Father loves to play the martyr. "If people are criticizing and attacking me, I must be doing something right."
Uh, no. That is not logical. I'm sure Pope Michael gets mostly criticism too. Pope Francis gets plenty of criticism all over the world. Neither of them can rest that they are on the right path, or in possession of the truth!
If I murdered my family I would be hated by this world as well. Being hated (or opposed, criticized) by the world does NOT automatically mean you are a saint!
Jeffrey Dahmer, Charles Manson, and Adolf Hitler were hated by the world as well. Now what?
There is being persecuted A) UNJUSTLY, B) FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, and then there is just being persecuted for your own crimes, mistakes, and errors.
Go read the Scripture Quote. Christ qualifies it very clearly. To be "blessed", men have to say all that is evil against you A) untruly and B) for His sake.
If they truly criticize you, or criticize you for your own faults, then leave Jesus out of it!