• Family Matters Newsletter – May and June

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  May 1

  MARFAM’S FAMILY MATTERS

  2012 – DAY BY DAY WITH GOD AND FAMILY

  MAY, A MONTH FOR FAMILY AND LIFE – JUNE, YOUTH MATTERS

   

  MARFAM’s vision since its start in 1995 has been the renewal of family life in the Church through education and enrichment.  Publications are a resource for families, educators, parishes and for the work of the Family Life Desk of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference. Read more at www.marfam.org.za/blog

  We thank our advertisers for their support and ask readers to support them in turn.  Financial contributions towards MARFAM’s ministry are also most welcome.  Details supplied on request.

  

  CONTENTS

  Note:  This is extra long newsletter covers May and June as I shall be participating in the World Meeting of Families at the end of May and our webmaster will be away. The website will be updated from time to time.

  Editorial : Commitment

  MARFAM News.

  FAMILY MATTERS (print) FAMILY MATTERS (email) and more
  SACBC Family Life Desk News and activities, Parish Family Ministry news
  2012 May and June themes “Family, Life, Parenting and Youth Matters.
  SACBC BISHOPS propose May as a month for Family and Life
  Theme : Parenting is For Life.
  7th World Meeting of Families, Milan and more

  BITS AND BYTES: RADIO VERITAS – FAMILY MATTERS (radio)
  Culture of Life Association, Christian Unity Week, Men, work, fathers, youth and more…..

  CORRESPONDENCE.

  FAMILY SPIRITUALITY suggestions

  FINALLY ….. on the lighter side.

   

  DAY BY DAY, DEAR LORD, THREE THINGS I PRAY, TO SEE THEE MORE CLEARLY, LOVE THEE MORE DEARLY, FOLLOW THEE MORE NEARLY.

  

  The 3 metre high 2000 Jubilee of Families wall at the chancery in Johannesburg, now no longer in existence.

  DAILY PRAYER FOR FAMILIES AND LIFE FOR THE MONTH OF MAY, in church and at home
  Lord God, you created humankind out of love, for love and for life.
  We praise and thank you for your gift of love
  lived most intimately in marriage and family life
  and yet problems and hurt are experienced
  most deeply in family relationships of all kinds.
  Through the power of your Holy Spirit
  help us to overcome these difficulties.
  Strengthen our commitment to be good parents,
  build strong families and to preserve and support
  all life from conception to natural death,
  in our own families and those of others.
  In that way the Church can truly be
  the Family of God in the service of the Kingdom.
  Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph pray for us.
  Blessed Mother Teresa, champion for life, comforter and bringer of love and joy to those who suffer pray for us
  Blessed John Paul, Holy Father for the family pray for us.
  

   

  Download Printable Version

   

  You can communicate with us through our blog or facebook page.

  COMMITMENT

  Africae Munus, Pope Benedict’s Apostolic Exhortation on the 2^nd African Synod is translated as “Africa’s Commitment.” Its opening line is a powerful statement of trust. “Africa’s commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ is a precious treasure which I entrust to the bishops, priests, permanent deacons, consecrated persons, catechists and lay faithful. Through this mission Africa is led to explore its Christian vocation more deeply, to live reconciliation between individuals and communities and to promote peace and justice in truth for all.”  AM1. How can that be teased out and applied in the Church’s various different contexts and for us, parents and youth?   The bishops, as shepherds have the primary responsibility but in a spirit of subsidiarity we each in our area of expertise are committed to share in that responsibility, not only by way of debate but also through reflection on the document’s intention, desired outcomes and the reality of family life.

  In any workshop or programme reflecting on marriage ask the question, “what are the main problems surrounding marriage today?”  “Lack of commitment” is a very likely response.  The divorce rate is stated to be 50 % even for Catholic marriages. Is there then poorly focused commitment, or are couples over-committed or under-committed in other ways?

