Bishop John Buckley 
Bishop John Buckley from the Diocese of Cork and Ross said that schools and teachers can never have the same influence as family in children’s lives, and described a new book as being a useful resource for priests and lay people in preparing for the World Meeting of Families next year.
Karen Kent’s ’55 Way to Connect with Families in your Parish’ was said to provide practical ideas for involving families in the Church throughout the year.
The book takes in all the key events in the Christian calendar from Advent at Christmas through to Lent and Easter and also covers selected feast days and secular events.
Bishop Buckley referred to Pope Francis’ description of the family being “the nearest hospital, the first school for the young and the best home for the elderly”. He said that many of our social ills today can be traced through a weakening of family relationships and criticised the government for not promoting the importance of the family.
Bishop Buckley said it was similar to the blind spot that had us denying the property bubble some years ago. “No school, excellent though our schools are, and no teacher, dedicated and conscientious though our teachers are, will have the same influence on young people as the home has,” he added.
