avoided and the role of fathers celebrated.

Comments

Tim said…
I have no religious convictions but understand the huge religious significance of Mothering Sunday. Father's day was invented in America in the 1890s and has become another shameless exercise in selling greeting cards. My grandfather hated it as does my Dad today. I am willing to tolerate it and thank my children for their endeavours every June, but it is no big deal.
3:53 pm
Chris Whiteside said…
Tim

You are entirely right about the respective origins of Mothering Sunday and Fathers' day.

I still think there is something to be gained by celerating both.
11:29 pm
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