  When looking at statistics on the parenting situation last year we found that only 1/3^rd of children live with both their biological parents, and the majority live with a mother. There are more behaviour problems in the youth, especially boys, in the absence of a father.  How does that indicate commitment or lack thereof? When a group of school boys gang-rape a mentally challenged teenage girl, film the deed on their cellphones and stupidly circulate the clip what and to whom is their commitment? Shocking cases of rape have been reported repeatedly in the news but there are obviously dozens of situations and issues around the concept of commitment on many levels for all of us, also at home, to reflect on and discuss.

  Pope Benedict in Africae Munus contextualises the concept as commitment to reconciliation, peace and justice.  He applied it at some length to family life in section II of chapter II with the title Living in Harmony.  He addresses the family, the elderly, men, women, young people and children. The family, ideally based on marriage, is the sanctuary of life, where life is cherished and protected and the first place for reconciliation to be experienced and taught, or one could rather say, caught.  The elderly are invited to share their wisdom, men are challenged to responsible fatherhood, and women’s equal role with men is promoted while their special qualities are to be celebrated. Youth and children are to be valued and protected and invited, as they grow, into a relationship with Jesus. The Eucharist and family spirituality are strongly promoted. All these are not easy tasks recognising the reality of families on the ground, e.g. many single parents and interdenominational families.

  The vision underlying the work of the SACBC Family Life Desk and expressed in the MARFAM publications is the image of the CHURCH AS FAMILY OF GOD from the 1994 African Synod.  It does not only concern family relationships and breakdown as problems to be addressed but presents the family as a little evangelising church to be served.   How is this vision to be implemented?  Whose commitment is it?  The Desk does not have a strong financial foundation and is dependent on the commitment of dioceses and parishes for support, particularly for Parish Family Ministry, for the vision to take root.  At a recent weekend workshop an unacceptable number of participants either cancelled or did not take up a place as they reported that their parishes were not committed to pay for this necessary training. Some people were not available due to overcommitment in parish activities or their own private lives with work, school, extramural activities, gym and much else.  Parishes can commit but participants can and should commit at least in part from their own resources, time and talent for this ministry. Overall from a Church committed to strengthening its families in their spiritual and practical lives much greater support is required as we together “seek ways of inspiring in Christ’s disciples in Africa the will to become effectively committed to living out the Gospel in their daily lives and in society.” AM32

  The world is a scary, complicated place for families, for fathers, mothers, youth and children to prioritise and manage their commitments.  The UN International Day for Families on May 15^th has as its theme Work-family balance, a major concern for both parents and youth.  The 7^th World Meeting of Families soon to be held in Milan has a related theme too; Family, Work and Celebration. Our local Bishops’ Conference in giving us the MONTH OF MAY FOR FAMILY AND LIFE is providing a very useful opportunity for the necessary reflection, support and guidance.  On their behalf the Family Life Desk is promoting the concept, MARFAM is providing some of the resource materials, other family movements and diocesan and parish family teams have been asked to do what they can. Their commitment as bishops, priests and family ministers to you, the CHURCH AS FAMILY must be supported and challenged.  As families your challenge is your commitment firstly to your families, your little churches, to build and strengthen them in accordance with the first task of families “to form an intimate community of love” as described by Pope John Paul’  II, in Familiaris Consortio.  A lot of commitment is needed there, in forming, in building intimacy and community and in living out a loving, lifegiving committed relationship as couples and parents with children, Day by Day with God and Family in the ordinary ups and downs, hopes, joys and anxieties of family life. This commitment in and to families is not just an add-on. It is needed because, in the frequently used words of John Paul II, “the future of the Church and of the world is through the family.”

  Toni Rowland

  PS.  Don’t get me wrong, but was the Red Bull ad with Jesus walking on the water more or less offensive to you then having your Woollies hot cross buns stamped halaal? Let me know what you think.

