RE REVIEWER

Lesson Notes:

Lectio Divina is a way of reading Scripture, which can be traced back through early
Christian times to the Judaism of the pre-Christian era. For persons who have a strong faith in
God's prior initiative in contacting them, it is a traditional way of replying. God's communication
arrives for the Catholic through Scripture, as it is understood in the Tradition of the Roman
Church. For contemporary Catholics, this communication from God is difficult to respond to. The
reasons for this are varied, but one principal reason is the increasingly triumphant media
consumerism of the contemporary world: the flood of information and entertainment is so
overwhelming that only a determined effort can enable a believer to make the response to
God's Word which God desires.
Lectio Divina is a way of reading Scripture which has various aspects. These aspects
are not to be regarded as differentiated stages, but as viewpoints of a single act which is at
once simple and complex: simple, because it is basically an attempt to respond to God's Word
with all my heart; complex, because it is basically an attempt to respond to God's Word with all
my heart. In the concrete act of Lectio Divina these aspects can be distinguished from each
other but not separated. As distinguished, they can be made the focal point of attention. But
they all have one common essential element: all take place in the context of faith. The deeper
the faith, the more profound the reception of God's message conveyed in the Word and the
more authentic the response. All Lectio Divina should be viewed as an indirect participation in
the liturgy, i.e., it is connected with the worship of God.
Aspect One: Lectio (Reading). This aspect consists in the repeated reading of a
passage of Scripture in order to understand the meaning which the original authors, human and
divine, intended to convey. Read the text again and again. In the Lectiowetry to understand the
passagein its original context. The more specific the context, the better: historical, geographical,
cultural, literary—above all, religious. In what context was the original author writing? When was
he writing? Where was he writing? Under what circumstances was he writing? How does his
faith manifest itself in the text? What faith response does he expect? In this aspect,
commentaries can be of considerable help, though their frequent lack of explicit attention to the
faith dimension must be kept in mind. The faith dimension is crucial. The faith dimension
transcends the original circumscribed conditions in which the text was composed and has
universal and lasting validity. Continued re-reading can help us understand this faith dimension
and the religious point which is at its center. Further, -2- such re-reading in faith can help us
place this point in the context of the entire Bible. How does the Spirit, the ultimate author of this
passage and of all Scripture, want this passage to fit in to the rest of what He has inspired in the
tradition of the Roman Catholic Church?
Aspect Two: Meditatio (Meditation). This aspect consists in a reflection on the lasting
purpose of the text—the original religious point of the human and divine authors—that
transcends the temporal and spatial limitations of the text's original setting by reason of the faith
dimension. Meditatio seeks to know what the text says to me as a believer of today. In order to
make sure that God is the One Who is speaking to me in a text I have to make sure that what
seems relevant for today is linked to the original meaning. 1) Lectio: Original meaning. 2)
Meditatio: Relevance of that meaning for today. What is the relevance for today of the religious
point which the authors, human and divine, were making in thetext in its all-important faith
dimension? How am I addressed by this religious point which is communicated through a
reading of the text in faith? How were the original addressees expected by God to respond?
How am I expected to respond as a believing member of the Catholic Church?
Aspect Three: Oratio (Prayer). This aspect consists in a prayer that comes from the
Lectio and from the Meditatio. It is a spontaneous reaction of the heart of a believer in response
to a text written by a believer and addressed to believers. It is a plea for God's help for our faith
