Rencontre Internationale de Formation sur "La Formation CVX"
(Bouake -
Côte d'Ivoire - Aout 1996)
Les CVX de l'Afrique Francophone se sont reunie
à Bouake (Côte d'Ivoire), du 22 au 30 aout 1996 pour un
Rencontre International sur la Formation CVX.
Les resolutions elaborées à Bouake
constituent un "plan de quatre anns" pour les
communautés de l'Afrique Francophone. Un premier compte rendu
sera fait a Bonamoussadi en aout 1997 à l'occasion de la RIF sur
la Famille, et un autre pendant l'Assemblée Gnénérale Itaici
98, à la reunión Pan-Africaine. L'evaluation finale aura lieu
l'an 2000.
DIAGNOSTIC DES COMMUNAUTÉS
CVX-Burkina Faso
La CVX-Burkina est encore à ses débuts, avec
un seul groupe d'étudiants au stade de pré-communauté. Les
points critiques sont: La précarité du groupe d'étudiants dont
les membres peuvent se disperser et la connaissance insuffisante
du charisme et de la vocation CVX. D'où le risque d'un
ralentissement de la croissance du groupe et même de la
disparition du groupe.
CVX-Côte d'Ivoire
La CVX-Côte d'Ivoire est solidement établie depuis plus de sept ans, avec sept groupes. Les points critiques soulevés par la délégation sont:
Mobilité des accompagnateurs (tous religieux), manque d'accompagnateurs laïcs et la résidence temporaire de certains membres (étudiants, étrangers). D'où le risque du ralentissement de la croissance individuelle et des groupes, pas de continuité dans l'accompagnement.
Manque de programme de formation clairement défini, avec des objectifs précis (étalés sur plusieurs années, si possible) et adapté à chaque niveau de croissance. D'où le risque d'une sclérose individuelle et communautaire. Régression de la communauté.
Manque d'accompagnement spirituel et d'aide au
discernement de la vocation à la fin de l'étape d'accueil.
D'où le risque d'une perte de l'esprit CVX et de l'importance de
la vocation.
CVX-Cameroun
La CVX-Cameroun compte 10 groupes bien établis (6 à Yaoundé, 3 à Douala et 1 à Bafoussam). D'autres groupes sont en train de se former. Les points critiques soulevés par la délégation sont:
Manque d'amour centré sur le Christ. Domination des liens établis par affinités ethniques ou des intérêts particuliers. Attachements des anciens aux fonctions particulières. Refus d'interchangeabilité quand cela est nécessaire. D'où le risque de tribalisme.
La non-application du processus d'admission des
membres, avec le risque de la perte de vue du charisme CVX,
entraînant la paralysie du groupe.
CVX-Lubumbashi
La CVX-Lubumbashi est une de plus anciennes de l'Afrique francophone, affiliée a la CVX-mondiale dès 1990. Les points critiques soulevés par la délégation sont:
L'inexistence d'un cadre d'accueil et d'introduction au style de vie CVX. Constitution de clubs d'amis et d'affinité fraternelle. D'où le risque du manque de sérieux de la vie des membres, et d'un engagement incohérent.
La crise socio-économique et politique rend difficile la participation à la vie CVX (assiduité aux réunions, c'est-à-dire ponctualité, fréquence, régularité... de même pour les autres rencontres...).
Le manque de rigueur dans la coordination et le
suivi des activités communautaires par l'ExCo-régional. D'où
le risque de s'installer dans la routine : le magis en
sera affecté; tiédeur, froideur, voire extinction de la
dimension apostolique.
CVX-Kinshasa
La CVX-Kinshasa est plus récente. Elle s'est développée grâce à la présence de quelques membres provenant de Lubumbashi et l'appui du scolasticat Pierre Canisius de la Compagnie de Jésus. Les points critiques soulevés par la délégation:
L'accompagnement des groupes tel qu'il est assuré actuellement par les scolastiques pose beaucoup de problèmes en raison du fait de leur jeunesse, de leur inexpérience, de leur trop grande mobilité, de la priorité qu'ils accordent à leurs études et parfois de leur manque de maturité affective. D'où le risque de voir la formation des communautés perturbée.
