The family as center of formation
THERE'S an urgency to make the family an effective center of formation. With all the growing developments and complicated challenges now, we cannot afford to sit pretty and allow blind fate to take its course. We have to take the bull by the horns.
We must remember that the family plays a very strategic role in the development of a person and of society. It should be able to handle the duties and responsibilities inherent to its nature and purpose.
Many people have inadequate or erroneous understanding of what the family and its closely related institution of marriage are. In the US today, for example,they are now legalizing and openly promoting same-sex marriage and open marriages.
That's why we have many broken marriages and dysfunctional families nowadays with complicated consequences. Certainly, recourse to divorce does not solve the problem. It can even make things worse.
Everything has to be done to address this fundamental problem. And all subsidiary institutions and offices the Church, government, schools, NGOs, etc. should lend a hand.
Continuing formation and evangelization about marriage and family must be pursued relentlessly. Surely, the Church can take the lead, but this can be done also by others in the secular field. As such, the laity should also take the initiative, since this concerns them more than the clergy, and they have the experience and competence to talk about this.
Couples planning to marry should realize that their marriage has the duty to make their family the basic center of formation for their children. They should be prepared and equipped to carry out this duty.
As the center for formation, a family should know how to lay the foundations of human virtues and the life of faith and piety of the children. It should bewell-versed with the doctrine of faith and traditions of piety so that the children would have the right attitudes and outlook in life.
Parents should know how to distinguish the characters and temperaments of their children and how to motivate each of them. And they may need some basic training themselves which can be offered by the parishes and schools, and even public and private offices.
Parents should acquire the competence to face the modern challenges of raising children, especially the teenagers. They must know how to run a home, be good administrators of money and the things of the house, and get the children improve in their individual behaviors, etc.
Parents should know how to inspire their children to pray and work, to develop virtues and skills in dealing with pressures and temptations. A clear plan of formation should be articulated with due diligence so that healthy family life and culture are established.
Parents should realize that they must also take care of their own formation, and update themselves regarding marriage and family life through an ongoing plan of formation. They can also take initiatives, with the help of other parents and experts to organize classes, talks and chats for this purpose.
A must to remember is that the family is made an effective basic center of formation for the children.
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