Where it all Begins.
According to Antonio Gaspari of the Zenit News Agency, “A Holy See representative is encouraging youth to clear away the clouds covering Europe, and reopen the continent to transcendent values.” The prelate Monsignor Aldo Giordano made the call at a Holy Mass marking the end of a contest organized by the Italian Movement for Life. The theme of the contest was “Europe and Human Rights: We Youth as Protagonists.”
In the contemporary world of today, the above call cannot be more urgent and necessary. The Church is obviously worried about the moral judgment of the secular world. The moral relativism of the modern society is a sure cause for worry. Yet this plague may not really be cured if families of the world do not imperatively and consciously fight societal moral denigration. Even as the Prelate has mentioned, one of the modern evils that plagues our society of today is materialism. An undue emphasis on what pleasure and the likes can offer is at the root of moral bankruptcy of the contemporary society. With it also goes the twin evil of unchecked liberalism and irresponsible freedom, all in the name of having one be master of oneself.
How does the family come here? In Europe and America, (also in some parts of Africa – Where modernity is being grossly misapplied), the upbringing of children has become some of sort of irresponsibility of love and adoration. I really mean that for the most part, many a parent do not take time to really identify and firmly uphold what is good for a their child. The maxim seems to be, the child must be given whatever it craves for. This, to me is a misrepresentation of responsible parent hood. The story is that many a child leads their parents, instead of vice versa. Moral education and character formation is the primary task of the parents. When parents, out of whatever norm cannot really bring their children (at least from their earliest days of life), there is bound to be lopsidedness of general morality. Government enactment has nothing to do with this.
In the contemporary world of today, the above call cannot be more urgent and necessary. The Church is obviously worried about the moral judgment of the secular world. The moral relativism of the modern society is a sure cause for worry. Yet this plague may not really be cured if families of the world do not imperatively and consciously fight societal moral denigration. Even as the Prelate has mentioned, one of the modern evils that plagues our society of today is materialism. An undue emphasis on what pleasure and the likes can offer is at the root of moral bankruptcy of the contemporary society. With it also goes the twin evil of unchecked liberalism and irresponsible freedom, all in the name of having one be master of oneself.
How does the family come here? In Europe and America, (also in some parts of Africa – Where modernity is being grossly misapplied), the upbringing of children has become some of sort of irresponsibility of love and adoration. I really mean that for the most part, many a parent do not take time to really identify and firmly uphold what is good for a their child. The maxim seems to be, the child must be given whatever it craves for. This, to me is a misrepresentation of responsible parent hood. The story is that many a child leads their parents, instead of vice versa. Moral education and character formation is the primary task of the parents. When parents, out of whatever norm cannot really bring their children (at least from their earliest days of life), there is bound to be lopsidedness of general morality. Government enactment has nothing to do with this.
Dear Fr. Robert,
ReplyDeleteI found your blog very thought provoking. The youths all over the world will surely draw inspiration from you thoughts. Moved by the Life Giving Spirt of Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, we shall clear "the clouds" of error and false hope so that the splendour of Truth will shine forth for the glory of the Lord.
Our Lady Queen of Apostle, pray for us.
Owa