Dans sa structure actuelle, l'Exco n'est pas en
mesure de percevoir les grands problèmes des commu-nautés
locales. L'Exco risque de se voir totalement coupé des
réalités de la communauté régionale.
CVX- Madagascar
La CVX-Madagascar a fait partie de la
Congrégation Mariale et dès 1967 de la CVX. Elle a 13.000
membres adultes, 4.000 Jeunes. D'après la délégation, les
points critiques qui font qu'elle reste un mouvement de masse
dont le style de vie CVX n'est pas suffisamment visible sont: le
manque de formation CVX, car il n'y a pas assez de formateurs; le
manque de retraites, le manque de finance pour la formation; et
l'Assistant Ecclésiastique, un seul pour toute l'île, qui n'a
pas de temps pour la CVX. Les formateurs des jeunes ne semblent
pas s'intéresser aux Exercices spirituels et, en conséquence,
ne les font pas. Le risque existe que la CVX restera un mouvement
de masse, faisant un grand bien au pays, mais bien différent de
la CVX.
LIGNES D'ACTION
Certains points, tels que le manque
d'accompagnateurs spirituels et de guides laïcs, le manque d'une
vraie connaissance du charisme CVX et de structures d'accueil
solides, ainsi que de programmes de formation bien structurés
ont été indiqués par plusieurs communautés nationales. Les
points soulevés par chaque pays dans leur diagnostic ont porté
sur la définition de certaines lignes d'action. Voici le
résumé:
Accueil - Premières années
Premier contact avec la CVX: C'est important que chaque membre CVX s'intéresse à la faire connaître dans le milieu social, de travail et d'Église où il vit, et qu'il soit capable d'expliquer le charisme et la mis-sion CVX. La communauté locale pourrait offrir des sessions d'initiation à la CVX. Il faudrait inter-viewver individuellement tous ceux qui désirent faire partie du groupe et remplir une fiche d'information.
Groupe d'accueil ou pré-communauté: il
revient à chaque communauté locale de l'organiser: avec un
guide-coordinateur; inspiré par le Principe et Fondement; dans
un climat de confiance mutuelle; veillant à ce que les relations
entre les membres soient fondées toujours plus dans le Christ;
organisant des activités communautaires, des retraites et des
projets apostoliques; le groupe se transformera ainsi,
graduellement, en une communauté de foi, en une communauté
apostolique.
Connaissance de la CVX
Présenter clairement les éléments
fondamentaux de la CVX, les objectifs et les moyens pour les
atteindre.
Objectif: un mouvement des fidèles chrétiens qui, grâce aux Exercices Spirituels, développent l'amitié avec le Christ et font des options qui les portent au choix de la vocation; ils forment une communauté apostolique, qui les aide à vivre selon leur mission individuelle et commune. Les moyens spécifiques de la CVX: un 'programme' bien structuré selon des étapes; une expérience toujours plus profonde des 'Exercices'; les 'réunions' dans lesquelles on pratique toujours mieux la révision de vie individuelle et communautaire; 'l'accompagnement personnel'.
N.B.: La réunion: étant
donnée son importance pour la formation des individus et du
groupe, a été l'objet d'une série de lignes d'action
séparée, que nous ne pouvons pas présenter ici par manque
d'espace.
Formation des accompagnateurs laïcs
Offrir des Journées de formation ayant trait à:
a) la spiritualité ignatienne pour
mieux comprendre l'identité CVX; la psychologie humaine
pour aider à mieux connaître soi-même et les autres, et à
mieux écouter et dialoguer; la Bible et la doctrine
chrétienne pour aider à une vie chrétienne intégrée.
b) Retraites annuelles de 8 jours et
dans la vie courante;
c) engagement et mission apostolique; suivant un cheminement graduel, évalué et discerné par la propre
communauté.