  MARFAM NEWS

  

  NEW LOOK MAGAZINE – FAMILY MATTERS

  The magazine renamed FAMILY MATTERS coincides with the family focus on Parenting during May and continues into June’s theme. The two further issues for 2012 will focus on Marriage and the Year of Faith. There are informative articles e.g. Parenting is for Life, Parenting in diverse situations, and some family fun too e.g. a Pentecost word puzzle. The catechesis on work-family balance is from the Pontifical Council for the Family for the 7th World Meeting of Families. Very positive feedback has been received about the new look. As always more promotion is needed, from bishops in their dioceses and others in parishes, schools and homes as an aid to parents.

  Part 3 of DAY BY DAY WITH GOD AND FAMILY, will be on the market for any- and everyone soon and covers the time from Pentecost until the end of the year, with Part 4 focusing specially on the MARRIAGE SEASON from August to MARRIAGE DAY on 7th October. Extracts for May and June are published on the blogsite and translations of these can be requested by email.

  

  Autumn's Promise

  May article: PARENTING IS FOR LIFE and poem AUTUMN’S PROMISE engages with the cosmos flowers blooming around our region at this time.

  June article: Youth and Fathers, from Fr Sammy Mabusela and poem a fatherhood reflection on 1 Cor 13: “Love is…….”

  CURRENT AND RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS AND COSTS: www.marfam.org.za/blog for full list.

  FAMILY MATTERS –NEW LOOK 24 page magazine. R12.

  2012 Year Planner calendar. Bulk orders now R1 each or negotiated price.

  DAY BY DAY WITH GOD AND FAMILY part 3 booklets cost R10 each with bulk prices of R8 for 20+ and R7 for 50+.

  PARENTING A LABOUR OF LOVE, 6 sessions for reflection and sharing in groups or families on aspects of parenting. Cost R10.

  HELLO MARY for young children is useful for the month of May. R10.

  EVERY CHILD A NEW SMILE in English, Afrikaans, Zulu and Sotho. Six reflections on relevant family themes with excellent handdrawn illustrations for children. Cost R10.

  2012 SUBSCRIPTIONS covering all current publications for the year are R150 for 1 copy, R170 for 2 and R200 for 3 copies.

  FAMILIES BECOME WHAT YOU ARE, and BUILDING A FAMILY CHURCH faith sharing booklets from the FAMILY LIFE DESK based on the 4 tasks of families from Familiaris Consortio. Cost R6 and R5.

  SACBC FAMILY LIFE DESK NEWS From the Coordinator’s Desk.

  

  Find information about recognised national family organisations on www.marfam.org.za/blog. and contact them for their news. See also slot on www.sacbc.org.za for Family Life Desk.

  The family theme for 2012, DAY BY DAY WITH GOD AND FAMILY is built into Family Life Desk’s activities and resources.

  (29) MAY THEME. FAMILY, LIFE AND PARENTING. One of the most important tasks of a family is to co-operate with God to bring new life into the world and to nurture and support this life as children are born and grow from infancy into childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Parents do not own their children but hold them in trust. They cannot control their actions especially as they need to grow up and take responsibility for their own lives. Parenting is facilitating growth through mentoring and accompanying children. Pray for and as parents for commitment and faithfulness to this essential task. The month is also dedicated to Mary, the mother of God

  A good house is not reared so much by the accumulation of worldly goods, as by the bringing up of children in the ways of holiness and of God; and to this end no labour or trouble must be spared, for children are the crown of their parents. St Francis de Sales.

  (30) CULTURE OF LIFE. May was approved by the bishops to celebrate Family and Life. The value of unborn life and the evil of abortion are particular focus points of the Culture of Life campaigns in various dioceses. Many movements and organisations are directly or indirectly pro-life in their ministry and this attitude should be central to our Catholic approach and life-view. Nurturing and protecting life at all stages from conception to natural death is one of the tasks of the family in the Church. How can each of our families carry out this task?

  The fundamental task of the family is to serve life, transmitting by procreation the divine image from person to person. Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, 28.

