Our cultural problems (same-sex unions, abortion, broken families, lack of priestly vocations, etc.) all come down to this: our culture lacks authentic Fatherhood (if you agree, keep reading).
We need authentic Fatherhood in Holy Matrimony. We need authentic spiritual Fatherhood in the Catholic priesthood.
Elephants and Teenaged Men
Several years ago, biologists at the Kruger National Park attempted to relocate young adolescent male elephants to another wildlife preserve. These young male elephants began to display neurotic behavior by violently killing the rhino population. The biologists then introduced fully mature adult male elephants into the heard.
The mature male elephants began to discipline and check the young males. With the re-introduction of adult males, the younger males mellowed and peace returned to the elephant population.
Biological Lesson: young adolescent males go crazy without the presence of mature males.
Multi-Generational Male Fraternitas
In May of 2013, when I founded the Troops of Saint George, I did not yet fully understand what God had planned for us. In the last two years, the Troops of Saint George has become (in my opinion) the single most important apostolate for fostering virtue among men.
In the years to come it will, by God’s grace, begin to introduce virtuous mature males into our churches and communities – with healthy families and vocations to the religious life and priesthood. Our goal is to support any young man from our ranks who enters the Seminary. We already have bishops who are supporting us and showing interest in our fraternal apostolate. We are growing and building tremendous steam.
What is TSG?
The Troops of Saint George is a fraternal organization in the Catholic tradition that is 100% male-led by Catholic priests, deacons, and lay men. Our goal is to foster the life of the seven virtues (theological and cardinal) in perfect conformity with the magisterium of the Catholic Church.
Here’s a video to see what we’re all about. At minute 5:43 you’ll see one or our Holy Masses in an outdoor forest:
Being Politically Incorrect
We hold to a politically incorrect belief: Men are not culturally dispensable. Christian civilization requires that older men pass down their wisdom, virtue, and example to younger men. Young men are lost without their elders to train them.
…But We Are Not For Everyone
However, the Troops of Saint George is NOT for you if:
- You don’t want to kneel in the dirt with a hungry stomach while a Catholic priest celebrates Mass in the woods on an altar that you and a dozen other men just built.
- You want women to organize and do everything for you (ie, be mommied by your wife).
- You’re intimidated by cooking meat on fire and meals in iron skillets. (We encourage cooking and eating fish on Fridays.)
- You and your sons prefer video games and air conditioning to rock climbing, hiking, sailing, canoeing and adventure.
- Building a trebuchet with other men and their boys sounds uninteresting.
- Waking up at 6am to boil coffee on a campfire stresses you out.
- You want to waste your time with pointless meetings and lame arts-and-crafts projects. (Troops of Saint George has a “no silly arts and crafts” policy and we don’t emphasize meetings, but rather campouts and adventure trips instead.)
- You don’t want to make unforgettable memories with your sons.
As you see, we are fraternal, faithful to the Catholic Church, and ruggedly outdoors.
Something virtuous and strong re-emerges in a man’s chest when he’s in the great outdoors.
Don’t believe me? Just ask Teddy Roosevelet. He’s the guy riding across a river on the back of a moose below:
When my three sons and I get home from a TSG campout, we are covered with dirt and soot. The boys have a few cuts and scrapes from knives and thorns – and we are all smiling.
Jude (9 years) brags to his mother about making a fire with only flint and his pocket knife. Gabriel (13 years) talks about the fish he caught, and Becket (6 years) talks tells mom about the stars.
Meanwhile I had a great weekend joking around with men, organizing competitions, and whittlings sticks. And my wife gets to see her man smoky, scruffy, and wild (Guys: your wife needs to see you looking like self-dependent survivalist every once in awhile – you’ll thank me later).
Every excursion is a great time with great men…and we didn’t miss Holy Mass on Sunday. In fact, our Catholic pastor was out there with us playing football in the field and sitting around the campfire for dinner – because he supports us!
- Find A TSG Troop Near You: So if you’re interested, you need to join your local Troop of Saint George in your city (click here for map of our TSG Troops).
- Start Your Own TSG Troop: If your region does not already have a TSG Troop, you (yes you, manly man!) need take the lead by starting a Troop (click here to start a Troop in your town).
- How to Get Started: Every Troop of Saint George requires a Catholic Priest and a Catholic Captain (male leader approved by the priest with Safe Environment certification) and a formal application TSG Charter document that you can find here on our Troops of Saint George website.
We have a great team in place to help you start your own local Troop of Saint George.
We’re here to help you. Please click here and enter your email address to begin the TSG Troop Application process.
We can guarantee that you will grow in virtue, meet great men, meet great priests, and rediscover the outdoors. If you do end up riding a moose across a river (as in photo above), please send it to us so that we can include in our next brochure!
Saint George, pray for us,
Taylor Marshall
Founder of the Troops of Saint George
