For families
Leadership styles are changing. The patriarchal authoritarian approaches are not useful in our time. Effective leaders today have a sense of vision and are committed to leading by example, being inclusive and consulting with others.

What does this mean for family life?

What style of parenting is asked for today? Michael Quinn in Confirming Our Faith speaks of parents adopting the twin approach of soft love and firm love. What is your experience of adopting the soft love/firm love approach?

Leaders consult. Michael and Terri Quinn in their parenting programme suggest that families have regular family meetings where important matters and the business of the week get discussed. Have you attempted family meetings? They can't all have gone according to plan. Share some of your successes and disasters.

One of the leadership tasks for the parish community is to share with families the Christian vision of the family as the church of the home. Pope John Paul II says:

In the same way the family is a community of life and love. It educates and leads its members to their full human maturity, and it serves the good of all along the road of life. In its own way it a living image and historical representation of the mystery of the Church. The future of the world and of the Church pass the way of the family. What are some of the ways in which you experience your family as being a community of life and love? This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

For the parish community
What are the effective ways your parish community has shared with families a vision of family life that is uplifting and affirming?