Father Matthew Gonzalez, a priest in the Archdiocese of Newark, founded the Sons of Thunder group for Catholic boys in grades eight to 12. The group focuses on vocations and defining what it means to be a Catholic man in the modern world. The name Sons of Thunder is derived from Mark 3:17, referencing Jesus' nickname for the apostles James and John. Meetings occur monthly at St. Bartholomew Church and center around three pillars: prayer, faith formation, and fun. The sessions include evening prayer, readings, watching the Knights of Columbus 'Into the Breach' video series, and subsequent discussion.
8 days ago
The Sons of Thunder is a vocations-focused group for boys in grades 8-12, founded in the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, to foster authentic Catholic manhood.1 Launched a little over a year ago by Father Matthew Gonzalez, the group draws its name from Mark 3:17, referring to apostles James and John.1 It currently has 12 members who meet monthly at St. Bartholomew Church in Scotch Plains for prayer, formation, and fellowship.1
Father Gonzalez was motivated by a personal calling to promote vocations among young men.1 The idea stemmed from taking parish boys to the Quo Vadis summer camp, a weeklong program on Christian manhood, which ignited their desire for deeper faith, fraternity, and service.1 He views the perceived vocations crisis not as a lack of divine calls, but as a cultural crisis of meaning and purpose affecting youth.1
Meetings begin with boys leading evening prayer and readings, followed by viewing episodes from the Knights of Columbus' "Into the Breach" video series on topics like prayer and leadership.1 Discussions emphasize modeling after Jesus as the ultimate Catholic man, with core pillars of prayer, faith formation, and fun.1 The group also visits local seminaries and engages in service projects, including rectory gardening, aid to the needy and religious communities, and beach cleanups.1
The initiative aims to restore young men's sense of identity, purpose, and mission as Christian men, helping them discern God's call more clearly.1 By building brotherhood and emphasizing self-gift and sacrifice, it teaches that faith is worth living through relationships with God and others.1 Gonzalez hopes members leave knowing they are loved by God and destined for greatness.1
With Gonzalez's recent appointment as rector of the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, a lay leader will now oversee the original group.1 He plans to launch a new chapter there to extend youth ministry and replicate the transformative experiences.1 This shift ensures continuity while broadening the group's reach in the archdiocese.1
What defines Catholic masculinity in contemporary youth formation?
Catholic masculinity draws its deepest roots from the Scriptures, where men are portrayed as active witnesses to God's power and love, embodying strength tempered by humility and zeal for the Gospel. In the New Testament, the apostles James and John, sons of Zebedee, exemplify this through their nickname "Boanerges" or "sons of thunder," given by Christ himself. This title reflects their fiery temperament and impetuous zeal, as seen when they proposed calling down fire from heaven on those who rejected Jesus (Luke 9:54). Yet, this thunderous energy is not mere aggression but a divine call to proclaim truth boldly, as Ambrose of Milan notes in his reflections on the Holy Spirit, linking it to the Father's testimony and the mysteries of faith. Similarly, Athanasius describes James and John as "heavens" resounding with the Word, underscoring their role in echoing God's glory. Robert Bellarmine further highlights John as the "son of thunder" beloved by Jesus, a trumpet of evangelical doctrine flowing from the Savior's side. These biblical figures illustrate masculinity as robust and vocal in faith, rooted in discipleship that begins with humble origins—fishermen called from the Sea of Galilee to follow Christ definitively (Matthew 4:18-22). For contemporary youth, this models a masculinity that integrates physical labor, family ties, and apostolic fervor, avoiding both passivity and unchecked impulsiveness.
The Church's teaching on masculinity emphasizes its origin in God's creation, where male and female are complementary gifts reflecting divine image and likeness. Masculinity is not a rigid stereotype but a call to responsible stewardship, self-mastery, and service, echoing Christ's own incarnate humanity. In The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality, the Pontifical Council for the Family describes the years of innocence for boys as a time to recognize masculinity as a "divine gift" that entails roles and responsibilities without implying superiority over women. Boys are encouraged to build strong father-son bonds while being dissuaded from excessive aggression or equating virility solely with physical prowess. Pope Francis in Amoris Laetitia expands this, affirming that while biological elements ground masculine and feminine identities, they are shaped by temperament, culture, and experience. He warns against overaccentuating stereotypes that hinder development, such as viewing domestic tasks as unmasculine; instead, healthy "exchanges" in family life affirm a father's dignity and teach reciprocity. This flexibility fosters integral growth, allowing men to cultivate arts, leadership, or nurturing without compromising their identity.
