| Join Us! |
|
| Upcoming LMF Centre Events |
|
Respect Life Sunday
11 October
|
|
|
| Issue VIII |
September 2009 |
|
Dear friends,
Welcome to the September edition of LMF News. Each September on father's day we recall all that our fathers have done for us so this edition is a bit of a father's edition. We have included several articles and videos about the importance and role of fathers.
Too often we see the role of fathers diminished or not even really understood. The article "Why Father's Count" shows some of the reasons in social data why the influence of a father is so vital in the life of children. The video just below "I'll Need You Dad" is really beautiful as is "The Patience of a Father". There is also a prayer for fathers which can be downloaded and printed.
Father's need support and encouragment. If we consider the diminshed role of mothers on the eyes of modern society then spare a thought for dad's who work so hard for their families. Perhaps you can forward this newsletter onto a couple of dad's you might know (the 'forward to a friend' button is just above in the left column).
We would also draw your attention to the growing list of weblinks in the left colum at the bottom.
Well that's all from us. We hope you enjoy this month's newsletter. As always we apprecaite your feedback, lmfnews@sydneycatholic.org.
Wishing God's choicest blessings upon all the fathers.
The Life, Marriage and Family Centre Team |
|
I'll Need You Dad |
|
|
What Children Really Need From Their Dads
|
|
Are "Men's Magazines" Ok? |
|
|
Lusting In The Heart
Mary Beth Bonacci - Well, spring is in the air. The days are longer. The weather is (almost) warmer. And the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue has hit the newsstands. I thought I'd take a few minutes to chat about that third aspect of spring.  Year after year, I talk to otherwise "good" Catholics who see nothing wrong with the Swimsuit Issue. These same people extol the virtue of chastity and decry the prevalence of pornography; and yet they seem to see it as little more than harmless fun for a man to fill his brain with images of the provocatively dressed, provocatively posed, unrealistically perfect women who grace the pages of the Swimsuit Issue. So what's wrong with it?
|
|
Serve Christ...Grow in Faith...Change the World |
|
|
The world needs men and women with a clear vision, ready to develop their talents and carry forward the mission of Christ into all walks of life. This year the Archdiocese of Sydney will host the 3rd Youth Leader's Formation Course. This is a one month live-in experience  from 23 November to 19 December at the Benedict XVI Retreat Centre in Grose Vale.
Over the course participants will receive daily presentations on various aspects of the faith, leadership and witnessing to the world. They will be involved in a parish mission, participate in a silent retreat and engage in a day of social outreach. There will be daily opportunities for private and group prayer and many new friendships to be built with the others young adults.
This is an experience that transforms lives!
|
|
Five Myths on Fathers and Family |
|
|
Keep an Eye Out for These In Australia
Bradford Wilcox - With Father's Day almost upon us, expect a host of media stories on men and family life. Some will do a good job of capturing the changes and  continuities associated with fatherhood in contemporary America.
But other reporters and writers will generalize from their own unrepresentative networks of friends and family members, try to baptise the latest family trend, or assume that our society is heading ceaselessly in a progressive direction.
So be on the lookout this week for stories, op-eds, and essays that include these five myths on contemporary fatherhood and family life. Read the Five Myths Here.
|
|
Thought of the Month |
|
There is no more vital calling
or vocation for men than fathering
John R. Throop
|
|
Your Aging Parent |
|
|
Looking After Mum or Dad
For most of us there will be a time when we need to look after our aging parents or provide varying degrees of care for them. Although we love our parents and they  have given us everything, caregiving is a difficult and stressful experience for many.
There is a website YourAgingParent.com which is designed for adult children caring for an adult but most of the material also applies if you are helping your spouse, or assisting a child or sibling with special needs, or a friend of family member.
The site is full of resources both practical and spiritual, and well worth a look. You will find a list of the basic general topics here but there are also some good spirituality topics here.
|
|
The Patience of a Father |
|
|
A Short Film
This is a five minute short film made in Greece. It has very few words but it is a beautiful story about the patience and love of a father for his son.
|
|
Why Father's Count |
|
|
The Social Science of 'Father Absence'
Often we do not appreciate something until it is gone and it is similar with fathers and fathering. Social Science shows that far from being an optional extra fathers play an irreplacable role that the effects their children in income, physical and mental health, sexual activity and a host of other social indicators.
It has been estimated that the cost of fatherlessness in Australia is over 13 billion dollars per year.
The following webpage is from the 'Fathers For Good' website which is an initiative for men run by the Knights of Columbus. While the data is from various American studies, it paints a vivid picture of the way in which fathers can make or break the future of a child.
|
|
Loving Each Other More |
|
|
Be the Best You Can Be...Together
Couples who stay successfully and happily married have made marriage their mission. They choose not to just 'settle down' and coast along, but to actively keep growing in their relationship.
 Everyday experience tells us that men and women are different. These differences can leave us frustrated and mystified or they can be the source joy and passion.
If you are in a solid, loving marriage, and are looking to advance your relationship, you might be interested in joining hundreds of couples who have attended 'CelebrateLove'.
In two packed days, learn some of the most up-to-date ideas and skills on offer and, in the process, rediscover the joy of being a man and woman in love.
Marriage doesn't have to be all hard work-learn to celebrate your differences and be the best you can be...together!
|
|
A Prayer for Dad's to Pray |
|
|
A man who is a husband and father has been given a special task to protect and guide his family. Every father on earth is meant to be an imitation of God the Father and to  love with the heart of Christ.
This requires prayer; all of us need that communion with God to be able to carry out our vocations to the best of our ability.