  JUNE FAMILY THEME: YOUTH MATTERS. We all recognise the importance of youth in society, as they of course hold our future in their hands. But that is quite an abstract idea. Will they be working, or social net-working, building houses, marrying, having children or shopping for the latest gadgets, apart from eating, drinking and seeking to enjoy life? Are we in our generation providing the youth with the tools they need or are they choosing and building their own? Are we listening to their hopes and dreams? Day by Day let us pray for and with them. They deserve the best we can offer for their sake and ours. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.1 Timothy 4:12 NIV

   

  JANUARY : New Beginnings FEBRUARY : Car for the Sick MARCH : Human Rights and Family Rights. APRIL : God and Families MAY : Family, Life and Parenting JUNE : Youth Matters

  JULY : Grandparents AUGUST : Gender Matters SEPTEMBER : Marriage and Culture OCTOBER : Mission and Vocation NOVEMBER : Loss DECEMBER : Family, a Gift.

  Apart from the meaningful Easter celebrations April is a very bad month for many people with too many holidays and not enough working days which often means reduced income.

  PARISH FAMILY MINISTRY

  Diocesan family offices and coordinators have different structures and programmes. The SACBC Family Life Desk’s function is to assist in discerning and setting up structures and providing training where requested. The Parish Family Ministry programme with its specific family focus is comprehensive potentially addressing all areas of marriage and family life.

  The two workshops run during April both included an introduction to Parenting programmes which will hopefully be set up in different places in the next months.  Parenting skills was identified recently as one of the specific needs to be addressed in addition to the general parish and home spirituality areas.

  Financing the programme is becoming increasingly difficult. Short workshops do not get into the material sufficiently deeply.   Weekend workshops, although subsidised are costly.  It is essential that dioceses and parishes make a commitment to support this training if they want to have an effective family ministry programme.

  PFM FORMATION

  • PARISH FAMILY MINISTRY INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOP.  Please note that the 3-5 August weekend workshop has been postponed to 14-16 September.
  • PFM workshops in dioceses around the country are being planned over the next months. Contact me for details.

  MAY – A MONTH FOR FAMILY AND LIFE approved by SA Catholic Bishops Conference to be commemorated throughout the region in dioceses, parishes and homes as well as sodalities and any other bodies.  The theme PARENTING IS FOR LIFE includes both the parenting and the life aspects. Notices have been sent out within the network and a general leaflet and prayer are published on www.marfam.org.za/blog.   What will your parish do?  Formation: running parenting workshops, family retreat?  Social and community elements, e.g. picnic or concert?  Showing of the film COURAGEOUS as a fundraiser?  Will it be the start of an ongoing project e.g. men mentoring boys, parenting skills programme, or a “Culture of Life anti-abortion campaign”?  “Moments with Mom” and “Dates with Dad” are other ideas and feel free to send yours too.  Let’s have a facebook discussion.

  • Month of Mary. Devotion to Our Lady takes many forms.
  • Family Fun Day, picnic and games.
  • 1^st May /6^th May – Workers’ Day/Sunday.   Feast of St Joseph the Worker. Faith reflection and sharing session on Work-Family balance from the World Meeting for Families contained in FAMILY MATTERS.  Download from www.family2012.com.
  • 12^TH MAY CONFERENCE FOR LEADERS OF FAMILY MOVEMENTS AND DIOCESAN FAMILY COORDINATORS. Coordinators of the recognised national family movements and organisations and diocesan family coordinators or their appointed representations are invited to participate, share and network with one another around the theme PARENTING AND THE ROLE OF MEN as well as share on their common concerns in their particular ministry to families. Brother Michael Burke will facilitate what promises to be enlightening and enriching.
  • 13^th May – Mothers’ Day.   Possible theme: Parenting is for Moms and Dads. Celebrate in the home, the parish, or in larger groups.   Visit www.marfam.org.za/blog or contact MARFAM  info@marfam.org.za
  • 15^th May – UN INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR FAMILIES each year. Theme for 2012 concerns work-life balance.   Visit www.un.org/esa/socdev/family/IDF.html for more information
  • PENTECOST. Celebrate the Holy Spirit at home too.
  • 7^th WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES 2012, Milan Italy 30 May to 3 June. Visit www.family2012.com for information, leaflet, poster, prayer and catechesis on chosen topics around the theme “The Family: Work and Celebration”.  The Holy Father writes, “The upcoming World Meeting of Families affords a privileged opportunity to rethink work in the perspective of a family that is united and open to life, thoroughly integrated in society and in the Church, attentive to the quality of relationship in addition to the economy of the family nucleus itself.” Six delegates from our region are booked to participate and enjoy the congress inputs,  interaction, fellowship, networking and of course the sight-seeing in Milan which I believe includes a visit to and performance at the worldfamous La Scala opera house.

