In 1972, Republican President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father's Day to be held on the third Sunday of June. We celebrate Father’s Day on June 19th this year. 

This national observance provides everyone with a reminder of the importance of fathers. It also serves as a reminder and an opportunity to acknowledge and thank fathers everywhere for their contributions to their families and society.

Fathers play critical roles in their families – motivator, enforcer, encourager, trainer, and counselor. There is no doubt that children who grow up without a fatherly presence in the home are significantly disadvantaged. We know that children who grow up with absentee fathers often are more likely to end up in poverty or drop out of school, become addicted to drugs, have a child out of wedlock, or end up in prison.

Men bring traits to the family that mothers sometimes do not or cannot. It is said that men are often more logical, analytical, and rational, and that women are more intuitive, holistic, creative, and integrative. By being good role models in cooperation with mothers, fathers help their children to reach their maximum potential. 

Father's Day allows children to express love, appreciation, and respect for their fathers and acknowledge their essential roles in their children's lives. Expressing these sentiments helps strengthen the father-child relationship regardless of the age of the father or child.

There are many other types of fathers as well. God the Father, Founding Fathers, and spiritual fathers all play a vital fatherly roles in our lives. This Father's Day, let us not forget to affirm the goodness that our fathers of every type have shown us.

Let us not forget come election time that the Republican Party supports policies that affirm all fathers’ roles in our families, our country, and even our faith life.