09/14/2026
1. Only men and boys serve at the altar: Servers, MCs, thurifers, torchbearers. The sanctuary has a distinctly masculine, almost military, character.
2. There are lots of young men at Mass. Not merely hen pecked husbands dragged there by their wives, but single men, fathers, teenagers, and boys who clearly regard the church as theirs too.
3. Communion is received kneeling and on the tongue rather than having a small army of elderly women in pant suits distribute Communion.
4. Doors are opened for ladies and seats are given up to them as needed. This happens organically and as a matter of course. It’s not outdated here.
5. Fathers visibly lead their families. Dad is kneeling, praying, correcting the kids, taking them to confession, and bringing the family to Mass.
6. Women and children are protected. There is a trained yet subtle safety team for Mass and other Church activities.
7. The homily doesn’t sound like it was vetted by HR. The priest isn’t afraid to preach hard things. Sin, Hell, modesty, marriage, contraception, duties of husbands and wives, fasting, sacrifice, confession—you actually hear about them.
8. Women are extremely active but aren’t trying to be substitute priests. They run meals, teach children, organize apostolates, sing, sew, decorate, care for families, and perform an enormous amount of appreciated parish work without needing to wear the pants literally and figuratively.
9. Men do the heavy lifting—literally. Processions, construction, grounds work, moving statues, setting up feasts, carrying the canopy, maintaining the property.
10. There’s a real Holy Name Society. The men aren’t relegated to moving folding tables. They organize themselves for prayer, fraternity, good works, defense of the Faith, and the sanctification of their families.
At Saint Anthony of Padua you will notice all of this and more. Deo Gratias for the and the Mass of the Ages.
