The blessing of Patriarch Daniel, primate of the Orthodox Church of Romania, to all the students, teachers and parents, in a message published for the start of the new school year, which has begun in Romania today as well. In the message, the Patriarch wishes to the whole school community to “cultivate human dignity and fraternal communion in a society that is now affected by laicisation and individualism”. In the message, the Patriarch also speaks of the current economic crisis, that is having – he writes – “negative repercussions and the families and the school system”, and he expresses concern for “dropouts in poor families or families where the parents have left to go and work abroad”. And he adds that the Church, through several plans, is taking care of preventing such dropouts, partly by trying “to replace the parents’ lack of affection, the lack of a homely atmosphere”. At the same time, he urges the teachers and parents, on behalf of the whole Orthodox Church, to implement “an endless collaboration in the spirit of fraternal communion and practical solidarity”. “The Christian family – the Patriarch states – is the most precious intimate space in which one can cultivate married love, fatherly love, filial love and brotherly love”. The lack of love and communion in a family can have instead “tragic consequences on children”.

© SIR - 14 settembre 2009