Family is first school of human values —priest at Mass for Family Week

DOMINICA

Head of the Family Life Commission of the Diocese of Roseau, Fr Herman Sharplis reminded pilgrims gathered at the Church of Our Lady of La Salette in Pointe Michel that, “The family is the first school of human values where we learn to use freedom”. He was delivering the homily at the closing Mass of Family  Week 2025.

The theme for Family Week 2025 was Our Families, Our Hope. The event was coordinated by the Family Life Commission and the Family Life Units in the various parishes.

Referring to Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia (On Love in the Family), Fr Sharplis went on to reinforce that “it is in the family we learn to relate, listen and share, to be patient, show respect and love one another and live as one”.

Fr Sharplis was also very emphatic in promoting the family as the domestic Church, and the Liturgy of the Domestic Church Life designed by Dr Gregory and Lisa Popcak.

The Liturgy of the Domestic Church life calls on families to “schedule family time first; exhibit extravagant affection and affirmation; exhibit prompt generous, cheerful and consistent attention to each other’s needs and discipleship discipline”. These he went on further to say can be reinforced through “family prayer rituals, family play rituals, family talk rituals and family work rituals”.

Family Week in the Diocese of Roseau culminated on Saturday, May 17 with hundreds of pilgrims participating in a Family Pilgrimage from The Holy Spirit Chapel in Loubiere to the Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Pointe Michel. .

The day’s activity ended with Holy Mass presided over by Vicar General Fr Nigel Karam.