Lignes d'action de la CVX-Madagascar
a) Elire 18 laïcs des bureaux CVX-adultes et
CVX-jeunes au niveau national, diocésain et régional, et leur
donner une formation approfondie au style de vie CVX.
b) Promouvoir l'interchangeabilité des deux
aumôniers dans l'animation des retraites données aux 18 laïcs
dégagés.
c) Engager plus de membres CVX dans la
préparation aux sacrements (Baptême, Première Communion,
Confirmation et Mariage).
d) Solliciter les religieuses de Spiritualité
ignatienne pour qu'elles animent des retraites données aux
autres membres CVX (différents des 18 laïcs mentionnés
ci-dessus).
Rencontre International de Formation
sur "La Famille"
(Bonamoussadi - Cameroun - Août 1997)
I. PERCEPTION DES BESOINS FONDAMENTAUX
Le travail en ateliers s'articulait autours de la question suivante:
"En tenant compte des domaines humain,
social et ecclésial, sélectionnez quatre besoins ressentis
comme fondamentaux."
La mise en commun en plénière a donné les
besoins fondamentaux suivants:
1. besoin d'être écouté
2. besoin d'encadrement des jeunes pour une
éducation à la vie sociale et chrétienne (aumôneries)
3. bien clarifier le sens des trois formes de
mariage par lesquelles nous sommes sollicités (traditionnel,
civil, religieux) pour ne pas les banaliser.
4. prise en compte, accompagnement, aide
matérielle à d'autres formes de vie familiale (fille mères,
célibataires, divorcés, veuves)
5. besoin de connaissances spécifiques et
attitude pour une parenté responsable (vie familiale, sexuelle,
juridique, psycho-pédagogique)
6. besoin que la femme s'accepte comme mère et
épouse; que l'homme prenne conscience de ses responsabilités
spécifiques (être présent au foyer...)
7. comprendre que le mariage est une vocation,
une voie de sanctification.
8. être de plus en plus capable d'exprimer et de partager la vie avec tous les membres de la famille dans une relation d'amour intense et de service, à l'image du Christ:
- ne pas se considérer comme le centre du monde,
- accepter les différences et s'accepter soi-même,
- gestion des conflits, des difficultés, du
bonheur.
9. que la prière et l'écoute de la parole de
Dieu soient au coeur de la vie familiale et aide à la façonner
en se laissant guider par Dieu.
Dong-Hanh
Vietnamese Companions of
Jesus
Final Document
Annual Gathering - New Orleans
(December 27 - 31, 1997)
Since 1981, every year, the Vietnamese
Companions of Jesus (VCJ) gathers, at the end of the year, for an
evaluation of the year and a renewal of the programs our
association undertakes. This year we wanted to do a thorough
evaluation and clearer reformulation of our activities. More than
100 participants were present. Despite the great numbers the
gathering was able to work out this final document thanks to the
preparatory document prepared by a small team three months
earlier, in Montreal.
Purpose of the New Orleans gathering:
To better understand our calling and mission.
To become "one mind and heart"
in our service.
The document contains four areas:
I. Dong-Hanh Executive Council (ExCo)
Tasks: Promote a stronger sense of belonging
to Dong-Hanh and an understanding of its identity. Encourage
members of the ExCo to work together on different projects; call
upon the ExCo to foster better relations with the local groups.
Use the Dong-Hanh newsletter more effectively as a means to
communicate to our members. Communicate our financial needs
better. Reach out to the poor. Improve and strengthen our prayer
life and faith.
II. Formation and Research
Tasks: Promote the Dong-Hanh way of life and its stages.
Encourage the desire among themselves to engage further in the Dong-Hanh way of life.
Recognize the need for discernment on how to do service according to Ignatian criteria.
Make available the means for learning the
Dong-Hanh way of life.
III. Youth Ministry
Tasks: Know and understand who they are.
Accept the youth as they are.
