The Family: Antidote to Loneliness, Beyond the Pandemic: this was the name of the webinar hosted by FAFCE on Thursday, May 13th. The webinar engendered a lively discussion on the importance of the family as a force for cohesion, unity, and peace. Panelists from Europe and the Middle East spoke about the versatility of the family and about its unique capacity to satisfy people’s universal need for love, intimacy, and belonging. Valeria Guarino, the Secretary General of the Family International Monitor, moderated the event.
“Loneliness is the real, pervasive pandemic of our times, one that has only been brought to light by the covid pandemic”. With these words Vincenzo Bassi, President of FAFCE, explained how Covid exacerbated difficulties that families were already exposed to as a result of social settings that already condemned them to isolation. Isolation that occurs both between families and within families themselves. In this complex context of separation, family associations can be the structures that reconnect each family to the community they make up, encouraging cohesion and integration.
Marcela Szymanski, Head of the EU Office for Aid to the Church in Need, then drew attention to the persecution Christian families are suffering in the world. Despite the difficulties of living in such dangerous contexts, these communities manage to find an extraordinary life force which stems from the natural tendency of families to bond and accept each other.
Najwa and Nizar Halash, a couple from Jordan, shared their experience of an important family association working around the world, Equipes Notre Dame. This Christian-inspired association works to accompany couples on their family journey so that they "experience the trust and security that young children feel in the presence of their mothers".
On the other hand, the president of the 72 Disciples Movement, Kalman Daboczi, gave the Hungarian point of view on the importance of the family in breaking down the loneliness to which society is increasingly accustomed. Daboczi argued the need for families to work together in faith in order to grow together and support each other.
Finally, Bishop William Shomali, Vicar for Jordan and Auxiliary Bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, stressed that human loneliness is an atavistic problem, already inherent in the Genesis account. He brought his own experience as a covid sufferer. The resulting isolation made him reflect on man's need for real, concrete relationships and the constant inability of some families to do so. Christian organisations, the Bishop continued, with their ability to provide aid in areas with complex histories, play a key role in healing the loneliness that tears at the heartstrings of families.
Watch the full webinar
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