God the Father. Abraham, our father in faith. George Washington, the father of our country. Pope Benedict XVI, the Holy Father. Our earthly father. Each of these persons, whether we admit it or not, have directly or indirectly influenced who we are today.

Father’s Day, the day after the end of this publication cycle, is a secular holiday that dates to the early 20th century. We decided to get a jump on it in this issue to dig a little deeper.

Two columns on the In Depth page discuss the integral role fathers (biological and spiritual) play in society at large and specifically the important mission they have in solidifying the family, while the other shows how the “father of lies” distorts and profanes the authentic Father’s beautiful plan for us.

Just as women and mothers have their roles to play in drawing us closer to the Father, authentic men and fathers offer a perfect complement, despite popular culture’s attempts to redefine gender and roles.

Now that we have a little lead time to dig deeper into the meaning of Father’s Day, let’s take the time to honor the father figures in our lives. God bless!