in understanding what He is saying and in responding as He wishes us to respond. In this way
the Oratio can encompass pleas for a great variety of virtues. The Spirit inspired the text with
just such pleas in mind. Hence the Spirit is ready to respond to such pleas. This Oratio is not
something that remains only internal. It is ordered ultimately also to what isexternal, to the way
we live our faith in all the dimensions of our life.
Aspect Four: Contemplatio (Contemplation). This aspect consists in adoration, praise
and silence in faith before the God Who is communicating with me. It is an attempt to stand
before almighty God with my heart exposed. "Heart" here is to be understood in the Semitic
sense of the center of my being, that point at which my memory, intellect, will, affections meet
and where "I" am really "I". True contemplation will reveal myselfmore and more to myself
because it reveals God more and more to myself. True contemplation will help me see who I
really am, i.e., who I am destined to be in God's sight. True contemplation will work towards
transforming my heart. Christ is the privileged center of Christian contemplation, for it is through
Christ that I go to God: in knowing Christ, I know God and I know myself. To the extent that
Contemplatio functions, it protects theentire process of Lectio Divina from the danger of
imposing a narrow, self-centered interpretation on a text, an interpretation which is divorced
from God's perennial purpose in revealing Himself in His Word to all times and all places.
 Aspect Five: Consolatio (Consolation). This aspect consists in the joy of praying
which can come for the believer from a "taste" of God and of the "things" of God. It is a product
of the Holy Spirit (though, of course, the Holy Spirit is not confined to Lectio Divina , where this
consolation is often found). From consolation spring such courageous choices as poverty,
chastity, obedience, faithfulness, forgiveness. Consolation gives the proper "atmosphere" for
these choices. If this "atmosphere" ceases, the intrinsic plausibility of radical Christian choices
ceases, and the heart will turn elsewhere for its joy.
Aspect Six: Discretio (Discernment). This aspect consists in the ability of the believer
to discern the mind of God as expressed in His Word, especially as it is expressed in His
supreme Word, Christ. By contact with God's Word and with God's supreme Word we acquire
an instinct for the choices which are proper to a Christian, which are proper to myself as God
wants me to be. My heart must be dominated by the heart of Christ, by the instincts of Christ, by
the choices of Christ. And this, not only for my personal life, but for my life as a member of
Christ's Body which is the Church.
Aspect Seven: Deliberatio (Choice). This aspect consists in the actual choosing by the
believer of some course of action. It is here that the choices involved in choosing a particular
vocation, or of living out a particular vocation, are clustered. God communicates with me as an
individual, and I respond to Him on the basis of this individual communication. If this
communication is interrupted, my choice of vocation or my living out of my vocation is in danger
of being destroyed. I will begin to listen to other voices which issue calls to a different vocation.
Aspect Eight: Actio (Action). This aspect consists in the putting into practice of what is
the fruit of all of the above. As a believer I engage in Lectio Divina to understand better what I
must do to respond to God's communication with me in Scripture and I can do it. To act follows
to be. Lectio Divina seeks to shape my acting by first of all shaping my being. Above all, Actio is
about my choice of vocation and my living out of my vocation. But, of course, it must always be
remembered that a vocation is not only a private thing between myself and God. It is a personal
faith choice with social consequences, for it always involves the Body of Christ.
***
Bible Sharing
These are the steps that we follow as we reflect and share with one another the Word of God.
1. Invite the Lord…
2. Read the text…
3. Pick out words and meditate on them…
4. Let God speak to us in silence…
5. Share what we have heard in our hearts…..
6. Discuss the task which our group (family member) is called to do….
7. Pray together spontaneously.

