A Clarion call on the indispensable role of family in building a better society was made by Edeh Uzoamaka Noelle during a recent seminar titled “Family Love: Key to a Better Society.” The seminar was part of a 3-day Couple’s Weekend program organised by Pope St. John Paul II Chaplaincy, Correctional Service Training School, Enugu. The event emphasized the need to return to the fundamentals of marriage and family life as ordained by God.
In her presentation, the speaker defined family as a group of people connected by blood, marriage, or adoption, describing it as “the foundational institution of society ordained by God” (Gen 2:20–25). She noted that marriage—the coming together of a man and a woman—is the gateway to family.
Edeh highlighted the varied perceptions of marriage in society today. While some view marriage as merely a framework for childbearing, others see it as a response to societal pressure or a means of financial security. However, she stressed that true marriage is a gift from God (Gen 2:18) and a covenant relationship that requires: Spiritual maturity (Ezek 22:30), Physical maturity, Emotional maturity, and Financial maturity.
She underscored that marriage is not without its challenges, describing it as a journey requiring “hard work, patience, endurance, and mutual respect.”
Drawing from the Parable of the Sower (Luke 8:4–8), Edeh Noelle classified marriages into four types:
1. Marriage on the path
2. Marriage on rocky ground
3. Marriage among thorns
4. Marriage on good soil
These categories, she explained, reflect the strength or fragility of marital foundations and the ability of couples to navigate life’s hurdles.
She identified verbal programming, modeling, and specific incidents as factors that shape how people view marriage, choose life partners, and raise children.
To build strong families, she encouraged attendees to: Embrace change and accept what cannot be changed; express affection and appreciation daily, and commit to lasting relationships and wholeheartedly to God
Edeh also offered tailored advice for both husbands and wives. For Men she said “
protect and provide for the family (1 Tim 5:8), prefer your wife above others, prevent dishonor and permit understanding.” For Women she noted: “Submit with love and respect (Eph 5:21–26), serve and support your husbands, seduce your husbands and create synergy in the home.”
In a heartfelt conclusion, she advised couples to plan for aging, emphasizing that as children grow and leave the home, it is not sex or love but friendship that sustains a marriage.
“Husbands, invest in your wives. Wives, honor your husbands. Nurture your relationship. One day the children will be gone, and it’s your friendship that will carry you through,” she stated.
During the opening Mass for the couple’s weekend, Rev. Fr. Uche Paul, the Chaplain of Pope St. John Paul II Chaplaincy, Correctional Service Training School, Enugu, explained that the annual event is rooted in Canon 1063, paragraph 4, which emphasizes the Church’s pastoral duty to support married couples in faithfully living out their conjugal covenant. This guidance aims to help them grow in holiness and enjoy a fuller family life.
He introduced the theme for the year: “Family Love: The Key to a Better Society,” stressing that when love thrives within the family, it positively transforms society—fostering peace, justice, unity, and mutual love in the wider community.
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