I love a good gift guide, but I rarely find things for my husband on your average “gift guide for men” or even most Catholic gift guides - my husband is a pretty traditional Catholic man, and on the more “serious” side when it comes to the gifts that end up on his wishlist! So when I am looking for surprises for him to add to his Christmas gifts, I am typically digging deep to find things he may not have discovered yet, or looking for ways to help him deepen his favorite devotions! To help you give meaningful, traditional Catholic gifts to your favorite Catholic man this year, I’ve got 15 gifts that my husband has either already received as a gift or ideas for things he uses on a regular basis to deepen and focus his faith.
Books
1962 Missal: We started attending the Latin Mass in the summer of 2016, and while we were able to follow along and learn the old Mass with the provided small booklets at our parish, a Missal to read from home and to bring to Mass was at the top of his list that year! In addition to the Order of the Mass and the full Liturgical year’s worth of propers for all Masses (Feast Days, Commemorations, Sundays, etc), the Baronius Press Missal is packed with incredible prayers and devotions, from Morning prayers to devotions to pray before Confession and Communion. We’ve found it to be such a great daily help!
Deliverance Prayers for the Laity: A MUST have for each and every Catholic man - this book introduces a bit of spiritual warfare and how deliverance and binding prayers work (ie, who actually holds authority to say them, how they are to be said, and who they can be said on behalf of), and then includes a wealth of traditional spiritual warfare prayers. It also includes an excellent Examination of Conscience.
True Devotion to Mary: Another must have - if you and your husband have not yet done the Total Consecration to Mary, this book would make a perfect gift. I might be so bold as to say the fastest way to change your life for the sake of your Catholic faith would be to make the Total Consecration with a commitment to a daily Rosary!
Three Marks of Manhood: For the husband out there who is devoted to his Faith and his family, constantly striving to be the best temporal and spiritual leader he can be, this book may just rock his world! It certainly has for my husband (and for me! I have listened to it multiple times on Audible!). We hear that there is a crisis of masculinity, a crisis of fatherhood; but what does that actually mean? How, if you’ve never seen the proper example of the Catholic man that is spiritual leader, protector, and provider, do you build a foundation to become that man for your family? Dr. G.C. Dilsaver lays it all out - where it’s gone wrong, where to go next, and what that looks like on a practical level for the Catholic family.
Divine Intimacy: Like the Missal, this is an investment into prayer and meditation that’s value is phenomenally beyond it’s price tag. It follows the 1962 Liturgical calendar, with meditations for daily use across a range of topics, from the readings of that Sunday to explanations of different virtues. Each meditation is deep and powerful - as I read them I am often struck by how beautifully challenging and orthodox they are, compared to the literal nonsense Catholic study/guide/meditation books that are being produced and advertised as such, but in effect are Protestant, experiential, watered-down, and often contain errors and potential heresies within. Divine Intimacy is the real deal, authentic to traditional Catholic spirituality. It makes a perfect gift for the devout Catholic man!
Sacramentals:
While there are tons of Catholic small businesses with all sorts of accessories and fun things we can grab for our husbands and Catholic men, it doesn’t get much better than books and efficacious sacramentals!
Perpetual Mass Enrollment: We were enrolled by a family last year in the Canons Regular of Saint John Cantius Perpetual Masses. This was probably the most incredible gift we’ve ever received as a family, and we are excited to enroll some of our own family members this year as a Christmas gift! You can read all of the details on their website; essentially a person or family enrolled is remembered in a weekly Holy Mass, additional specific Masses throughout the year, the Divine Office, the Holy Rosary, and the good works offered by this traditional order.
Saint Joseph’s Cord: Danie’s Saint Joseph cincture was given to him by a parishioner who makes them, gets them blessed, and then distributes them to men who don’t yet have them! This is an incredible devotion to Saint Joseph, often for particular assistance with Saint Joseph’s special protection and intercession, purity, and final perseverance. This sacramental and devotion has been a great aid to my husband, and he made sure I included it on this list! The website liked above shares how to make them and have them blessed!
Rugged Rosary: A man without a good Rosary…what can I say?! Ha! As the Weapon of our times, our Catholic men should definitely have battle-ready Rosaries. My husband loves his paracord one from Rugged Rosaries!
Saint Benedict Medal: Blessed with words of protection and an exorcism, it is one of the most powerful sacramental medals faithful Catholics can incorporate into their spiritual warfare and devotions. We place them (paired with Miraculous Medals) above all doors and windows, in the car, and wear them as bracelets or other accessories. We love the My Saint My Hero bracelets and jewelry, and just take them to get blessed. I highly recommend seeking out a priest who will bless them in the traditional Latin, as it carries the exorcism and full blessing that makes the Saint Benedict medal efficacious.
Clear Creek Abbey Icon: Clear Creek Abbey is within driving distance from us, so each time we are able to visit we shop for books, handmade goods, and icons while we are there! My husband loves his Saint Michael one. While they have a greater selection in person, you can also order many beautiful icons online on their website as well!
Epiphany Water: Similar to the Saint Benedict medal and in line with the spiritual authority the Catholic man, husband, and father holds, a practical bottle of Epiphany Water or Holy Water makes such a great gift! My husband likes having the smaller bottles for traveling and even spraying around the house to bless the house and each of us. I know for us, making the use of sacramentals as accessible as possible has greatly increased our frequency of using them! Pair it with the Deliverance Prayers book for an awesome gift!
Saint Michael Relic Stone: We have a special love for Saint Michael, and I know so many families do too! We learned through Sensus Traditionis that you could request Saint Michael relic stones from Gargano, Italy through a PayPal donation! I’m working on getting a quick explanation of exactly how to do it on the blog; but my husband found the information just by searching! I definitely encourage you to listen to the Sensus Traditionis (under the Multimedia tab!) talks on Spiritual Warfare; he talks about the Saint Michael stones in that series!
Lifestyle:
Catholic Trivia (Traditional Version): My husband and my son have loved this trivia game! Questions on Catechism, the Mass, Church history, the saints, Doctrine…lots of {nerdy Catholic} fun in this little box!
That One Sheep shirts: I could buy my husband one of these shirts for each holiday and birthday from now until he’s 65…we love them! They are fun and clever, and high quality too.
Sock Religious socks: A sister company of That One Sheep, my husband also loves his Sock Religious socks! I love adding to his collection, and he loves having dress socks that aren’t just plain grey. ;-)
The gifts mentioned are all things my husband has already received - if you are wanting a peek at what’s on his list for this year or some other Catholic family gift ideas, jump over to my PINTEREST account and check out our family Christmas wishlist and a Gift List for the Catholic Family boards!