On the evening of Tuesday, June 17, the Archdiocesan Family Life Commission (AFLC) hosted a session on Fathering at St Dominic’s RC Church, Morvant, just off the Lady Young Road.

This event was part of AFLC’s ‘Children Are Gift’ programme and was specially organised by the Laventille Morvant Pastoral Area (LMPA) Youth Council in collaboration with the LMPA Men’s Ministry. It formed part of the Council’s bi-monthly Parents’ Stakeholders Meeting and highlighted the intentional partnership between youth and adults in supporting parents in the parish.

Darendra Boodram, Programme Coordinator at AFLC, facilitated the session and began with an engaging icebreaker activity called Emotional Jenga. Participants took turns pulling blocks, each tied to a particular emotion, and shared personal stories connected to those feelings—memories of their own fathers or their experiences as fathers.

While some initially hesitated, 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, offered reflections on their own experiences of fatherhood—each from the perspective of a child.

Though varied in detail, the testimonies shared a common theme: the profound impact a father’s presence—or absence can have on a child’s life.

The men were then invited to reflect on what resonated with them and draw 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.”

Several participants also spoke honestly about striving not to follow in their father’s footsteps—determined to become the kind of father they once lacked.

The session concluded with heartfelt contributions that underlined the vital role of fatherhood in the emotional and spiritual development of children.

This event was a glimpse into the broader ‘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.