Have a close relationship with Christ.
IV. Family Ministry
Tasks: Promote more understanding and acceptance of the Dong-Hanh way of life.
Recognize family as the highest priority of the couples.
Re-discover Jesus' presence in our family life so that we can better love and raise our children.
Prepare couples for family life.
I. DONG-HANH EXCO
Our ideal and working spirit: With a desire
to serve our entire Dong-Hanh (DH) community more effectively in
the new organizational structure and in the spirit of teamwork,
the Executive Council (ExCo) of Dong-Hanh would like to propose
the following lines of action for the coming years.
1. Promote a stronger sense of belonging to
Dong-Hanh and an understanding of its identity.
Critical Situation: Some of the local
groups have been journeying with DH for many years but still have
not understood the purpose of Dong-Hanh and its main tasks. As a
result, the local groups hardly participate in the activities or
projects proposed by the ExCo; members of the local groups have
no idea of where the DH community is going; members of the local
groups are confused about their goals, divided among themselves,
and may eventually leave Dong-Hanh.
Lines of Action: The ExCo, with
cooperation of the regional and local leaders, will utilize all
available means of communication, such as gatherings, newsletter
and publications, e-mails, web sites, etc., to share and channel
information about our goals and identity to the local groups.
Purpose: Promote DH's goals and identity
to the whole Dong-Hanh community.
2. Encourage members of the ExCo to work
together on different projects; call upon the ExCo to foster
better relations with the local groups.
Critical Situation: Although the new
organizational structure has allowed us to work together more
effectively, members of the ExCo still need to contact and
communicate with one another and with the membership at large
more often. The ExCo also needs to visit the local groups more
frequently; otherwise, it could lead to the following situation:
active ExCo members will get burned out without the support of
the large body, and other local members will feel left out if
they do not have the chance to get involved; discrimination and
disunity may arise; members of the local groups may feel distant
and indifferent about what's going on in Dong-Hanh.
Lines of Action: After each gathering in
the region or the completion of a major project by a committee,
there should be an evaluation to share with one another the grace
and experience received in a true spirit of understanding and
constructive criticism. Members of the ExCo should also work
together by becoming engaged in different projects in order to
understand and support one another more.
Purpose: To build up the spirit of
teamwork throughout the entire Dong-Hanh community.
3. Use the Dong-Hanh newsletter more
effectively as a means to communicate to our members.
Critical Situation: As of today, the
Dong-Hanh newsletter has not been an effective means for the ExCo
to keep members in-sync on the identity and goal of the entire
Dong-Hanh community; neither has it been a source of formation
materials for local groups; thus, the local groups do not feel
the need of the newsletter; the local groups are not aware of the
activities and other news in Dong-Hanh; the local groups do not
contribute much in writings or in financial support to the
newsletter; the newsletter itself eventually becomes monotonous
since it only contains personal shadings;
Lines of action:
Form a team of contributing editors to help communicate the direction and agenda of the entire Dong-Hanh community to the local groups, and also to improve the contents of the newsletter.
Contact with the local groups asking them to
write and share about their local activities.
Purpose: To make the Dong-Hanh
newsletter become a more effective means to help the local groups
to keep informed about the entire Dong-Hanh community. For the
Dong-Hanh newsletter to become a bridge, building connections
among all local groups.
4. Communicate our financial needs better.
Critical Situation: Though many have
been responding very generously, the majority of the Dong-Hanh
community still have not fully grasped our financial needs; thus,
they do not fully participate in the fund-raising activities of
DH. As a result, Dong-Hanh is financially weak and may not
continue to be able: to offer training workshops, Spiritual
Exercises, and other retreats, to publish the Dong-Hanh
newsletter, to maintain the Internet server for communication, to
share with the Jesuit provinces some expenses of the
ecclesiastical assistant.
Lines of Action:
Short-term: through the help of the regional and local leaders, and other means of communication, i.e., newsletter, Internet, etc., we need to state clearly the purpose of our fund-raising, report regularly concerning the on-going activities of our fund raising committee.
