Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, [email protected]
VICE-PRESIDENT Constantino Chiwenga has urged men to go beyond just providing financial support for their children and to become emotionally present and actively engaged in their upbringing. Speaking at the Roman Catholic Church Men’s St Joseph’s Guild National Congress in Bulawayo yesterday, Vice-President Chiwenga emphasised the importance of fathers taking greater responsibility for their families and imparting good moral values to their children.
He also called for men to take a proactive approach in combating domestic violence by prioritising their children and wives and staying close to them.
The congress, which started on Thursday, ran under the theme “Expand the Space of Your Tent”. During the gathering, hundreds of Catholic men deliberated on both social and spiritual issues affecting society. As a Catholic himself, Vice-President Chiwenga served as a special guest, emphasising the need for men to take greater responsibility for their families.
The congress, attended by hundreds of Catholic men, focused on social and spiritual issues affecting society.
“As fathers in our families, we are heads of our households and have responsibilities to fend for, care, love and be available for our families. You cannot just care, fend or love and you are not available for them. Be there for your families, material things alone don’t help. We need to sit, to discuss, to give directions is what is important. I exhort you to lead an exemplary life by imparting good moral values to our children,” said Vice-President Chiwenga.
He said parents should teach their children how to be responsible citizens in addition to granting them independence.
“We must give our children freedom, but it must be in that box of responsibility. A child should not be wild and cause anarchy. We should not train children to be anarchists and wild, no. Yes, give them freedom, but that freedom must be a responsible freedom. I urge you to take responsibility for the education of our children, both in terms of the resources they need and what they learn. I must hasten to say that we need to give our children some freedom, but we must also be conscious of what they do,” he said.
He said men should take a proactive approach in combating the pervasive issue of domestic violence in communities. He suggested that in order to prevent domestic abuse, families should benefit from African cultural norms that place a high emphasis on extended family members.
“As religious individuals, we have to take part in ending this scourge. We must stop domestic violence by all means and prioritise our children, our wives and stay close to them, so as to shake off challenges that destroy the family institution. That is the biggest enemy that visits us, so what do we do? This is what during this congress we should put our eyes to and say let us bring back the family institution.
“Let us draw lessons from our African cultural values, where the role of the elderly is the upbringing of children, maintenance of the extended family and the communal spirit.”
He stated that although the church was concerned about families, it was equally important to consider conflicts that are happening beyond Zimbabwe’s borders. Vice-President Chiwenga expressed concern over the dire situation of the world, saying that wars that have devastated some regions of the world have left some families broken.
“It is disheartening to note that many families have become prey to struggles and disputes we are witnessing in the world over. In areas such as Gaza, Eastern Parts of Democratic Republic of Congo, to mention but a few, we have couples and families who are uncertain of their future and no longer have objectives of family life. As we gather here, to strengthen the bonds of our own families, let us also put those in war ravaged regions in our thoughts and pray that these hostilities may stop for the happiness of families,” said Vice-President Chiwenga.
Alex Thomas, the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Bulawayo, stated that among the many problems facing society are the high divorce rates, which he claimed were a factor in the weakening of societies. He said children raised by more absentee parents were becoming disobedient.
“We have many absent parents, a child needs spiritual and emotional support and indeed material support. A child who does not get direct personal care of a father actually becomes rebellious and a misfit in the society and we see that in our youth. It affects the church and the whole society. Therefore, there is a need for more responsible fathers who are available for their children,” he said.–@nqotshili
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