By Mario Domingo
June 28 2022
THE third day of the WMOF was hosted by the Diocese of Keningau held live both on Facebook and via video conferencing Jun 24.
Immediately after the 7.00 pm Rosary prayer led by a Keningau family of six members, former teacher John Lainsin gave a catechesis on ‘Parents, Children and Grandparents’. The light and humorous input got the audience on their feet to stay engaged.
Grandparents
The input reminded and recharged them to look at each other’s role, especially on respecting and taking care of the elderlies, who are our teachers and protectors, for that is how and what we would come to be in due time.
Parents
Lainsin acknowledged that young couples intending to tie the knot are now in predicament in doing so due to socio-economic factors influenced by the current world situation.
As parents, we are called to love and to live our calling of a married couple as a model of peace by learning to forgive, to accept shortcomings and be more open to our children.
Lainsin reminded that the characteristic of God is both masculine and feminine, father and mother exhibiting firmness with a touch of softness and caring. Parents with the combination of firmness and gentleness will connect better with the children.
He also reminded the audience the golden rule of never comparing your children with others’ whatever the circumstances.
He gave a timeless advice especially to fathers to “be always present” to your children as they need the physical presence of a father figure to draw security, support and love.
To be physically present is to be attentive and to listen to the children. “You might get a pleasant surprise and learn one or two things from them instead,” suggested the speaker.
Children
Children will emulate what they see, hear and experience from their parents, remembering the biblical wisdom of “sowing what we reap”.
To the children, Lainsin underlined, “Children show their acceptance of their parents or family by being grateful that you were born into your family”. He explained “We are intended by God to be in our own family and it is not for us to choose but to appreciate God’s intended plan for our life”.
The next catechesis was in the form of a personal testimony. Catechist Celestina Abel, 65, single mother for 10 years, with 13 children and 27 grandchildren gave her testimony. She underscored “Mother is the bearer of life and a witness of Godly gentleness and kindness to the children”.
Celestine continued, when there is a problem in the family, they would sit together to resolve it while it is still in the bud. She provides guidance to the children in times of trouble and despair.
When asked by moderator Nancy Joneh if she had encountered any problem commanding respect as a single mother from her own children or grandchildren, she answered “Never once there is disrespect coming from any one of them! They love me as I love them. They accept me for who I am and they can see how they are being brought up. My greatest happiness and reward is my children and grandchildren.”
Didiroy Joneh, Kekitaan FM manager representing the youths shared the third catechesis. He was asked to share on Pope Francis’ three magic words “I am sorry”, “Thank you” and “May I”, words that are too often being neglected in expressing in the family.
To Didiroy these three little words are synonymous to his family, having been habitual expressions in the family for as young as he could recall.
One lesson he has never forgotten, which left a lasting impression in his life was when his elder sister said to him ‘If you ever need help, why not you say so? Nobody would know when you need help, if you don’t ask for it!
Although ‘Thank You’ is a common word, reminded Didiroy, and in fact we should thank God every day in our prayers, we should do likewise and say “Thank you” to family members whenever required.
Didiroy opined the word ‘Sorry’ is really hard to say because of our ego. “These three magic words expressed by our Holy Father are of utmost importance in families, though hard to say but never too late to practise,” concluded the speaker.
Meanwhile Bishop Cornelius Piong, as the speaker for the fourth catechesis in the panel for the third day summed up in a nutshell “Everything begins in the family”, and “in order to sustain its institution, its members must not be swayed or influenced by the worldly affairs, but instead should be based on the will and plan of God”.
The Keningau prelate, concerned about the influence of worldly trend of so-called ‘human rights’ claiming that ‘my body my rights’ on abortion by certain movements on our society or families, underlined “This dangerous and psychotic influence hurts the family badly and goes against the will of God and the basics of truth. For without God, who are we?”
He highlighted the Pope’s concern on the state of our families’ affairs today, and that the Church sees the 10th WMOF with the pastoral theme ‘Family Love: A Vocation and a Path to Holiness’ as an occasion to strengthen and to build up the family institution.
He added “But not just occasionally; it must be a daily affair, offered in faith, unity and loyalty to the family unceasingly as a way to counter worldly influences and value.”
The bishop gave a striking example of couples preparing for their marriage celebration where they fail to get their priorities right, namely, coming very late for their wedding Mass with the lame reason of being held at the beauty parlour; spending extravagantly on wedding showers and receptions when compared to the little or no spiritual preparation time.”
In summing up the four catecheses by the panel of speakers, Lainsin stressed that we are all children with various roles and functions, living in harmony and dependent of the father and mother. We belong to a family, where there is forgiveness and love. We live in union and in love, where we learned in our own family since we were still a child.
We are all loved, called and chosen by God even before we were born.
Lainsin tied up the virtual session with a succinct reminder to the audience to “think of your parents while they are still alive and with you presently. Hold, embrace and love them while you still can. Don’t wait till the day when they are called home to the Lord”.
The session closed with prayer led by Bishop Cornelius at 9.30 pm before handing the WMOF back to the host, Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu.
