​Family should be formed by daily conversation with God, says archbishop at prayer breakfast

Family should be formed by daily conversation with God, says archbishop at prayer breakfast

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of San Antonio held its second annual Archbishop’s Prayer Breakfast on May 5 at Oblate School of Theology’s Whitley Theological Center, with Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, MSpS, saying it was a blessing to prayerfully celebrate the spirit of service and faith and the common purpose of serving God by serving one another.

“At a moment of history in which the family is the object of numerous forces that seek to destroy it or in some way to deform it, and aware that the well-being of society and her own good are intimately tied to the good of the family, the church perceives in a more urgent and compelling way her mission of proclaiming to all people the plan of God for marriage and the family, ensuring their full vitality and human and Christian development, and thus contributing to the renewal of society and of the people of God,” he said.

The archbishop addressed the church’s response to the recent Supreme Court’s arguments about same-sex marriage; the division of refugee families in detention centers; the increase number of people living together without the benefit of marriage; the ever-increasing divorce rate; the devaluation of innocent life in the womb; poverty; and so much more.

However, he added that it may surprise most to know that these fears and challenges were presented by St. John Paul II in 1981, in his apostolic exhortation on the family, Familiaris Consortio.

More than three decades ago, St. John Paul II spoke of the family as a holy partnership, whose mission it is to create communities of life and love, built on a foundation of faith and moral values.

“Through the years since John Paul’s urgings, the term ‘family values’ has devolved from representing moral virtues to becoming only a political slogan. Some of those who carry the banner in the 21st Century have narrowed and even distorted its meaning, so much so that the family is prevented from becoming what God truly intended it to be, born in the love between husband and wife and nourished by faith,” Archbishop Gustavo cautioned. “Despite the rhetoric, many of our children have inadequate healthcare; mothers, sons, and daughters are detained in prisons in the name of border security; a living wage remains out of reach for many families; families still live with a limited choice to select the best education for their children; and the very foundation of faith and religious freedom continues to be under assault.”

The archbishop continued, “The values that should guide and define the family have instead been under assault and we have seen society’s attempt to redefine the family values that should shape it, contributing to the common good. The family has become a fragile institution divided by the passions and appetites of the individual. Surrounded by the rubble of broken truths, much of society advocates that the ‘Church is out of touch.’”

There are some who would say, “The church’s values are no more than a set of rules that restrict enjoyable life, limiting what you can and cannot do. It’s just a way to control the individual.”How can this attitude prevail? asked Archbishop Gustavo. “It is the church that pleads for love, life, and Holy Communion that will lead the family and society toward goals that are just and truly offer freedom that is grounded in truth.”

Speaking about the challenges that threaten to undermine the values central to the life of the family, Pope Francis addressed the societal and cultural pressures that shatter its hopes and dreams; tensions that truly strain the household and society.The Holy Father said, “While all too many people live in dire poverty, others are caught up in materialism and lifestyles which are destructive of family life and the most basic demands of Christian morality.”

The family is also threatened by growing efforts on the part of some to redefine the very institution of marriage, by relativism, by the culture of the ephemeral, by a lack of openness to life, the San Antonio prelate bemoaned.

“Real Christian Family Values begin with the recognition that it is in the family where we first encounter God, where we find that unconditional love is possible, and where we first learn to pray.The values that we learn and share with one another first teach us God’s plan for our lives and yes, for the church in the world,” emphasized the archbishop. “It is in the family where our children learn the life-long vocational value of contributing to society in a way that is truly a blessing. That is a family value that spills into a society that needs to encounter the goodness the family has to offer.”

Pope Francis encourages the faithful to go beyond their homes and care for brothers and sisters who are most in need. “Do not hide your faith, do not hide Jesus, but carry him into the world and offer the witness of your family life.”

“This is the living definition of the New Evangelization that the world needs,” stressed Archbishop Gustavo. “In this way family values light the fire of faith.”

Recently the Supreme Court heard arguments about same-sex marriage. Justice Anthony Kennedy, voicing his concern about changing the conception of marriage, said, “I don’t even know how to count the decimals when we talk about millennia.” He said, “This definition has been with us for millennia. And it’s very difficult for the court to say, ‘Oh, well, we know better.’”

While the archbishop welcomed and found hope in the justice’s words, he warned listeners that they must remember that the comments come in the context of a legal and social movement that shouts “I do know better”; ignoring the primacy of God’s will and his divine intention for mankind. “How can we presume to redefine a union of a man and wife ‘so holy a mystery that it symbolizes the marriage of Christ and his church,’” he asked.

Archbishop Gustavo then took a moment to recognize the heroic efforts he sees in single parent families today.

“So often, the parents of these broken families are left alone to be a profound reflection of the love and commitment that gives life to the family structure, while celebrating the blessing that children are to family life. Frequently we find them teaching us a daily lesson of the value and virtue of loving sacrifice within the family unit,” he said in praise. “It is not that they welcome the struggle, but they understand the need to live that struggle together. We can all learn from them that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we strengthen the bonds of the family, recognizing that each member of the family is a wondrous gift from God.”

When we speak of family values, said the Missionary of the Holy Spirit, we are also considering what the family values. “We value one another, the gifts each brings, the lessons they teach, the love they share, the faith they instill, the life they give. However,” he said, “We must also value the prayer that binds us to each other and to God.”

I know that it seems trite to say that “The family that prays together, stays together.” But does that mean that the power of prayer is also trite? the archbishop questioned. “The heart of the family is strengthened by the reality of God’s presence in our prayers in times of greatest joy and the deepest sadness. The family value of prayer is what allows it to be an example of holiness and the life of God’s grace.”

Alex Haley, the well-known author of Roots, the book and movie that celebrate the value of family once said, “In every conceivable manner, the family is a link to our past, and the bridge to our future.”

Archbishop Gustavo concluded, “On that basis let us be willing to never stop fighting to properly define and preserve true family values, creating a community of life, and making ‘A home for Jesus.’”

Keynote speaker at the gathering, which was sponsored by the Catholic Association of Latino Leaders, was David Bereit, founder of the 40 Days for Life pro-life organization.