Healthy Families Foster Healthy Society

Feb. 11, 2024

Today is World Marriage Day. Christopher West, one of the leading teachers of the Theology of the Body, has commented that as the family goes, so goes society, and as marriage goes, so goes the family. Although there will always be individuals who struggle in terms of personal development, all individuals have a much better chance to grow and develop into healthy, productive human beings if they grow up in a healthy and intact family. For that reason, it is one of the responsibilities of the Church to strengthen and support both families and marriages.
   
The Church offers marriage preparation programs such as Engaged Encounter and Natural Family Planning classes. For those already married, she offers Marriage Encounter, which is a marriage enrichment program, and for couples who are struggling, she offers a program called Retrouvaille. Through Catholic Charities, the Church provides counseling for couples and for families who are struggling with addictions and mental illness and other issues. Every priest meets with couples and individuals who are struggling in their marriages and their individual lives.

Each of us is aware of marriages and families that are hurting and struggling. Most of these cannot afford to pay for counseling and therapy. As a society, we need to make resources available for those who need them. Promoting healthy attitudes towards sexuality is needed, as well, as in a society that is drowning in a sea of pornography and promiscuity.
   
We all know that marriage and the family are in great crisis in our country. Anything we can do to give them support needs to be done.
   
Finally, we must pray. Husbands and wives pray with and for each other. Parents, pray for your kids. Kids, pray for your parents. And if we know any couple or family that is hurting, let us pray for them.
—Fr. Mike Comer

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