Leaving Boyhood Behind: Reclaiming Catholic Brotherhood

What makes a man?

This is a question many men in our society today do not feel equipped to answer, because they were never initiated into manhood themselves. They do not know how to pass on authentic manliness to their sons, so boys get stuck in unending adolescence. Everyone suffers from the resulting crisis of male immaturity, and we see its effects everywhere in our society.

Leaving Boyhood Behind shows how we can actually do something to address this crisis. Author Jason Craig, cofounder of Fraternus, a Catholic mentoring program for boys, walks through each stage of initiation into manhood, helping readers understand:

• What rites of passage are and why they are necessary for men
• Christ’s own rites of passage and initiation
• What it means for a young man to put away childhood
• The importance of belonging vs. isolation in the life of men
• The important role both mothers and fathers place in initiation
• Discipline and the masculine identity
• Living the ultimate rite of passage, and much more

“This book is an invaluable resource for all Catholics who care about the intellectual, physical, and spiritual development of the next generation of men.” — Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, author of Behold the Man: A Catholic Vision of Male Spirituality