THE SEVEN STEPS

(Gospel sharing method by Oswald Hirmer)
1. Invite Jesus in a prayer. PAUSE
2. Read the text “A reading from the holy Gospel according to St Matthew” (20: 25 – 28)

But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it
over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever
wishes to be great among you must be your servants, and whoever wishes to be first among
you must be your slave; 28just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to
give his life a ransom for many.”

[Pause] The Gospel of the Lord.

Response: Praise to you, O Lord, Jesus Christ
(Another person will read the text again)

3. Pick out words and meditate on them Let us pick out words or short phrases, read them aloud
prayerfully, and keep silence in between. PAUSE. We read the whole text again.

4. Let God speak to us in silence We keep silence for 2 minutes and allow God to speak to us.

5. Share what you have heard in your heart. Which word has touched you personally? PAUSE.

6. Share it to the people with you right now.

7. Pray together spontaneously. Everyone is invited to pray spontaneously.

PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS

(A way of praying the Bible alone)

The six steps of “Personal Encounter with Jesus” is a way for you to pray the Bible alone. As
a believer, you are strongly encouraged to pray with Jesus using the Bible regularly. The six
steps are very simple to use. This prayer will help strengthen your relationship with Jesus.

1. I sit close to Jesus (Examples: in a quiet place, prayer room, in the garden or at the
lakeside, etc.) I make myself aware of Jesus’ presence in a very concrete way.
For example, I imagine sitting close to Jesus in a garden, in a prayer room or in the quiet of
my room.

2. I read the bible text prayerfully I consult the footnotes provided for the text. I may read the
Bible text 2 times as I try to understand the message of the story.
3. I open my heart to the Spirit of the text I repeat key-phrases several times prayerfully and
meditatively. I keep silence in between. This prayerful repetition of words helps me to
experience closeness to Jesus and the power which flows from his Words.

4. I apply the text to my own life What words bring light and joy to my life? In which character of
the passage do I recognize myself? Why? In what way is this text reflected in the life and
actions of Jesus?

5. I respond to Jesus in prayer I say my personal prayer in response to His Words. I can ask
Him, “Lord, help me to do your will!”

6. I wait for Jesus’ love in silence I return to that ‘image’ of sitting close with Jesus (step 1) in
the garden, or in my room. In silence, I allow myself ‘to be loved by Jesus.

What is the Liturgical Calendar?

• Marks the celebration of the Church's liturgies
• Helps us to remember God’s saving power that was made real
• Celebrates God’s time
• we remember the past, celebrate the present, and look forward to the future
• Is built around important events in the Church (ie. Jesus’ birth, death, and Resurrection)

WHAT ARE THE SEASONS (and associated symbols) OF THE LITURGICAL YEAR?
ADVENT
• Marks the start of the Liturgical Year
• Begins on the 4th Sunday before Christmas and last for 4 weeks
• “Advent” means “coming” the Advent season is about the coming of the infant Jesus
• Mood: hopeful anticipation
• Scripture: focus on God’s promise to send a savior to deliver us from sin and death
• Symbol: Advent wreath
• Color: Purple

CHRISTMAS TIME
• December 25: celebrates the birth of Jesus and the mystery of the Incarnation (embodiment
of God in human flesh)
• God entered the world as a human infant
• Mood: Joyful because we remember that God is with us, bringing hope and joy by sharing in
our humanity
• Beginning on Christmas, the Christmas season lasts until the Baptism of Jesus, which was
the 3rd Sunday after Christmas day
• Color: White

ORDINARY TIME
• Scripture: tends to focus on Jesus’ life between his birth and death/resurrection
• A time to reflect on Jesus’ teachings so that we can adjust our values and attitudes to be more
like his
• 2 periods of Ordinary Time
• Between Christmas time and Lent. Between the Easter season and the next Advent
• Color: Green
LENT AND HOLY WEEK
• Lent is a solemn, reflective season that prepares us for Easter
• Begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts for 40 days until Easter (does not include Sundays
during Lent)
• Recalls the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert
• Ash Wednesday: people attend Church and receive ashes on their forehead
• A reminder that without God we are simply dust
• During Lent we are called to renew ourselves through fasting, prayers, and almsgiving (giving
to those in need)
• Color: Purple

HOLY WEEK
• Begins a week before Easter on Palm Sunday
• During Holy Week we remember the events of the final days of Jesus’ earthly life
• Palm Sunday: we remember Jesus entering Jerusalem
• The Triduum refers to the 3 special liturgies that make up the climax of Holy Week
• Colour: White, Red, Purple

Holy Thursday
• The Last Supper and Jesus’ gift of himself in the Eucharist
• A foot washing ritual is involved to remind us of Jesus’ call to serve one another as his
followers
• We also remember the institution of the priesthood
Good Friday
• Jesus’ Passion and death
• The liturgy is somber, and starts and ends with a bare altar
• During the liturgy we venerate (show love and respect for) the cross in some way
Holy Saturday
• Known as the Easter Vigil, this liturgy is held at night
• Recalls the joy of Christ’s resurrection
• incorporates rituals of light/dark, a water blessing and lots of Scripture reading.

