FAMILY LIFE, RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD &THE ROLE OF THE LAITY

DE LA SALLE SANTIAGO ZOBEL SCHOOL

TERM 3 HANDOUT 3

FAMILY LIFE, RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD &THE ROLE OF THE LAITY

Topic 1: The Family: Originating context of life

CFC 1010: God’s will is for all persons to share in His divine life, & become God’s people

What is a family?

The Family as the basic means of carrying out  God’s plan

1. A community of Persons:

1.1 serving life through procreation & education of offspring

1.2 participating in the development of society

1.3 sharing in the  participating in the mission of the church

“The Family is the privileged place where new human life is generated, welcome & cared for.

The Family as an Evangelizing Agent  that reveal & communicate the love of God

•          In Sociology…

•          Family denotes a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity or co-residence. One must understand the notion of "blood" metaphorically, and that many societies understand 'family' through other concepts rather than through genetic distance.

•          From the perspective of children, the family is a family of orientation: the family serves to locate children socially, and plays a major role in their enculturation and socialization.

•          From the point of view of the parent(s), the family is a family of procreation the goal of which is to produce and enculturate and socialize children. However, producing children is not the only function of the family; in societies with a sexual division of labor, marriage, and the resulting relationship between two people, is necessary for the formation of an economically productive household.

•          Common types of Family:

•          A conjugal family consists of one or more parents/guardians and their children. The most common form of this family is regularly referred to as a nuclear family.

•          A consanguineal family consists of a parent and his or her children, and other people. This kind of family is common where mothers do not have the resources to rear their children on their own.

•          A matrifocal family consists of a mother and her children. Generally, these children are her biological offspring, although adoption of children is a practice in nearly every society. This kind of family is common where women have the resources to rear their children by themselves, or where men are more mobile than women.

•          RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD

•          In relation to:

•          BIOLOGICAL PROCESS:

–        Knowledge and respect of their functions

–        Power of giving life (biological laws)

•         
In relation to:
TENDENCIES OF INSTINCT/PASSION

•          Necessary capacity which has to be followed through the use of reason and will

•          In relation to all other aspects of a person’s being:

•          Basically means to exercise decision to raise a family well and productively

•          Important notes:

•          Resposible parenthood should be God-centered

•          Spouses should recognize their duties toward God, i.e., bring the children closer to HIM.

•          Duites toward themselves, family and society (in correct priority of values)

•          Resposible Parenthood

•          -is the spirituality of the family

•          Spouses are gift for each other

•          At the heart of which we find God

•          GOD: source of love and life of the family

•          Resposible Parenthood

–        Should be guided by conscience.

•          Parenting should follow what God wants.

•          God’s will is manifested in their consciences.

•          Marriage is the wise institution of the Creator to realize mankind His design of love…(HV#8)

•          Resposible Parenthood

•          -is the MISSION of the family.

•          Includes respect of functions of the spouses and their role in promoting LIFE.

•          Family is sent “to bear fruit and have it to the full”

•          Mission of the Family:Transmit and promote LIFE!

•          Resposible Parenthood

•          The VOCATION to Marriage

–        The good of the children and the spouses is the focus of the goal of responsible parenthood.

•          -is a SERVICE OF LOVE

•          Service of serious commitment done by spouses before God and the church

•          Free exercise of love (Perfect model: Holy Family)

–        NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING

•          Means,the family planning methods approved by the Roman Catholic Church.

•          Excludes use of contraceptions

•          METHODS:

•          Three Types:

–        1.OBSERVATIONAL METHOD

•          Biological signs of fertility, uses body temperature

–        2.  STATISTICAL OR CALENDAR METHOD

•          Estimates as to when a woman is fertile

–        3.  LACTATIONAL AMENORRHEA METHOD

•          Natural post partum infertility during absence of menstruation and fully breastfeeding

•          THEOLOGY

•          Humanae Vitae: cites “physical, economic, psychological and social conditions to avoid pregnancies.

•          NFP should not be used for selfish, immoral or insincere reasons

•          ROLE OF THE LAITY IN SOCIETY

•          Generally the laity is expected to help in carrying out the mission of the Church in view of its moral obligation.  The laity should ensure that all the members of society are given fair treatment and see to it that justice is properly served in all aspects.