Church people in charge of family ministry throughout the country have urged Catholics at a national workshop to protect themselves from breakdown by cementing family and faith values. “Today, family values are severely affected by consumerism, materialism, atheism, divorce and abortion,” said Bishop Joseph Chau Ngoc Tri of Da Nang, head of the Episcopal Commission on Family of the Vietnam Bishops’ Conference, said in his opening speech at the national workshop on families held at the Marian Pilgrimage Center of Tra Kieu on November 17-18. “Parents should strengthen family ties by teaching their children faith education, Catholic marriage values and how to respect life that is special gifts from God,” Bishop Tri said, adding that they also should set examples to children.