EASTER SEASON
• The primary focus of the Liturgical Year
• Easter celebrates the wonder and joy of Christ’s resurrection
• Lasts for 50 days after Easter, until Pentecost
• The Sunday readings will focus appearances of the risen Christ and the growth of the early
Church
• It is a time of joy and hope because we can hope for our own Resurrection and eternal life
• 2 special feasts:
• The Ascension of Jesus: 40 days after Easter
• The Coming of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost): 50 days after Easter • Color: White, then
Red (Pentecost)
***
Famiy, Education, and Culture

Family

A term derived from the Latin, famulus, servant, and familia, household servants, or the
household. In the classical Roman period the familia rarely included the parents or the children.
Its English derivative was frequently used in former times to describe all the persons of the
domestic circle, parents, children, and servants. Present usage, however, excludes servants,
and restricts the word family to that fundamental social group formed by the more or less
permanent union of one man with one woman, or of one or more men with one or more women,
and their children. If the heads of the group comprise only one man and one woman we have
the monogamous family, as distinguished from those domestic societies which live in conditions
of polygamy, polyandry, or promiscuity.

The Christian family

Christ not only restored the family to its original type as something holy, permanent, and
monogamous, but raised the contract from which it springs to the dignity of a sacrament, and
thus placed the family itself upon the plane of the supernatural. The family is holy inasmuch as it
is to co-operate with God by procreating children who are destined to be the adopted children
of God, and by instructing them for His kingdom. The union between husband and wife is to last
until death (Matthew 19:6 sq.; Luke 16:18; Mark 10:11; 1 Corinthians 7:10;
see MARRIAGE, DIVORCE). That this is the highest form of the conjugal union, and the best
arrangement for the welfare both of the family and of society, will appear to anyone who
compares dispassionately the moral and material effects with those flowing from the practice
of divorce. Although divorce has obtained to a greater or less extent among the majority of
peoples from the beginning until now, "there is abundant evidence that marriage has, upon the
whole, become more durable in proportion as the human race has risen to higher degrees of
cultivation" (Westermarck, op. cit., p. 535).
While the attempts that have been made to show that divorce is in every case forbidden by the
moral law of nature have not been convincing on their own merits, to say nothing of certain facts
of Old Testament history, the absolute indissolubility of marriage is nevertheless the ideal to
which the natural law points, and consequently is to be expected in an order that
is supernatural. In the family, as re-established by Christ, there is likewise no such thing
as polygamy. This condition, too, is in accord with nature's ideal. Polygamy is not, indeed,
condemned in every instance by the natural law, but it is generally inconsistent with the
reasonable welfare of the wife and children, and the proper moral development of the husband.
Because of these qualities of permanence and unity, the Christian family implies a real and
definite equality of husband and wife. They have equal rights in the matter of the primary
conjugal relation, equal claims upon mutual fidelity, and equal obligations to make this fidelity
real. They are equally guilty when they violate these obligations, and equally deserving of
pardon when they repent.

