In the evening of Tuesday, June 17th, 2025, at St Dominic’s RC Church, Morvant, just off the Lady Young Road, the Archdiocesan Family Life Commission (AFLC) facilitated  a session focused on Fathering. This session is part of AFLC’ Children Are Gift programme. This initiative was specially organised by the LMPA Youth Council in Collaboration with the LMPA Men’s ministry as part of the Council’s bi-monthly Parents Stakeholders Meeting, highlighting the intentional partnership between youth and adults in supporting parents within the parish.

Darendra Boodram, Programme Coordinator at AFLC, facilitated the session, opening with an engaging icebreaker called Emotional Jenga. Participants were invited to share personal stories connected to the emotion they pulled, whether memories of their own father or their experiences as fathers themselves. While some admitted to initial hesitation, the activity helped break the ice. “Sometimes it’s good to talk,” one participant shared, reflecting the group’s growing openness.

The vulnerability created in this moment set the tone for the next segment: powerful testimonies. Taye Coryatt, Programme Officer at AFLC, along with Tamia Cropper and Savann Phillip from the parish, each offered reflections on their experiences of fatherhood from the perspective of a child. Though varied in detail, the testimonies shared a common theme, the profound impact a father has on a child’s life, whether through presence or absence.

The men were then invited to reflect on what resonated with them, drawing connections to their own fathers and their roles as fathers today. Insights shared included:

• “My father was still helpful even when he wasn’t physically there.”
• “It really does take a community to raise a child.”
• “Fathers need to take more responsibility and lead the home.”
• “We need to return to grounding children in values, morals, and virtues.”

Some participants spoke honestly about striving not to follow in their father’s footsteps, determined instead to be the example they once lacked.

The session concluded with these heartfelt contributions, underlining the vital role of fathering in the emotional and spiritual development of children.

This event offered just a glimpse into the Children are Gift programme, which also explores topics such as self-care for parents, discipline vs punishment, spiritual planning for family life, stages of development, and more.

For more information on the AFLC, contact 299-1047 or 372-0478, or email aflc.pc@catholictt.org.