The fragility of bonds is one of the most pressing concerns for families. It is less common nowadays to take for granted the idea that marriage will last forever. The cause behind this concern is the great changes rippling through society today. Not only are family habits and traditions evolving, but also the ways of thinking within and about them.
In the face of these processes, which are leading to an increasingly individualistic and atomised social context, Monserrat Gas defends the need for family support. “These new social concepts”, says Gas, “contradict the essence of humans as relational beings, and of the family, as a relationship between people”.
Another change society is experiencing, according to Gas, is the transformation of lifestyles from one generation to the next. In view of this, she proposes moving from a theoretical paradigm –the one that has been used until now– to one that is eminently practical and vital, as well as personalised.
Pilar Lacorte affirmed that a change of outlook is necessary, “a change of culture regarding the family”. Supporting families would therefore not only take the form of “mediation and help, nor guidance and counselling”, says Lacorte, but also “all kinds of actions to help families –regardless of their situation– discover their role as educators and solve and resolve the difficulties that arise in every household”.
In what ways can support be provided?
Support requires establishing relationships. It is a two-way undertaking based on trust. Lacorte insisted that “we don’t need to create new support structures, but rathe influence those that already exist”.
The first source of support should be the place where families go when they are in pain due to the problems they are experiencing. “Pastoral care of the family is a very important area of support, not only the parish or the church, but all those initiatives and organisations that provide education and help, like the Church that we all are”, argues Lacorte.
Schools are another great place that can provide a source of support to families. "Schools’ role”, commented the deputy director of the IESF, “would be to encourage parents to exercise their educational role and to help them regain confidence in parenting”.
Who provides support?
It is not enough to want to support families. Pilar Lacorte insists that trust and education are essential: “In this highly individualised world, it is increasingly difficult to create relationships of trust in order to support others and feel supported”.
“As a result, in order to talk about marriage and convey its values, you need a realistic and optimistic attitude. We have to rediscover the essence of family”, Lacorte claims, “and its foundations. We need to remove all elements that are separating us from each other and get back to what really matters”.