Dangers for the family

Among these are the exaltation of the individual by the State at the expense of the family, which
has been going on since the Reformation (cf. the Rev. Dr. Thwing, in Bliss, "Encyclopedia of
Social Reform"), and the modern facility of divorce (see DIVORCE), which may be traced to the
same source. The greatest offender in the latter respect is the United States, but the tendency
seems to be towards easier methods in most of the other countries in which divorce is allowed.
Legal authorization and popular approval of the dissolution of the marriage bond, not only
breaks up existing families, but encourages rash marriages, and produces a laxer view of
the obligation of conjugal fidelity. Another danger is the deliberate limitation of the number of
children in a family. This practice tempts parents to overlook the chief end of the family, and to
regard their union as a mere means of mutual gratification. Furthermore, it leads to a lessening
of the capacity of self-sacrifice in all the members of the family. Closely connected with these
two evils of divorce and artificial restriction of births, is the general laxity of opinion with regard
to sexual immorality. Among its causes are the diminished influence of religion, the absence of
religious and moral training in the schools, and the seemingly feebler emphasis laid upon the
heinousness of the sin of unchastity by those whose moral training has not been
under Catholic auspices. Its chief effects are disinclination to marry, marital infidelity, and the
contraction of diseases which produce domestic unhappiness and sterile families.

Education
In the broadest sense, education includes all those experiences by which intelligence is
developed, knowledge acquired, and character formed. In a narrower sense, it is the work done
by certain agencies and institutions, the home and the school, for the express purpose of
training immature minds. The child is born with latent capacities which must be developed so as
to fit him for the activities and duties of life. The meaning of life, therefore, of its purposes and
values as understood by the educator, primarily determines the nature of his work. Education
aims at an ideal, and this in turn depends on the view that is taken of man and his destiny, of his
relations to God, to his fellowmen, and to the physical world. The content of education is
furnished by the previous acquisition of mankind in literature, art, and science, in moral, social,
and religious principles. The inheritance, however, contains elements that differ greatly in value,
both as mental possessions and as means of culture; hence a selection is necessary, and this
must be guided largely by the educational ideal. It will also be influenced by the consideration of
the educative process. Teaching must be adapted to the needs of the developing mind, and the
endeavour to make the adaption more thorough results in theories and methods which are, or
should be, based on the findings of biology, physiology, and psychology.
Jesus Christ as teacher
"God who, at sundry-times and in divers manners, spoke in times past to the fathers by
the prophets, last of all, in these days hath spoken to us by his Son" (Hebrews 1:1-2). This
communication through the God-Man was to reveal the true way of living: "The grace of God our
Saviour hath appeared to all men; instructing us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires,
we should live soberly, and justly, and godly in this world, looking for the blessed hope and
coming of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:11-12). Of Himself and His
mission Christ declared, "I am come a light into the world; that whosoever believeth in me, may
not remain in darkness" (John 12:46); and again, "For this was I born, and for this came I into
the world; that I should give testimony to the truth" (John 18:37). The knowledge which He came
to impart was no mere intellectual possession or theory: "I am come that they may have life, and
may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). He taught therefore, as one "having authority"; He
insisted that His heirs should believe the truths which He taught, even though these might seem
to be "hard sayings." His doctrines, indeed, made no appeal either to pride of intellect or to
selfishness or to passion. For the most part, as in the Sermon on the Mount, they were
dramatically opposed to the maxims that had obtained in the pagan world. They were, in the
highest sense, supernatural, not only in proposing eternal life as the ultimate goal of man's
existence and action, but also in enjoining the denial of self as the chief requisite for attaining
that destiny. Service to the neighbor was insisted upon, but this was to be rendered in the spirit
of love, the new commandments which Christ gave (John 13:34). Faithfulness also to
civic duty was required, but the sanction which imparted force to such obligation was man's
elevation to a higher citizenship in the Kingdom of God. To strive after this and to realize it in
one's earthly life, so far as possible, was the ideal to which every other good was subordinate;
"Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you"
(Matthew 6:33).
Culture
What do we mean by "culture" ?
When the word "culture" is used, a variety of ideas come to mind - culture of a civilization, ethnic
culture, and even culture as a biological growth. The Macquarie Dictionary lists at least ten
different ways in which the word can be understood in English. The idea of culture on which I
will focus in this study/reflection is the sociological meaning of the word - the sum total of ways
of living and acting built up by a group of human beings and which can be passed on to others
who join the group.
In the mid-1980s, books began to be written on the culture of corporate and also human service
organizations. More recently, we find the term being used relating to the Catholic Church.

