The Archbishop of Castries, His Grace Gabriel Malzaire, has reminded parents of the sacred responsibility they hold to shape not only their children’s lives but also the moral fabric of society. In his latest pastoral reflection titled “Parental Responsibility: To Prepare Children for Life,” Archbishop Malzaire called on families to view parenting as a spiritual vocation rather than a transactional duty.
“Education, discipline, affection, and moral guidance all play vital roles in shaping the human personality,” he said. “A parent’s duty is not simply to feed or clothe a child, but to help that child reflect more and more the goodness, the wisdom, and the compassion of God.”
The Archbishop described the home as the foundation of moral and spiritual development, and underscored that when parents approach their task with faith and purpose, the family becomes a place of holiness and growth.
“When parents understand their vocation in this way, childbearing becomes a sacred ministry,” he explained. “The home becomes the first school of virtue, the first church of faith, and the first community of love.”
Archbishop Malzaire also cautioned against viewing children as extensions of parental ambition or as instruments of personal fulfilment: “Too often, parents fall into the temptation of seeing their children as investments, future support in their old age, continuation of family pride, or vehicles to fulfill unachieved dreams,” he said. “But Christian parenthood rejects such utilitarian thinking. A child is not a project to satisfy parental expectation, but a person called by God to fulfill a unique mission in the world.”
He added that true parental responsibility flows from love, not obligation.
“Technically then, a child owes nothing to his or her parents in the sense of repayment for upbringing,” he noted. “Rather, the moral obligation flows in the opposite direction. It is the parents who owe the children the conditions necessary for growth.”
The Archbishop’s message serves as both a reminder and a challenge to families across Saint Lucia, encouraging them to see parenthood as a divine calling rooted in faith, love, and the nurturing of virtue in the next generation.