Long-term: once members in the local groups
fully understand the reasons why we need their financial support
and what their contributions enable us to do, they will be more
willing to contribute. They will soon appreciate fund-raising as
part of their responsibility.
Purpose: To provide Dong-Hanh the
necessary financial means to continue its services.
5. Reach out to the poor.
Critical Situation: Only a few
individuals and local groups of Dong-Hanh have been engaged in
reaching out to the poor. This engagement with the poor needs to
be promoted more earnestly and widely in Dong-Hanh at large;
otherwise, the Dong-Hanh community could be misunderstood as
lacking an apostolic thrust, being insulated from the poor, and
labeled as a "closed and inwardly-focused" group.
Lines of Action: Encourage individual
members and local groups to make concrete efforts to reach out to
the poor. In the near future, the local groups or even the whole
Dong-Hanh community could consider making a long-term commitment
to work with the poor.
Purpose: To provide spiritual support to
and solidarity with the poor, the sick, the suffering, etc., and
to live the Gospel more authentically.
6. Improve and strengthen our prayer life
and faith.
Critical Situation: Most members of the
local groups have fostered a deeper spiritual life, and developed
strong bonding with one another. We see an urgent need, however,
to encourage scripture and theology study among our members in
order to improve and strengthen our faith and prayer life.
Otherwise, complacency may lead us to an undesirable situation,
in which, the local groups will remain static and do not grow
further; the local groups will eventually lose their identity.
We are also keenly aware of a situation, in
which only one or two members are able to go for training and
study, and then go home trying to educate the rest! We want to
avoid this situation because it may lead to divisions within the
group.
Lines of action: Dong-Hanh should
continue to provide workshops and resources for formation
training, theological study, and create more opportunities for
making the Spiritual Exercises, etc., as well as encourage the
members of local groups to make retreats together as a group.
Purpose: To deepen the spiritual and
faith life of our members, promote community, and through these
means, re-affirm the identity of the Dong-Hanh community.
II. FORMATION AND RESEARCH
Our ideal and working spirit: Being aware of
our human limitations, we are grateful to be called to share in
Christ's mission. With the help of the Holy Spirit as our source
of Strength, Hope, and Wisdom, we, the formation and research
team, would like to propose the following lines of action for the
coming years to respond to the rising needs of formation in
Dong-Hanh.
1. Promote the Dong-Hanh way of life and its
stages.
Critical Situation: The majority of
local groups are made up of those who encountered Jesus and one
another in one of the weekend retreats sponsored by local DH
members. Though the groups were formed quite quickly at the
beginning, members lack understanding of the group's identity,
the charism of Dong-Hanh, their relationship with the Dong-Hanh
community at large, and their need for on-going training. All of
these issues eventually cause the group to stop growing, or move
in circles, or even falter.
Other difficulties also appear in such groups.
They stay isolated and do not want to connect with other groups
either at the local or the national level. In addition, people
who bear responsibility in the group get burned out due to
overwork.
The training workshops, however, have to meet
the needs of members at various stages of development; otherwise,
members will unable to absorb the material, get frustrated, and
become discouraged.
As a result of the problems listed above, local
groups have not yielded much fruit and the entire Dong-Hanh has
not been able to advance for the greater glory of God.
Lines of Action: We ought to take advantage of all available resources to introduce the charism of Dong-Hanh to local groups. For example, by organizing training workshops according to the particular needs and growth levels of the local groups.
- providing materials on the Dong-Hanh way of life and explaining its road map to members.
- encouraging local members to share their lived experience in the Dong-Hanh way of life in the newsletter and on the Internet.
- helping to develop bonding among members of
local groups and the Dong-Hanh community at large through annual
gatherings, general assemblies, etc.
Purpose: To help members grow and
understand better the charism of Dong-Hanh.
2. Encourage the desire among themselves to
engage further in the Dong-Hanh way of life.
