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FEATURE: Cardinal Nichols: Through the Gift of Children God Renews the World
Archbishop of Westminster and President of CBCEW reminds importance of teaching couples to pray together
Through the gift of children, the Lord renews the world.
In his keynote address delivered in Dublin, August 23, 2018, at the World Meeting of Families, ahead of the Pope’s Aug. 25-26 visit to the European nation, Cardinal Vincent Nichols stressed this in his talk on ‘Support and Preparation for Marriage in the Light of Amoris Laetitia.’
Highlighting the importance of young married couples praying together, proper marriage preparation and welcoming children, the Cardinal stressed that marriage prep begins at birth, reminding parents how important it is to love their children and show them they are lovable.
“In some cultures, and certainly in England and Wales, marriage has become a very ‘private’ thing,” Cardinal Nichols acknowledged, noting: “Couples are often caught up in the ‘industry’ of weddings, centred on the couple’s big day, easily losing sight of the family or community context for marriage.”
As Catholic families, and as the Church, he noted, we want to embrace this moment, helping couples to see the wider richness of the step they are taking and “making clear our hopes and dreams for couples in their grace-filled calling to marriage and family life.”
He then went on to discuss various important elements of effective marriage preparation.
Before concluding with a prayer, Cardinal Nichols made one more important acknowledgment: “Many are tempted to ask: ‘Can I be broken, fragile, and holy?’”
“Yes,” he responded. “We may indeed carry a deep sense of failure, guilt or shame. We may judge ourselves to be unworthy. This is what we bring to the Lord, for holiness is His business. We are recipients, receivers of His mercy and therefore of His holiness.”
Pope Francis, he reminded, affirms “that all of family life can be a ‘shepherding in mercy’ (AL322), and in that way powerfully reflects the truth of our loving Father. Today, this is often our biggest challenge.”
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