CATHOLIC FAMILIES ASSOCIATION
OF
ELBLAG DIOCESE
Association of Catholic Families of Elblag Diocese was created in December 1994, in year proclaimed by Pope John Paul II and United Nations Organization as Family Year. Association was established by group of catholic families from city of Kwidzyn in the Diocese Elblag, They have seen a danger to the traditional family values and its stability as a smallest part of the healthy society and nation. Encouragement from such a high authority as Pope John Paul II, and on the other side attacks from small but loud groups using mass media, accelerated the decision to form an organization representing the quiet till now majority. It was a time of political changes in Poland, which brought also the changes in many laws and regulation in the country (e.g. legalization of the abortion, pornography, and new model of the children and adolescent education, called sexual education). The catholic groups lacked their representation didn?t have the chance to voice their opinions publicly. Endangerment spread in schools through agitation from all kind of sects and what it calls sexual minority groups met with protest of the organized catholic families. That shows how many people cares about our children grew in morally safe society. We did not need to wait long to see the association was joined by more and more local groups all over the country. Currently we have an association posts in every diocese in Poland. All they have been consolidated under POLISH FEDERATION OF CATHOLIC FAMILIES. Silent but major part of our country citizens felt their power, when united was able to say ?No!? against abortion, porno, and demoralization of our young generation. Association, beyond its work to unite people (meetings, recollections, pilgrimages, and conferences), volunteers to help families in different ways.
Catholic Families Mentoring Program ? provides professional help and support to the families, which for different reasons, cannot handle their problems alone. The program supports families, pregnant women, single mothers and everybody who comes for help. Lawyers, psychologists, teachers and doctors are volunteering to mentor, advise and help to solve martial disagreements, parental problems, generations disagreements, and planning parenthood in accordance with directives of the Catholic Church.
Community Hall ? has been open by association since 1997 for children from low-income families, abandoned, and problem children. Schools refer those children. They have quiet place to do homework, organized free time and provided with hot meal.