   

  JUNE : YOUTH MATTERS.

  16^th SA Youth Day. Contact local and diocesan Youth Departments or Desks for their plans.

  Download and use at home or in groups article from FAMILY MATTERS, Youth and Fathers by Fr Sammy Mabusela.

  17^th Fathers’ Day. Just as important as Mother’s Day!  Download resources from www.marfam.org.za/blog

  23^rd Conference cohosted by Daughters of St Paul and MARFAM. Sharing Africa’s Commitment – Men, Boys and

  the Family.

  OTHER FUTURE EVENTS AND NOTICES:

  • 2 CONFERENCES co-hosted by Daughters of St Paul and the SACBC Family Life Desk on ‘Africa’s Commitment’ (Africae Munus)  and the family.

  23^rd June –  cohosted by Daughters of St Paul and MARFAM. Africa’s Commitment, Men, Boys and the Family.

  1^st September – Africa’s Commitment – Marriage and You.

  • MARRIAGE AND YOU – A Marriage Awareness campaign from 26 August until MARRIAGE DAY on 7^th October. Marriage is for you, bishops, priests, sisters, all lay people young and old. It is a sacrament of the Church and for the Church. Married couples are our couples, responsible to us and our responsibility too.  Resources will be made available and others are invited to share their own materials.
  • Networking continues with the National Department for Social Development, especially on men and the DSD programme of Family Preservation which will be rolled out to Faith Based Organisations. Consultations on the Green Paper (downloaded from www.dsd.gov.za) for the National Family Policy are being held in the various provinces. Contact local DSD office to offer and obtain help.

  BITS AND BYTES

  FAMILIES AND WORK. This important topic is included in the World Meeting of Families and the UN International Day of Families.  See article in December Bulletin of the Vienna NGO Committee on the Family  www.viennafamilycommittee.org.   Work is an issue for all families, most of whom are worse off now than they were a few years ago. Retrenchment and unemployment are major concerns.  In poorer communities social grants may be the main source of income and the very high rate of youth unemployment is recognised as a social timebomb.  Faith sharing groups can include the topic from FAMILY MATTERS magazine or any general article in their sessions especially around Workers’ Day on 1^st May.

  CULTURE OF LIFE and anti-abortion campaigns.

  Johannesburg. Through the local group’s efforts two pregnancy crisis homes will shortly be opened in the Gauteng area. They will be staffed by Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary in South Africa.   Donations are always needed. Contact Michelle Joseph 082 609 6919 for more information. martinjoseph@telkomsa.net.   Some other dioceses have similar campaigns.   Also see www.hli.co.za

  ONE MILLION ROSARIES FOR UNBORN BABIES. This multinational prayer event is scheduled to happen May 4^th – 6^th Participants will be praying the Rosary for an end to the surgical and non-surgical killing of unborn human persons. Contacts   www.SaintMichaelTheArchangelOrganization.org Other Culture of Life Association involvements are in Sexuality Education, Theology of the Body and Natural Family Planning.