***
FAMILIARIS CONSORTIO
St. John Paul II

PART ONE - BRIGHT SPOTS AND SHADOWS FOR THE FAMILY TODAY
Marriage and family life touch the human person in the realities of daily existence. The Church
is called to be a prudent observer of the challenges and opportunities which face today's family.
In order to accomplish this mission, the Church must listen to the questions and concerns of
married couples. In responding to the needs of young married couples and families, the Church
must offer the truth of the Gospel as a source of inexhaustible grace rather than follow majority
opinion. This truth is urgently needed today because of the challenges faced by families:
divorce, abortion, sterilization, contraception, the decay of parental authority, and a general
weakening of the marriage bond between husband and wife. The spiritual and moral renewal of
marital and family life brings about a much-needed elevation of society in general.

PART TWO - THE PLAN OF GOD FOR MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY
The human person was created by God out of love, and each is called to love within his or her
vocation. Love is the calling of each person. Marriage and family life are special opportunities to
live the vocation of love. The love between husband and wife mirrors the love between Christ
and his Church - that is, this love is sacrificial and life - giving. A person’s freedom, far from
being restricted by this fidelity, is secured against every form of subjectivism or relativism and is
made a sharer in creative Wisdom. Married life is enriched and becomes a family, with the gift of
children. Virginity and celibacy do not deny the dignity of married and family life; rather, they
highlight the call to love and the need to wait in patient hope for the Bridegroom - Jesus Christ.

PART THREE - THE ROLE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAMILY: BECOME WHAT YOU ARE
The family is more than an economic, biological, and sociological entity. The family is part of
God's plan for creation and salvation. It is within the family that the human person comes to be
whom he or she is and comes to know the living God. Love within the family reveals in a special
way the unbounded love of God. Family love involves four general callings: forming a
community of persons; sharing a love which serves life; participating in the development of
society; and sharing in the life and mission of the Church*. In being faithful to these four callings
to love, the family is a living proclamation of the Gospel and the truth of Jesus Christ. The
family, likewise, helps to morally renew the social order. To bear witness to the inestimable
value of the indissolubility and fidelity of marriage is one of the most precious and most urgent
tasks of Christian couples in our time.

FOUR - PASTORAL CARE OF THE FAMILY

The family is called to grow through a constant conversion to the will of God. Such a process of
conversion challenges the Church to be a pastoral Church. That is, the Church is called to care,
in the name of Jesus, for married couples and for families. The Church must encourage and
support those preparing for marriage and those who daily accept the challenges to be faithful to
their marital vows. Those who find themselves in difficult marital and family situations (mixed
marriages, trial marriages, divorce, separation, and domestic violence) are in need of special
pastoral care by the Church. Pastoral ministry to those in difficult situations flows from the words
and example of Jesus to love and be close to the broken-hearted, rejected, and suffering.
CONCLUSION
The encyclical ends on a highly personal note from John Paul II to married couples and families
throughout the world. In this time of trial and grace, the Pope pledges the full ministry of the
Church in service of marriage and family life. In conclusion, the model of true marriage and
family life is the Holy Family: St. Joseph is the upright guardian of the family; Mary is the one
entrusted with the Word made flesh; and Jesus is the child who perfectly does the will of the
Father. The Pope prays that each Family will be a holy family to the glory of God.

Modern Threats to Family Life

Dr. Val Farmer

Why are families in such disarray? What is different in our culture that makes the quality of our
home life such a struggle? Why are marriages failing? Why do teens struggle so much? Here
are nine ideas that may lie close to the heart of the problem.