Critical Situation: There are many
different levels of commitment among the members in local groups.
Some come to the group only to find friendship and recreation;
some seek spiritual support for themselves; some wish to be
re-energized and get nourishment in order to serve other groups.
At the same time, there are some who desire to engage further in
the Dong-Hanh way of life. This desire is, however, hindered by
these differences. As a result, the various groups cannot become
more fully incorporated into the DH way of life, and go through a
cycle of ups and downs.
Lines of Action:
Give a clear orientation on the goal and purpose of Dong-Hanh to candidates before they join the group.
Invite and encourage all active members to make 5-8 day retreats rather than just weekend retreats, attend formation workshops and other gatherings in Dong-Hanh.
Remind those who desire to go further in
imitating Christ, to be patient with their group, to be humble
and willing to serve the other members.
Purpose: To help members in the group
discover and respond to God's call to become more incorporated in
the DH way of life.
3. Recognize the need for discernment on how
to do service according to Ignatian criteria.
Critical Situation:
Numbers of local groups and their members have good will and enthusiasm to engage in apostolic works, but do not know how to discern their works properly according to Ignatian criteria, thus, often it appears as if groups are proceeding according to their own perceptions rather than by the movement of the Spirit; due to lack of discernment their service often brings harm and conflict to the local parish and their own families.
Lack of understanding and communication between local groups and parish priests could lead to the following situations:
the local group is not well received in the parish;
their contributions to the parish life are not
as effective as it could be.
Lines of Action:
Provide training workshops to help members and groups learn how to discern their apostolic call and how to respond to it appropriately.
Promote local groups as well as the entire Dong-Hanh community to establish good public relations with the local priests and parishes.
Encourage local groups and their members to
actively participate in parish activities.
Purpose: To make our service more
effective, and build good rapport with priests, religious people,
and the people of God in the local church.
4. Make available the means for learning the
Dong-Hanh way of life.
Critical Situation: Those who desire to
engage further in our way of life do not have the necessary
means, such as spiritual direction, 5-8 day SpEx retreats, and
formation training, available for them at the local level. Thus,
they become easily discouraged.
Lines of Action:
DH needs to reach out and search for available resources in local areas or nearby cities, and inform the members about those resources. For example, if we know any religious or lay people in the local area who have made the full SpEx retreat and have engaged in spiritual direction, we can invite them to share their gifts with the local DH members.
Dong-Hanh also needs to look among its members
in local areas for those who have the desire and gifts to engage
in the ministry of the SpEx and spiritual direction, and provide
them the necessary training.
Purpose: Provide the means for further
growth and make available opportunities for enrichment and
training to members who thirst for more.
III. YOUTH MINISTRY
Our ideal and working spirit: With a desire
to help youth grow more in God's love and respond to this love
generously, we, the youth ministry team, would like to suggest
the following lines of action for the coming years.
1. Know and understand who they are.
Critical Situation: Many of the youth
today do not feel they belong to a group or a parish community in
which they can enjoy true friendship, learn more about human
values, and exercise their gifts. Hence, youth go out and look
for belonging and acceptance from their peers and friends, who
may lead them astray.
Lines of Action:
Assist and encourage youth to organize activities, such as picnics, sports, and community services, which help build friendship and develop relationship skills in open communication, teamwork, dialogue, and peer support.
Provide adequate formation training for their
guides, who are chosen from among youth themselves. Invite them
to join and help out in youth retreats, e.g., Come & See,
Ephata, etc.
Purpose: To create a safe and spiritual
environment for youth to hang around, and prepare them to meet
the challenges of the next millennium.
2. Accept the youth as they are.
Critical Situation: Many Vietnamese
youth living in North America today are having identity crises
due to the encounter of two different - and contradictory at
times - cultures. As a result, youth are easily pressured into
following the "trends" which sometimes lead to bad and
wrong choices in life.
