The Family Life Desk of the SACBC is part of the Department of Evangelisation. It was established in 2003 as a response to the 2000 Pastoral Forum which noted the strengthening of family life in the home as one of the Church’s pastoral priorities. The Desk is situated at Khanya House in Pretoria and is run by a part-time coordinator, Mrs Toni Rowland.
- Awareness raising of the family as the domestic church and its place in the wider Church community.
- Networking through communications, meetings and personal contact with other family life organisations, with dioceses, church departments and other agencies in order to promote a vision of a greater family focus in church and social life
- Formation:
a. Developing, training and implementing a Parish Family Ministry project through workshops, use of Parish Family Ministry manual and ongoing support.
b. Offering workshops and retreats on aspects of family life, marriage preparation and enrichment, also a widowed support programmes.
- Resources:
a. Through use of annual themes and a family life calendar offering an opportunity for family life education and enrichment. Some resource materials produced in conjunction with MARFAM – Marriage and Family Life Renewal Ministry and its publications.
Much of the energy at present is going into developing this project. During visits to dioceses and parishes the concept of the parish as a community of families with a wide range of needs is promoted. Workshops are arranged in various centres and on request to provide training in a family focus and how to address the various aspects of providing care for families at parish level and in their homes and relationships. A parish profile is drawn up and participants are invited to devise a plan for their own parish.
Mrs Toni Rowland
Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference
399 Paul Kruger Street
P.O.Box 941
Pretoria 0001
South Africa
Tel: +27 12 323 6458
Fax: +27 12 326 6218
E-mail: trowland@sacbc.org.za