MAPUTO JUNE 02, 2015(CISA)– The Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) and Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) have called on political and civil leaders to ensure that families are able to fulfil their parental responsibilities.
“Education in human values and virtuous behaviour is indispensable, a grave responsibility of parents for their children… We therefore take this opportunity to call on political leaders and civil authorities to ensure that families are enabled and provided with the wherewithal to fulfil their parental responsibilities towards their children for the greater good of the society,” said the bishops in a joint statement sent to CISA May 31.
The seminar which begun on May 28 and ended on May 31 2015 in Maputo, Mozambique was convened on the theme, The joy of the Family and is expected to strength communion, collaboration and reflection on major challenges facing the Church.
“Children and the youth of today need to be helped also to acquire the ability to discern and the will to choose what is right and just and virtuous, and to avoid evil,” the bishops added.
The bishops further urged the Christian family to take up its missionary vocation as a place of welcome for those that are desolate and destitute and a safe place of dialogue.
“We pray for the Holy Spirit to guide the thoughts and deliberations of the Fathers of the coming Synod. May the image of the family irradiate like the sun that although many times obscured by clouds still warms the hearts and lives of all human beings,” the European and African bishops said.
The bishops noted that they were committed towards pastoral care to the family by preparing youth for the holy matrimony and taking care of the elderly and the divorced.
“As bishops, we will double up our efforts to let this light of Christ shine, by increasing our pastoral care of the family, by preparing our youth for Holy Matrimony, by accompanying families with or without children, by taking care of the elderly and the divorced in whatever circumstances they live and more,” concluded the bishops.