1.The challenge of materialism. We live in a culture that confuses wants and needs. Our
material well-being provides an abundance of things that inherently don’t satisfy the soul. With
our comfortable lifestyles and materialistic carrots in front of us, we don’t experience enough
compassion for the problems of others nor do we avail ourselves of the opportunities for service
to others.
Children grow up with a sense of entitlement for material comforts and experiences that are self-
serving and narcissistic. Parents give them too much and they don’t connect readily with the
world of work and responsibility. With our abundance, the seeds are sown for disappointment
and perceived deprivation when in fact the opposite is true.

2.Not enough love in marriage. Marriage is about meeting needs, putting the marital partner
first, thoughtfulness and consideration. Many of our marriages lack basic respect, compassion,
acceptance, apologies, forgiveness, generosity and love. Instead we get marital partners who
expect marriage to meet "their" needs, show little inclination to sacrifice for the other and put
other things ahead of their relationship. Couples settle for a mediocre or poor marriage when all
that it takes is a willingness to give rather than expect.

3.The electronic media is a powerful, new source of influence. The media has emerged as
a penetrating and pervasive source of influence displacing the home, schools, peers and
religious institutions in the lives of youth. Besides subtracting valuable time from primary
relationships and productive activities such as spontaneous play and reading, it also portrays
poor role models, demonstrates poor conflict resolution skills and communicates course values
with violence and permissive sexual relationships. A pop culture is indiscriminately invited into
our homes with its emphasis on entertainment, cynical humor, and immediate gratification.

4.Competing priorities for time, attention and resources. The plethora of choices we have
with our careers, hobbies, entertainment, children’s activities, technology, and bringing work
home demands more and more of our time and energy. Families are divided and going in
different directions. Parents are exhausted. We are too busy to be together. Our complaint is
that there isn’t enough time. The problem is the choices we make with our time.

5.Not enough parenting. It takes time, commitment and dedication to be a parent. It takes time
to discipline, to serve, to monitor, to teach morals, values and religious instruction, to read to
children and to laugh and play with them. It takes time to prepare and gather children together
for a family meal.
It takes a willingness to put children ahead of our own needs and to live the example we are
trying to teach. Parental absence during infancy and early childhood disrupts the attachment
bond upon which future relationships are built.

6. Weakened commitments. The cultural acceptance of premarital sex, cohabitation, divorce

cohabitation and infidelity weaken the foundation of marriage. The structure of the family has
changed away from loving, two-parent families to less stable families such as single parent
families, cohabitating couples, unwed parents, and step-families.
Though these other forms of family life can be strong and healthy places for children to be, the
overall risk is greater for negative and debilitating consequences. The biological bond and the
presence of same sex and opposite sex loving role models in the home provide the best
condition for rearing the next generation of good parents.

7. Lack of emotional and self-regulation. More and more young adults are coming of age with
poorer control over their moods, temper and ability to delay gratification. The emotional arousal
and lack of self-control they experience interferes with their ability to be reliable and trustworthy
partners in relationships.
Their lack of emotional control makes them self-centered. The result is poorer listening skills,
less tact and respect in conflict resolution, an unwillingness to compromise, and an inner
neediness that leads to demands and possessiveness. They lack the ability to empathize and
give to others.
8. Weakened community and extended family support.
Families and children have fewer and fewer community supports to sustain them. Grandparents,
aunts, uncles and cousins are far away. Our institutions, communities and businesses become
larger and more impersonal. Families need the support of a caring community and friends to
share each other’s’ burdens.
Old neighborhood ties are replaced by "virtual" communities with less face-to face contacts and
real involvement with others. Without developing their own support system, families are more
isolated and alone in their struggles.
9. Life without meaning.
Without a belief in God and a spiritual orientation to life, people struggle with knowing right and
wrong, how to live, who they are and what is important. They are also "wishy-washy" with their
children and don’t teach strong values in order to make good choices in a permissive,
materialistic and hedonistic culture.
Our society is on a slippery slope where is it easy to be distracted from the principles of
integrity, honor, honesty, obeying the law, respecting the rights of others and governing oneself.
People with religious faith live happier and more fulfilling lives because of their adherence to
time-honored and God-inspired rules for living
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