News Release

LDS Church Joins the Nation in Family Week Celebration

In celebration of the National Family Week, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Philippines take this opportunity to confirm the principles stated  in this year’s theme of “Ensuring Work-Family Balance.”  The Church’s document of belief, “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” released in 1995 by then President of the Church, Gordon B. Hinckley, states in part:

"Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations."

In the background note sent by the United Nations, it states concerning the theme:

"Work-family balance lies at the core of the ability of the family to provide economically and emotionally for its members…Global employment protection is needed to secure better working conditions, especially for poor working families. Family-friendly strategies facilitating work-family balance have a key role in supporting parents to raise the next generation of children and ensure harmonious family relations. Work-family balance policies also demonstrate Government’s commitment to the well-being of families and employers’ social responsibility and contribute to successful labor relations, employee health and well-being, gender equality and child welfare."

The UN concludes by stating how important it is to “share knowledge about good practices in work-family balance being implemented and advocated for by Governments, private sector, civil society and academic institutions.”  We would like to add ‘religious communities’ to that list and offer our support to any policies or measures promoting, protecting or enhancing the quality of family life as well as promoting educational opportunities for Filipino children and the eradication of poverty.

The Church’s proclamation ends with a similar statement declaring, “We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.”

It is a positive step in that direction to participate in this year’s National Family Week Celebration.

 

 

Additional Resources

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