  More on MEN IN FAMILIES. What role do they play?   What resources are there?

  • FAMILY MATTERS, MARFAM magazine explores the role of men in families in some detail and has a summary of the United Nations research document Men in Families.   www.un.org/esa/socdev/family/docs/men-in-families.pdf
  • The movie COURAGEOUS is available on DVD and is a great resource to reflect on fatherhood.  Men can be successful law enforcers but how do they rate as fathers?   Use as a parish family fundraiser too.
  • www.men-care.org a global fatherhood campaign was launched in South Africa last year.
  • Recognised men’s movements in the Church include the KNIGHTS OF DA GAMA www.kdg.co.za , the St Joseph’s Sodality which is active in many and mainly the rural dioceses and the Catholic Men’s AssocIation  (CMA)  victor.sofala@eskom.co.za.
  • Some dioceses and parishes have started their own men’s groups or forums.  Share with us your comments or other useful websites in particular on the role of men not only in Church but especially in the family.   Men’s groups in parishes could too easily be focused purely on men’s own issues not on their role in families.

  CHRISTIAN UNITY WEEK from Ascension Thursday to Pentecost annually. Has as its 2012 theme  “We will all be changed by the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” From 1 Cor 15:51-58.   Google or visit www.oikoumene.org.

  RADIO VERITAS GOES BIG. South Africa’s own Catholic radio station has spread its reach way beyond Gauteng on channel 576AM. Broadcasting on DSTV audio channel 170 and streaming on the internet continues.  Catholic radio has got off the ground extremely well and can become a powerful and valued resource in the community, to inform and inspire listeners with music, magazine programmes, talk shows and lectures.

  A number of programmes are hosted by volunteers   FAMILY MATTERS hosted by Toni Rowland Wednesday 9-10 am. Feel free to call, sms or email with your views and insights.

  AFRICAE MUNUS, GAUDIUM ET SPES and more

  Africae Munus, Pope Benedict’s Apostolic Exhortation from the 2^nd African Synod is translated as “Africa’s Commitment.” Its opening paragraph reads,  “Africa’s commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ is a precious treasure which I entrust to the bishops, priests, permanent deacons, consecrated persons, catechists and lay faithful. Through this mission Africa is led to explore its Christian vocation more deeply, to live reconciliation between individuals and communities and to promote peace and justice in truth for all.”  AM1.

  The Hope and Joy campaign informs us about Gaudium et Spes and the teachings of Vatican II 50 years on.  Familiaris Consortio the Apostolic Exhortation in 1981after the Synod on the Family developed some of this teaching and continues to be mentioned in more recent documents.

   

  CORRESPONDENCE

  SEKWELE CENTRE FOR SOCIAL REFLECTION. Fr Brian Williams brian@sekwele.net. Reports on an Evangelisation project that will in future also possibly include Parish Family Ministry.

  Austin Ruse   austin.ruse@c-fam.org sends out regular updates on abortion and life issues from the UN.

  USEFUL WEBSITES AND RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES

  Contact information for Catholic family movements and organizations in Southern African region: www.marfam.org.za/blog.

  Most address aspects of marriage, some include parenting. Cape Town archdiocese offers a Basic Parenting programme.   For more information on this contact Jean Hendricks  jean.hendricks@pastoraldevelopment.co.za

  Some dioceses have a counselling resource or referral lists.  Enquire locally.

  SA Department for Social Development has a network of social workers across the country. Some are trained in Family Preservation and Parenting programmes and more.  www.dsd.gov.za.

  FAMSA. www.famsa.org.za has offices across the country offering counselling, marriage preparation, family education.

