Q: The chapter titles in your book include qualities that every Christian aspires to such as humility, forgiveness, obedience, virtue and selflessness. How do your examples help the reader strive to embrace these qualities?

A: Everybody loves a good story. In this book, I don’t spend many words trying to teach the reader things, but rather share true, poignant, occasionally funny but real stories of how these virtues, lessons and rules were formed in me by my parents. I want the ideas in the book to be more “caught” than “taught.” There are authors far wiser than I who can explain humility, unpack obedience or analyze leadership, but no one else experienced these examples. I hope the reader can thoughtfully receive my stories and consider how to create their own.

Q: In your preface you talk about the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you wrote this book. How can readers become more attuned to the promptings of the Spirit?

A: The power of the Holy Spirit is foundational, not optional, for living as a Catholic disciple of Jesus Christ. As we strive to grow in holiness and go make disciples, we’re invited to recognize that both are only possible through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit leads, convicts, challenges and inspires. The question is, are we listening? Do we expect the Holy Spirit to speak and do we believe we have the power to hear, understand and act? Reading Scripture, silent prayer, and seeking mature advice are simple things we can do to become more aware and responsive to the Spirit.

Q: How might the relationship between a Christian father and son offer the wider Christian community a glimpse into God’s own paternal love for all?

A: The human dynamics and relationships in the family are both modeled after and reveal something of God. Families aren’t perfect, but even in our weakness and brokenness, we can cooperate with God’s grace and both honor him and demonstrate his love to the world. The relationship between a father and son bears a special opportunity to reveal God the Father’s transcendent love. The Father provides, protects, leads, strengthens, encourages, challenges and comforts us; every earthly father should do the same. Parents have an opportunity to give their children a first glimpse of the characteristics of God, which means there’s a tremendous responsibility on parents to be his faithful ambassadors. One potentially overlooked dynamic that fathers and sons can reveal is God the Father’s delight in us. When a dad joyfully plays with his son, enthusiastically celebrates his accomplishments and proudly talks about his boy, that is a glimpse of God the Father who declared, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.”

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A Man on Purpose: 10 Rules of Life from a Faithful Father, was published in 2026 by Ave Maria Press.