I’ve held five children in my arms. Three of them still call me “Dad.” Two more I’m in the process of adopting. And four… well, four of my children I never held in this world, but I did hold them in my heart from the moment they were conceived.
Miscarriages are not just biological events—they’re the funerals of dreams. For each of my preborn children, I imagined coaching their teams, tutoring them through term papers, and cheering for them at graduation. They are not statistics—they are my sons and daughters. And in a world that forgets the sanctity of preborn life, I choose to remember. Because I am their father.
Yes, every abortion, every miscarriage, every lost child is a tragedy. It’s a loss not just of life, but of potential, of purpose, of legacy. Mother Teresa said the greatest threat to world peace is abortion. I believe that deeply. But I also believe the greatest counter to that threat is fatherhood—true, sacrificial, Saint-Joseph-style fatherhood.
The Silent Strength of Masculinity
Saint Joseph, the adoptive father of Jesus, never spoke a word in Scripture, yet his silent strength echoes louder than many sermons. He wasn’t the biological father of Jesus, but he stepped in, protected the Christ’s Blessed Mother, and raised the Son of God with reverence and resolve.
Every man is called to that spirit—whether biological, adoptive, or spiritual. We need more men who stay. Who show up. Who carry the weight of responsibility and joyfully bear it.
Sometimes what’s needed most is just a few words—spoken with courage and vulnerability: “I’m here. I will support this child—not just while you carry her, but after. You’re not alone
Saint John Chrysostom, a great 4th century Christian, once taught that every father must become the spiritual guide of his household, no less than the saints of old—like Abraham and Job—regardless of vocation.[i] But, we live in a culture that mocks masculinity while quietly begging for real men to rise.
The Stats
And I am not alone. In a Gallup survey conducted last year, 49% of men identified as pro-life. Perspective: only 33% of women did likewise. And while men have remained at 40% or higher in this Gallup survey since 1999, the women have seen a sharp decline in the past few years, going from 51% identifying as pro-life in 2019 to the heart-wrenching 33% of last year.[ii]
Abortion is not a woman-only issue, and the slogan of “no uterus, no opinion” is a lie.[iii] The child whose life hangs in the balance has two parents—a woman and a man. It is good and natural for a man to desire to protect his child.
The Tragedy of the Fallen Generation
I look around at our world today, and what I see is a generation that has fallen—because too many people have rejected their God-given roles, especially fathers. In so many cultures, fatherhood has been sidelined or outright replaced. And in that vacuum, we’ve allowed systems—government, media, even convenience—to become the new “dad.”
The result is what we’re seeing right before our eyes: confusion, brokenness, and a cycle of instability. We’re producing a generation without roots. And the only real hope I see comes from the places where family infrastructure is strong—where there’s still commitment, presence, sacrifice, and love.
Reject the Lie
My fellow men, the time has come to reject the lie of passive fatherhood. Abortion exists not just because of bad laws or bad politicians—it exists because too many men have abandoned their post at the gate of the garden. We have one two-fold job, given to us in the beginning: to till and to keep (Genesis 2:15).[iv] To provide and to protect. If we fail, another generation falls.
Let us rise like Saint Joseph. Let us remember every lost child, every miscarriage, every hidden grief—and commit to being men who never abandon our calling again. We were made to stand guard. For our wives. For our children. For our Church. For the Holy Family.
Living Pro-Life
So, here’s my call—to every man of faith, every coach, every father, every veteran: stand up and step up. It’s time to do more than march or protest. It’s time to live pro-life in the fullest sense.
Coach your child’s team. Mentor the one without a dad. Help a single mother move her furniture or fix her brakes. Join a passionate men’s group like the Knights of Columbus. Volunteer with your local pregnancy center or serve with St. Vincent de Paul.
Because the fight for life doesn’t end at birth. It begins there. I was trained in the infantry, and we had a saying: “Follow me.” So, I’ll go first. Who’s coming with me?
[iI] Gallop Poll: Abortion Trends by Gender
[Iii] ‘No uterus, no opinion’ is a lie: Why pro-lifers win if they embrace men
[iv] Great Adventure Bible Translation
Christopher Wagnon
Guest Columnist