  FAMILY LIFE CENTRE an affiliate of FAMSA in Johannesburg area  www.familylife.co.za offers counselling and education and preventative programmes including a Family Law clinic in Soweto.   Active in Johannesburg since 1949!

  www.foryourmarriage.org US Catholic Bishops sponsored monthly newsletter on marriage and family life.

  www.catholiceducation.org/updates/latest.htm Catholic Education Resource Centre not only for educators but any adults.

  http://firstthings.org/page/newsletter/ US based Christian family site with loads of articles on parenting

  www.sisterrosemovies.com Sr Rose Pacatte reviews many movies regularly.

  www.smartmarriages.com carries many articles on marriage and family life.

  Discover www.awestruck.co.za a new initiative, an online Catholic social network and community based in Cape Town.

   

  FAMILY SPIRITUALITY

  Suggestions for May and June on the Parenting and Youth themes.

  • COMMITMENT! FAMILY FIRST!  Invite the family to make a commitment to A FAMILY HOUR, once a week at least.  This kind of simple commitment to spending time together is recommended by psychologists, family therapists as well as family ministers.  There are many MARFAM resources available or use any relevant topic as a starter.  Practise devotion to Our Lady, pray the rosary.  Plan the Mothers and Fathers’ Day celebrations.  Discuss the “Take a Girl Child to Work Campaign.” Is it fair? What about the boy child?
  • Participate in the Million Rosaries for Unborn Babies campaign. www.SaintMichaelTheArchangelOrganization.org
  • Use the booklets DAY BY DAY WITH GOD AND FAMILY. Choose some of the daily reflections with the suggested simple Family Hour format using a life situation, a scripture or Church passage, reflection and sharing and deciding on any action required, then finally ending with shared prayer.
  • Workers’ Day, International Day for Families, World Meeting of Families resources are mentioned above.
  • Check out www.marfam.org.za.blog/liturgies and blessings for Mothers or Fathers’ Days and a reflection for youth TO WHOM DO I BELONG?
  • Pray the Stations of Light with reflections from Easter Sunday until Pentecost. Booklets from Bosco Centre 011 949 2360.    See picture.
  • Christian Unity week is a chance for families with different denominations to reflect, share and pray together. Google or visit www.oikoumene.org
  • Celebrate Pentecost.  Consider the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit as present in the family.  Reflection sheet available.

   

  FINALLY AND ON A LIGHTER NOTE:

  
  

  LIVING WITH TEENS TODAY

  With four daughters and one son always dashing to school activities and part-time jobs, our schedule was hectic. To add to this, we kept running out of household supplies. I instructed them all to let me know when they used the last of any item by writing it down on a note pad on the fridge.  As a reminder, I wrote at the top: “IF WE ARE OUT OF IT, WRITE IT DOWN.”  When I checked the pad a few days later, I found the following message: “MOM, YOU MAY BE A BIT OLD-FASHIONED, BUT YOU ARE NOT ‘OUT OF IT.”‘

  Martin had just passed his test and got his driver’s license. The family troops out to the driveway, and climbs in the car, where he is going to take them for a ride for the first time. Dad immediately heads for the back seat, directly behind the newly minted driver. “I’ll bet you’re back there to get a change of scenery after all those months of sitting in the front passenger seat teaching me how to drive,” says the beaming boy to his father. “Nope,” comes dad’s reply, “I’m gonna sit here and kick the back of your seat as you drive, just like you’ve been doing to me all these years.

  Son:  Dad, where are the Himalayas?   Father:  If you’d put things away you’d know where to find them.

  “Son, you sure do ask a lot of questions,” said the father. “I’d like to know what would have happened if I’d asked as many questions when I was a boy.” “Perhaps,” said the boy, “you’d have been able to answer some of mine.”

   

  MARFAM’s vision since its start in 1995 has been the renewal of family life in the Church through education and enrichment.  Publications are a resource for families, educators, parishes and for the work of the Family Life Desk of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference. Read more at www.marfam.org.za/blog

  We thank our advertisers for their support and ask readers to support them in turn.  Financial contributions towards MARFAM’s ministry are also most welcome.  Details supplied on request.
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