The President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Rwanda, Antoine Cardinal Kambanda, has pointed out that the growing problem of broken families in today’s society is largely caused by the family backgrounds from which couples come, as well as a lack of discernment during courtship among those preparing for marriage.
During an interview with RTV, he said that the rising rate of family breakdowns often begins within the families in which people are raised
He stated,
A good family prepares a good family of tomorrow, because a young man builds his own family based on the image of his father as a model of how things were done. If he is fortunate to grow up in a good family, he is more likely to become a good husband.”
He added,
The same applies to a girl: she builds her family life based on the image of her mother. If she is fortunate to have a mother who cares for the family, she grows up with a good example.”
He explained that many families experiencing problems often say that things were the same in their parents’ homes, even though they are not the ones who started them. In contrast, those who grew up in families with strong values tend to strive to build stable households.
Cardinal Kambanda also addressed the issue of young people preparing for marriage without adequate preparation, noting that many marry without truly knowing each other, or base their decisions solely on emotions.
He said,
Young people often fail to prepare well and rush into marriage without taking time to know each other. A girl and a boy meet and fall into a passionate romance, building everything on emotions that blind them, preventing them from truly knowing each other. A boy or a girl may focus only on physical beauty while ignoring character and values.”
He further noted that engaging in sexual relations too early also contributes to marriages built purely on emotions, which often do not last.
Cardinal Kambanda emphasized that when these issues are combined with a lack of honesty between spouses, marriages break down, causing harm to the entire family. He added that this contradicts God’s plan, as God intended spouses to live together permanently in order to fulfill His purpose.
A report by Rwanda’s Judiciary shows that in the 2024/25 fiscal year, 2,674 divorce cases were heard involving married couples seeking separation.
