In his homily at St John’s, St Augustine, two Sundays ago, Fr Hugh Joyeau converted the word FAMILY into an acronym. He explained it this way – “Father And Mother, I Love You”. To sink it home he asked the congregation to repeat it at least three times.

I had never heard it put quite this way and during the fellowship period after Mass the statement generated a lot of discussion, with the majority of parishioners admitting they too, had never heard it before.

What a wonderful theme to assist in the New Evangelisation thrust, especially since the Year of the Family has been extended well into this year.

This slogan blends so sweetly into the Archdiocesan theme – “Catholic Family: Become What You Are”, that the love of family actually exudes from all sides and if properly harnessed and delivered, could make a great difference in how people regard family and family life.

When you match this with that powerful statement made by Archbishop Edward Gilbert during his homily at the funeral service of the late Sir Ellis Clarke about the serious problems now being faced by the Church, the State and society generally, it will be recognised how “disastrous” the current situation is. As a matter of fact today in Trinidad and Tobago, we are surrounded by severe fractures in family life at all levels of the society.

In his homily the Archbishop also gave what can be described as his recipe for better family life and improved social values by emphasising the great need for love in family. Attempts at such a transformation can begin with “Father And Mother, I Love You”.

If time is taken to carefully study and interpret what Archbishop Gilbert said at the time, it would soon be realised that LOVE is an element that is sorely absent in our present day society and getting more so daily.

Let us then remember the Archbishop’s words, “Love brings meaning to your life, the absence does not.” As well as Fr Joyeau’s, “Father And Mother, I Love You”. – Vernon Khelewan