Scholarly evidence suggests that at the heart of the explosion of crime and delinquency in today’s world is the loss of the capacity of fathers and mothers to effectively care for the children they bring into the world. Even children who are having their physical and financial needs met continue to feel deprived, the main reason being “the basic and most important emotional need as a human being is to feel unconditionally loved and accepted” (Dr Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages). There must be at least one person to give us that unconditional love and acceptance and to believe in us especially during those crucial years of development.
With unimaginable technological advancements, a break-through in almost every aspect of science, and astonishing progress in all spheres of life isn’t it ironic that instead of man being elevated to a sense of peace and joy, stress and anxiety free, minimal crime, fewer diseases, improvement in morals and values, stronger family ties, and calm and order the exact opposite seem to be happening!
Where have we gone wrong?
Through various studies it has become abundantly clear that the majority (some say all) of married couples are finding their relationship and communication, to be more complex than generations gone by, so too are all other caregivers, single parents, unmarried couples, and guardians, all facing varied challenges. The world has become quite complex over the last thirty years and every one of us now has a responsibility to seek out information, guidance, and advice.
Within recent years an abundance of information has become available, but even so the experts all admit that no one has all the answers. It’s not about the destination, but the fascinating journey we must all embark upon in order to take it (our understanding of life) to the next level. To quote psychologist Sr Julie Peters at my son’s school, talking to the parents of his class, “If you the parents are not prepared to make any sacrifices and changes in your own life first, then don’t expect me to be able to make changes in your children’s life.” We all have to practice, replacing criticism with encouragement so the receiver could move on from a place of confidence and strength.
The unshakable reality
The unshakable reality is that the human person is made up of body, mind and spirit. Modern man’s gravest mistake is that he continues to feed and entertain the body and mind, leaving the spirit deprived and undernourished. The Teams of Our Lady teaches, that we all need healing, if only we would humble ourselves and resolve to do whatever is necessary to get the healing we need. If the policymakers in our present government are to effectively deal with the root causes of crime and delinquency, they must first concentrate on the issues concerning family life in all its various dimensions. Family life is the basic cell on which a society and a civilisation are built. There are many individuals and institutions ready and willing to contribute in these areas, the relevant ministry should assist and empower these institutions.
Teams of Our Lady is one such institution, they are a non-profit Catholic organisation supporting and encouraging couple relationship and family life. Teams are made up of over 500,000 people in 65 countries worldwide. Representatives from Ireland, South Africa, England, and Trinidad and Tobago recently attended a conference at Swanwick, England (CN, Nov 7). The success of this event is yet another clear indication that more and more people of varied nationalities and cultures are uniting; the barriers of race and “differences” are slowly tumbling down and are being replaced by respect and love. No one is without sin or fault, but let this not prevent us from continually making an effort in our daily lives by our words and actions, to stand up for what is right.
Let the change that we want to see begin with us.
For more information please contact our expansion couple Sheldon and Nicole at 745-0951 or 460-0274 or Christine at 384-1657 or email them at njjohn24@gmail.com or christinepgonsalves@gmail.com. – Dwight and Christine Gonsalves