The role of being a father is not always an easy task. So we offer a prayer for fathers to pray. You will notice on the sheet there are four copies of the prayer...that is so you can pass a copy to other dad's as well!
Download the prayer here.
|
|
My Sister's Keeper |
|
|
How Much Are We Entitled to Use One Another?
Jennifer Roback Morse - The use and misuse of artificial reproductive technology (ART) is a subject that deserves more attention than it commonly gets. My Sister's Keeper is a thought-provoking dramatization of one of the most troubling ethical issues of the ART industry: the creation of "savior siblings".
 The premise of the story is that one child in the family has a virulent form of leukemia. The mother devotes herself completely to saving the life of this daughter, Kate. The search for tissue donors fails. Their doctor suggests, strictly off the record of course, that they could have another child, designed to be a perfect donor match for the critically ill sister. So, the movie begins with a voice-over flash-back from Anna, the savior sibling. She describes herself as a "designer baby", but this is probably not exactly accurate. It suggests that the doctors were somehow able to manipulate her genes in order to make her the perfect match for her sister. More likely, the doctors would have created a number of embryos, tested them, and kept the one that matched. What happens to the others? They are discarded, of course. These discarded siblings are not part of the story. Somehow, they never are. Read the complete article here.
|
|
Dad's Deserve Respect |
|
|
Treating Fathers Like They Matter
Rebecca Hagelin - Recently I saw a MasterCard commercial in which a preteen son arrogantly "teaches" the father environmental lessons while grocery shopping. Right.
After the son shows Dad the silly Earth-preserving  "importance" of buying a reusable grocery bag, the tag line appears: "Helping your dad become a better man? Priceless." Such subtle messages about the supremacy of children over their dads are now common. Turn on the television and watch just about any channel for one evening and a particularly disgusting pattern begins to emerge: The "dad" is often portrayed as wimpy, ignorant and doltish. Everyone is smarter and more mature than Dad is. Nearly everyone else is also more attractive and physically fit. You would think that all fathers have actually become Homer Simpson.
|
|
Children Need a Mum and a Dad |
|
|
Love Is Not Enough
Trayce L. Hansen - Proponents of same-sex marriage believe the only thing children really need is love. Based on that supposition, they conclude it's just as good for children to be raised  by loving parents of the same sex, as it is to be raised by loving parents of the opposite sex. Unfortunately, that basic assumption-and all that flows from it-is false. Because love isn't enough!
All else being equal, children do best when raised by a married mother and father. It's within this environment that children are most likely to be exposed to the emotional and psychological experiences they need in order to thrive.
Men and women bring diversity to parenting; each makes unique contributions to the rearing of children that can't be replicated by the other. Mothers and fathers simply are not interchangeable. Two women can both be good mothers, but neither can be a good father.
So here are five reasons why it's in the best interest of children to be raised by both a mother and a father:
|
|
Dressing For Life's Big Events |
|
How a Man Should Dress for Weddings, Dates & More
Since this month's newsletter is a bit of a father's edition we thought both the men and women would appreciate the men getting some tips on dressing well. It's a little light hearted but all part of the dignity of being a Christian man and father.
 The Art of Manliness - A man's life is full of moments that will require him to dress a certain way. From his high school graduation to walking his daughter down the aisle, a man needs to understand the basics of formal, semi-formal, and casual dressing so that he knows when to wear what and how. Because a gentleman understands his clothing is not just about him; his personal presentation is a reflection of the respect he shows to those around him. By default, I am conservative in this article. My advice is the same that you would receive from your grandfather. But that's its strength - this timeless wisdom is battle tested and proven. By following it you can rest assured you'll be well dressed at any event anywhere. Read the complete article here.
|
|
More Events For You... |
|
|
 There are a lot of different events coming up and here are a few that you should know about. If you are hosting an event that you think we should be promoting let us know!
Convivio 2009 is a congress for Catholic Youth in years 10 to 12 at school. It is an opportunity to reflect, share, play and pray. It offers to all who attend a chance to be renewed in faith. See the website here.
Family Day. Theme: Fatherhood...Dignity and Mission. Sunday, 6 September. See the flyer here.
Dinners for Married Couples. This is a chance to meet with other couples, share a meal and grow together. Next dinner Saturday 12 September. Find the details here.
Retreat for Women. 12-13 September. These popular weekends are held at the Mt Schoenstatt Shrine and Retreat Centre in Mulgoa. Come away for a couple of days to be refreshed. All the information is here.
The Catholic Adult Education Centre invites you to attend an Evening Seminar on Pope Benedict XVI's latest encyclical, Caritas in Veritate. Wednesday 23 September. Details are here.
A Family Day. Managing and Appreciating Differences. Held a Mt Schoenstatt in Mulgoa. Sunday 27 September. See details here.
Family Retreat Camp. Held by the National Association of Catholic Families. Friday 9 to Sunday 11 October. Take the family away for the weekend! Read the details here.
Young Men of God. National Men's Conference. A great program with some terrific speakers. Have a look here and think about attending. 23-25 October.
FertilityCare Training Program. If you have an interest in education and in women's reproductive health, then consider this training program starting in January 2010. Help women and help couples. Find further information here.
| |
The Life, Marriage and Family Centre is an agency of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and has been established to extend the research, policy, educational and pastoral activities the Church undertakes with respect to life, marriage and family issues. Our website is lifemarriagefamily.org.au.
Thank you for taking time to read our newsletter, we hope it has been of interest. We welcome your comments and feedback at lmfnews@sydneycatholic.org. We hope we will be able to serve you in some capacity in 2009.
Yours in Christ,
The Life, Marriage and Family Centre Team
|
|
|
