austraLasia #3286
MANILA (Mandaluyong): 21 September 2013 -- In this age of modern technology and social media invasion, the world is faced with difficult challenges that beset every Filipino family. Young people are lured to material possessions at the expense of their dignity. Innocent children willingly succumb to pain and betrayal of abuses they experience with relatives to keep intact their families. They are the future of the new generation; and yet, they are not spared from the decaying morals of our society.
Laura Vicuña Foundation (LVF) proactively responds to this urgent concern by strengthening families in high risk communities, thus, the conduct of the LVF 2013 Parents’ Congress with the theme, “Sama-samang Itaguyod ang Pamilya para sa Bagong Ebanghelisasyon” (Together Let Us Strengthen Families Towards the New Evangelization).
Sr. Sarah Garcia, FMA, LVF President, happily welcomed more than 300 parent leaders of the Salesian Sisters gathered at the La Salle Greenhills’ Center for the Performing Arts in Mandaluyong City, Philippines, through the kindness of its President, Bro. Victor Franco, who generously shared their facilities and personnel at no cost to the LVF. The participants came from 9 depressed communities of the LVF Child Protection Clinic areas from the cities of Taguig, Marikina, Manila and Quezon City as well as parent oratorians from FMA communities in Canlubang (Laguna), Mabalacat (Pampanga) and Sta. Mesa (Manila).
This year’s Parents’ Congress offered relevant discussions on the situation and challenges of families as well as useful information on how the participants can improve parenting skills and promote evangelization in their homes through the talks of excellent speakers on Family, Marriage and Parenting.
Mr. Julius Cainglet, an active couple leader of a Catholic Ministry and presently connected with the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) shared his family life story and ten parenting tips on how he and his wife are raising and providing their children with quality care despite their meager income and the opportunities to develop their skills and keep them away from negative peer influences.
In the afternoon session, Mr. and Mrs. Angelo and Irma Felix gave a heart-warming story of their struggles in raising and accompanying their children sustain their faith and triumphs in life with God’s help and Mary’s intercession.
The parents were happy and their vibrant faces speak so much of an eagerness for more activities like this. This is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to most who have been pre-occupied with their daily life struggles and even considered this parents congress as a form of spiritual retreat. Each CPC area and FMA Parents’ Oratory group came up with their commitments to spread in the Communities the joy of renewing their vows with Christ as the center and their resolve to be responsible parents to rebuild and unite their families as a littlest Church.
So as to create homes that evangelize, the parents pledged to fulfill the following:
A. For their Family
Make Christ as the center of their family by encouraging children to celebrate the Holy Eucharist every Sunday and teach them how to pray.
Give importance to the sanctity of family as and its significant role in spreading the word of God.
Practice charity in the home.
Maintain open communication.
B. For their Children
Involve their children in spiritual activities in the church and in their communities such as the Block Rosary Council.
Teach their children to be independent by giving them responsibilities at home so that they will also learn to work in communion with family members and other people in their community
Allow their children to be involved in activities such as music and sports so that they will not be involved in high risk behaviors.
Properly guide their children, spend quality time with them, give them love and be a role model to them.
C. Personal Commitment
Regularly attends the Parents’ Sunday Oratory
Re-echo this Parents’ Congress to community members
Be strong in facing all life’s difficulties and find solutions to present difficulties.
For the participants, it was a moment of renewal as a couple from our CPC Bacood states, “This parents’ congress made us realize our commitment to each other as husband and wife. It is our vocation and a gift from God. God’s love and fidelity will keep us together and this will also sustain us in our journey as we share such love to our family. We are very thankful for this formation and we feel the need to continuously grow in our relationship as we face the many challenges of life especially in raising our children in this perilous time. We thank the Laura Vicuña Foundation for organizing this event for us. We have learned so many things that will help us in our relationship as a couple and as parents. We hope this will be repeated every year.”
Capping off the event, Sr. Maria Victoria P. Sta. Ana, FMA, LVF Executive Director challenged the parents, “Together with the Holy Family, let us show the world the indomitable strength of the Filipinos in building the little Church, that is our families, our invaluable contribution to the New Evangelization!”
