Most Reverend Thomas J. Olmsted - Manual for Men

e at TAN Books are honored to present to you, the Catholic men of the United States and beyond, this Manual for Men. We are especially honored by the participation of his Eminence Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted who has allowed us to adapt and use his magnificent apostolic exhortation Into the Breach. Bishop Olmsteds exhortation has served as both a rallying cry for the Catholic men of Phoenix and the impetus for a growing nationwide movement of committed Catholic men a movement that has brought and will continue to bring increased vitality to the faith lives of the individual men involved, an increased vitality that will help each man to better serve his family, friends, parish, community, and country.

As important as these benefits surely are, they pale in comparison to the work of saving souls to which Bishop Olmsted has dedicated his life. It is our hope that the bishops reflections on manhood, coupled with the outstanding compilation of quotations from the Bible, Church documents, saints, and other sources, will draw you into a deeper relationship with Christ and his Church.

In order to derive the most spiritual benefit from this Manual for Men, we urge you to set aside some quiet time to first read Bishop Olmsteds introductory exhortation, in its entirety if possible, or section by section if that works better for you and your schedule. Prayerfully consider his words and the ways in which you can step into the breach where needed.

Then, read, in whatever order and manner most appeals to you, the words of wisdom from the Churchs rich tradition, ancient and modern, words that speak so directly to men. Saintly models of virtue are presented, along with practical advice on avoiding those sins to which men, especially, can be prone; magnificent prayers are found within these pagessome of which you likely know, others you may notas are pearls of wisdom from Scripture on true manhood, true love, and a host of other topics.

Wherever you are in your walk with the Lord, we are confident that this Manual will be a treasured part of your spiritual library, one to which you will return again and again, and one which you will want to share with others.

In closing, we could do little better than echo the words of St. Francis de Sales in the final entry in the Manual, that entitled How the Catholic Man Ends His Day in which he writes of the evening examination of conscience. This exercise, as well as that for the morning, must never be forgotten; since by that for the morning, you open the windows of your soul to the Sun of Righteousness; and by this for the evening, you close them against the darkness of hell.

May this Manual help you, dear Reader, to open the windows of your soul to God.