The family as center of formation

THERE’S a certain urgency to make the family today an

effective center of formation. With all the growing developments and

complicated challenges of our times, we cannot afford to sit pretty

and just allow blind fate to take its course. We have to take the bull

by the horns.

            We need to remember that the family plays a very strategic

role in the development of a person and of society in general. It

should be able to handle the duties and responsibilities inherent to

its nature and purpose.

            We cannot deny the fact that many people have inadequate,

if not 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 are openly promoting the soc-called

same-sex marriage and open marriages.

            It’s no wonder that we have many broken marriages and

dysfunctional families nowadays with matching complicated

consequences. Of course, the 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 the subsidiary institutions and offices—the Church,

government, schools, NGOs, etc.—should lend a hand.

            Continuing formation and evangelization about marriage and

family has to be pursued without letup. Of course, the Church can take

the lead in this, but this can be done also by many other people in

the secular field. In this regard, the laity should also take a lot of

initiative, since this matter concerns them more than the clergy, and

they have the experience and the competence to talk about this matter.

            For one, couples planning to marry should be made to

realize clearly that their marriage brings with it the duty to make

their family the basic center of formation for their children. They

should be prepared and equipped to carry out this delicate duty.

            As the basic center for formation, the family that is led

by the parents should know how to lay the foundations of the human

virtues and the life of faith and piety of the children. It should be

well-versed with the doctrine of faith and the traditions of piety so

that as early as possible the children would have the right attitudes

and outlook in life.

            Parents, for example, should know how to distinguish the

different characters and temperaments of their children as well as how

to motivate each one of them as he or she is. For this, parents may

need some basic training themselves which can be offered by the

parishes and schools, and even public and private offices.

            Parents should be ready by acquiring the necessary

competence to face the modern challenges of raising children,

especially the teen-agers, today. They must know how to run a home,

how to be good administrators of money and the things of the house,

how to understand the character of the children, how to get the

children improve in their individual behaviours, etc.

            Parents should know how to inspire their children to pray

and work, to develop virtues and the skills in dealing with pressures

and temptations around. A clear plan of formation should be

articulated with due diligence such that in time a certain healthy

family life and culture are established.

            Parents should realize that their own formation is also

something they should take care of. They have to update themselves

regarding marriage and family life through an ongoing plan of

formation. In this, they can also take initiatives, with the help of

other parents and other experts, to organize classes, talks and chats

for this purpose.

            The important thing to remember is that the family is made

an effective basic center of formation for the children.