MANILA (Mandaluyong): 21 September 2013 -- In this age of modern technology and social media invasion, the world is faced with difficult challenges that beset every Filipino family. Young people are lured to material possessions at the expense of their dignity. Innocent children willingly succumb to pain and betrayal of abuses they experience with relatives to keep intact their families. They are the future of the new generation; and yet, they are not spared from the decaying morals of our society.
Laura Vicuña Foundation (LVF) proactively responds to this urgent concern by strengthening families in high risk communities, thus, the conduct of the LVF 2013 Parents’ Congress with the theme, “Sama-samang Itaguyod ang Pamilya para sa Bagong Ebanghelisasyon” (Together Let Us Strengthen Families Towards the New Evangelization).
Sr. Sarah Garcia, FMA, LVF President, happily welcomed more than 300 parent leaders of the Salesian Sisters gathered at the La Salle Greenhills’ Center for the Performing Arts in Mandaluyong City, Philippines, through the kindness of its President, Bro. Victor Franco, who generously shared their facilities and personnel at no cost to the LVF. The participants came from 9 depressed communities of the LVF Child Protection Clinic areas from the cities of Taguig, Marikina, Manila and Quezon City as well as parent oratorians from FMA communities in Canlubang (Laguna), Mabalacat (Pampanga) and Sta. Mesa (Manila).
This year’s Parents’ Congress offered relevant discussions on the situation and challenges of families as well as useful information on how the participants can improve parenting skills and promote evangelization in their homes through the talks of excellent speakers on Family, Marriage and Parenting.
Mr. Julius Cainglet, an active couple leader of a Catholic Ministry and presently connected with the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) shared his family life story and ten parenting tips on how he and his wife are raising and providing their children with quality care despite their meager income and the opportunities to develop their skills and keep them away from negative peer influences.
In the afternoon session, Mr. and Mrs. Angelo and Irma Felix gave a heart-warming story of their struggles in raising and accompanying their children sustain their faith and triumphs in life with God’s help and Mary’s intercession.
The parents were happy and their vibrant faces speak so much of an eagerness for more activities like this. This is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to most who have been pre-occupied with their daily life struggles and even considered this parents congress as a form of spiritual retreat. Each CPC area and FMA Parents’ Oratory group came up with their commitments to spread in the Communities the joy of renewing their vows with Christ as the center and their resolve to be responsible parents to rebuild and unite their families as a littlest Church.
So as to create homes that evangelize, the parents pledged to fulfill the following:
A. For their Family
Make Christ as the center of their family by encouraging children to celebrate the Holy Eucharist every Sunday and teach them how to pray.
Give importance to the sanctity of family as and its significant role in spreading the word of God.
Practice charity in the home.
Maintain open communication.
B. For their Children
Involve their children in spiritual activities in the church and in their communities such as the Block Rosary Council.
Teach their children to be independent by giving them responsibilities at home so that they will also learn to work in communion with family members and other people in their community
Allow their children to be involved in activities such as music and sports so that they will not be involved in high risk behaviors.
Properly guide their children, spend quality time with them, give them love and be a role model to them.
C. Personal Commitment
Regularly attends the Parents’ Sunday Oratory
Re-echo this Parents’ Congress to community members
Be strong in facing all life’s difficulties and find solutions to present difficulties.
For the participants, it was a moment of renewal as a couple from our CPC Bacood states, “This parents’ congress made us realize our commitment to each other as husband and wife. It is our vocation and a gift from God. God’s love and fidelity will keep us together and this will also sustain us in our journey as we share such love to our family. We are very thankful for this formation and we feel the need to continuously grow in our relationship as we face the many challenges of life especially in raising our children in this perilous time. We thank the Laura Vicuña Foundation for organizing this event for us. We have learned so many things that will help us in our relationship as a couple and as parents. We hope this will be repeated every year.”
Capping off the event, Sr. Maria Victoria P. Sta. Ana, FMA, LVF Executive Director challenged the parents, “Together with the Holy Family, let us show the world the indomitable strength of the Filipinos in building the little Church, that is our families, our invaluable contribution to the New Evangelization!”