Lines of Action: Create opportunities
for youth and their parents to meet, interact, and foster a good
parent-child relationship. Such activities can be family
recreation nights, local community service projects, or group
meetings at different members' house, so that parents can get to
know their children's friends in the group better.
Purpose: To breakdown the wall and
nourish a true understanding between parents and youth today.
3. Have a close relationship with Christ.
Critical Situation: In today's society, it is difficult for youth to grasp a true and loving image of God. Thus, their faith does not grow strongly and maturely in relationship with God, and can easily drift away later in life.
Lines of Action: Help youth to be more
aware of God's presence in their daily life by means of the SpEx
retreats, the groups, a daily examen, etc. If possible, we should
have some gatherings in Dong-Hanh that are devoted to youth only.
Purpose: To help youth discover the God
of Love and strengthen their relationship with God through their
own personal experiences.
IV. FAMILY MINISTRY
Our ideal and working spirit: With a desire
to use Ignatian Spirituality to assist families to grow in
holiness and happiness in family life, to discern God's will, to
live the Dong-Hanh way of life before and after marriage, and to
become an apostolic community, we, the family ministry team,
would like to propose the following lines of action for the
coming years.
1. Promote more understanding and acceptance
of the Dong-Hanh way of life.
Critical Situation: Though quite a few
of our members stopped their involvement in Dong-Hanh shortly
after getting married, there are many who still continue to
choose Dong-Hanh as their way of life. This life style, however,
is often not supported by their peers, they feel lonely and
eventually leave the community.
Lines of Action: Help our members to understand more clearly the Dong-Hanh way of life by:
offering workshop on CLC Charism,
encouraging families that have chosen the Dong-Hanh way of life and are currently growing in it to share their experience in the Dong-Hanh newsletter,
creating opportunities for families in
Dong-Hanh to meet and support each others.
Purpose: To help married couples
understand more thoroughly the Dong-Hanh way of life, so that, by
choosing it, they can enrich their family life.
2. Recognize family as the highest priority
of the couples.
Critical Situation: Many couples in
Dong-Hanh are overly zealous in their commitments with DH and
local parishes, and at times, lacking in the fulfillment of their
family responsibilities. That results in unhappiness and
resentment from other family members towards Dong-Hanh, and worst
of all, the breaking up of the family itself.
Lines of Action: Create opportunities
for family members in Dong-Hanh to learn the skill of discernment
to balance their apostolic work and family life. For example, DH
can offer a workshop or retreat that focuses on the communal
discernment process, in which the whole group can help
individuals look at the level of his/her commitment at a deeper
level.
Purpose: To remind ourselves to keep our
apostolic work and family life in balance.
3. Re-discover Jesus' presence in our family
life so that we can better love and raise our children.
Critical Situation: Some of our young
Catholic couples do not take time to discern and learn God's will
for them. They tend to work hard, have a busy schedule, and do
not spend enough time with their children. The children, in turn,
are not prepared well for a spiritual life and don't have a
loving image of God. They, at times, feel lonely and detached
from their own family. Family peace and harmony eventually
disappear.
Lines of action: Promote programs that
help families to get to know Jesus more intimately, and to learn
more about parenting in today's world, e.g., offering SpEx that
are devoted to families, seminars on family issues, picnics and
other outings for families.
Purpose: To help families experience
Jesus more deeply and share that experience together. To become
more intimate with Jesus, and learn to love each other like
Jesus. To help mend the broken relationships, heal the suffering
in the family, and bring the true love of God back in family
life.
4. Prepare couples for family life.
Critical Situation: Some couples before
getting married are not well prepared for their family life in
the Church.
Lines of Action: Organize various activities to help prefamily couples in both psychological and spiritual preparation . For example,
- be involved in their engaged-encounter program in the parish;
- organize short meetings in which couples can share real life experiences on family life;
- promote on Dong-Hanh newsletter topics that help prepare for family life;
- organize retreats that help young people
discern for vocation, especially to a family life.
Purpose: To help the couples fully understand the sacrament of matrimony before making the commitment.