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Dear deaconjohn,
This week I write to you from the World Meeting of Families, where
thousands of people representing over 100 countries have congregated to
celebrate God's precious gift of the family. To walk through the long
corridors of the massive Philadelphia Convention Center in downtown
Philly is to be overwhelmed by the many sights and sounds: the colorful
dress of participants from countries outside the US, the various
languages being spoken, the noticeable large young families, the
numerous baby carriages, the joyful laughter of children, the beauty of
priests and religious dressed in their clerical or religious garb, and
the hundreds of exhibit booths focused on supporting the family. It is
truly amazing!
The overall focus of this momentous gathering is the family's
irreplaceable role within the Church and society. In an interview on
EWTN on the first day of the event, I spoke about the role of the Church
in protecting the family from the deadly onslaught of the Culture of
Death. The failure to properly catechize the faithful - to know Christ, to love Christ, and to proclaim Christ - has
left the faithful vulnerable and exposed to the global tides of
secularism. The great majority are ill-prepared to confront the assault,
and thus become easy prey. In my view, there is no more vulnerable
institution than the family, which is why the family deserves the
Church's full attention and commitment.
In Familiaris consortio 86 Saint John Paul II said, "The
future of humanity passes by way of the family." The family is the
domestic church, the mission base, the place where children learn how to
love and proclaim Christ. A cultural transformation is impossible
without the family. The New Evangelization is inseparable from the
Christian family, which is why the family must be loved, respected, and
defended.
In order to address the current crisis we must strengthen our
marital preparation programs and improve our mentorship of young married
couples. We need to assist parents in their role as primary educators
of their children by providing them with authentically Catholic
catechetical and spiritual resources. Parents must be assured that what
they are teaching at home is being supported, not contradicted, by
parochial and parish catechetical programs.
If we are serious about being leaven in society, then we must
support and nourish the family, where the virtues are lived and taught.
The French use the word torroir when speaking about the impact that many environmental factors - the temperature, humidity, etc. -
have upon the vines and eventually on the grapes and the wine they
produce. These many factors can all be discerned in the each wine's
unique character. It is the same with the family. It is the cultural torroir that influences the family and ultimately the children and their ability to
love and to cherish others; to be honest and respectful to all; and to
practice the virtues of mercy and forgiveness. It is also in the family
that children learn the virtues of generosity, trust, responsibility,
solidarity and cooperation. They learn to serve, to sacrifice, to be
patient, to seek the good and well-being of others, and to be open to
others. In other words, children learn the heart of the Gospel message - to know Christ, to love Christ, and to proclaim Christ.
Pope Benedict XVI understood the irreplaceable role of the family in transforming culture: "It is in the family that peacemakers, tomorrow's promoters of a Culture of Life and Love, are born and nurtured." (World Day of Peace, January 1, 2013)
Ultimately, the many conferences and talks during the World Meeting
of Families are about re-evangelization. The business at hand is
strengthening the family, the domestic church. The re-evangelization
starts here!
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Sincerely yours in Christ,
Father Shenan J. Boquet
President, Human Life International
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