Early Church Fathers like Clement of Alexandria reinforce this with a focus on natural symbols of manhood, such as the beard and bodily hair, as signs of strength, rule, and warmth—attributes God assigned to distinguish male from female in creation. Clement decries effeminacy as a desecration of these symbols, urging men to honor their "superior nature" through action rather than adornment, aligning with God's design where males exhibit more hair and heat, symbolizing drier, warmer agency in contrast to feminine receptivity. Paul Gondreau's analysis of Christ's male sexuality further deepens this, portraying Jesus as the ultimate model of "manly imitatio Christi." Unburdened by original sin's distortions, Christ mastered his predispositions to attraction, providing a "reset" for men to govern their drives chastely, respecting women as persons rather than objects. This integrated chastity—specific to male biology—counters the fomes peccati (tinder of sin) and calls men to emulate Jesus's affective maturity, where self-control enables genuine affirmation of feminine dignity.
The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life's Catechumenal Pathways for Married Life integrates these dimensions by stressing the "richness and complementarity of males and females" in formation. Masculinity here involves mutual self-giving, learning to love and be loved unconditionally, within a marital vision that transcends hedonism. The Congregation for Catholic Education's document Male and Female He Created Them echoes this, calling educators to teach sensitivity to love's expressions—mutual concern, respect, and communication—as preparation for generous self-gift in marriage. These teachings avoid ideological extremes, grounding masculinity in God's prior work of creation while allowing for personal development.
In today's world, marked by cultural shifts and challenges like consumerism and identity confusion, Catholic youth formation seeks to cultivate masculinity as a path to holiness and mission. Pope John Paul II in Pastores Dabo Vobis highlights how young men, amid ideological collapses and moral voids, can discern vocations to total service, including priesthood, by embracing transcendent values. This formation counters escapism through drugs or violence by fostering spirituality, prayer, and active ecclesial involvement, preparing youth to lead with hope and solidarity.
Pope Francis addresses this directly in addresses to youth groups, urging formators to attend to the "integral good" of the young, recognizing their potential amid "misdirected affections." In his 2013 World Youth Day homily, he calls for sparing no effort in forming youth to discover faith's courage and joy, sending them out as itinerant missionaries rather than sheltering them. This echoes the "sons of thunder" zeal, adapted to contemporary needs: going to the peripheries, engaging the marginalized, and embodying God's love concretely.
John Paul II's regional exhortations provide practical blueprints. To Egyptian bishops, he stresses Catholic schools' role in balanced human formation with moral anchors, ensuring youth receive solid Christian education faithful to catechetical norms. In Ecclesia in Asia, he recommends youth chaplains, schools, and clubs to develop discipleship qualities like solidarity and peacemaking, positioning young men as co-workers in mission. For Quebec, he advocates patient accompaniment, addressing adolescent struggles with violence or despair through sacramental life and competent guides who sow God's seed gradually. Ecclesia in America portrays youth as society's hope, urging constant formation to combat unemployment-induced frustration, training them in missionary consciousness and lifelong commitments like marriage or priesthood.
The Dicastery warns of dual dangers: hedonistic views detaching sexuality from commitment, and romanticized love lacking depth. Formation programs must integrate "positive and prudent sex education," involving experts and Church-approved initiatives to build affective maturity, especially during puberty, where families alone cannot suffice.
Applying these principles, Catholic masculinity in youth formation involves concrete steps: catechetical programs emphasizing complementarity; vocational discernment groups modeling Christ's chastity; and community service fostering leadership without dominance. Challenges include cultural pressures promoting fluidity over God-given differences or aggression as proof of manhood—issues addressed by discouraging superiority complexes and promoting flexible roles. Formators must be "maieutic artists," patiently guiding youth toward self-mastery and mission.
In summary, Catholic masculinity for contemporary youth is defined by zealous faith, self-governed strength, complementary service, and missionary outreach, rooted in Christ's example and Church tradition. It equips young men to navigate modern ambiguities with integrity, forming them as disciples who thunder God's love in a world thirsting for meaning.