Honor Thy Parents

“On this day, Americans recognize outstanding parents and support this role of parents raising children and building a strong and stable society,” said Rev. Naokimi Ushiroda, national president of Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), in a Sunday sermon July 25.

For nearly three decades, parents across the U.S. have been celebrated on the fourth Sunday of July, officially known as National Parents’ Day. Congress unanimously passed the resolution in 1994 which President Bill Clinton signed. But just a year earlier, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, co-founder of FFWPU, first raised the idea during a speech in Washington, DC.

“Mother Moon introduced the idea of a National Parents’ Day in 1993 during her address at the United States Capitol,” said Rev. Naokimi. “I think she played a key role in introducing this kind of tradition here in America.”

It’s a tradition that traces back to the Bible, where the 10 Commandments outline our proper relationship with God, our parents, and one another. The fifth commandment—honor your father and mother—is part of our broader connection to God, said Rev. Naokimi. Honoring our parents amounts to respect and fulfilling an obligation, he said, and some ways of doing this include expressing gratitude, listening to their guidance, and doing as they ask.

As conveyed in the Bible, Dr. Moon and her late husband, FFWPU co-founder the Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, taught that we are the fruit of our parents’ love. “Our body and mind came from our parents,” wrote Dr. Moon in her 2020 memoir, Mother of Peace. “If not for the love of our father and mother, we would not be in this world.”

Rev. and Dr. Moon called on families—the bedrock of society—to uphold and affirm traditional family values in America and around the world. In her address to Congress on July 25, 1993, Dr. Moon emphasized the important role each family has in bridging society and creating peace.

“In every completed family, grandparents will be in the position of kings and queens representing God and good ancestors,” she said. “Parents will be in the position of kings and queens representing present humanity, and children will be in the position of princes and princesses representing all future descendants. When all three generations are united, past, present, and future, we will live together in harmony.”

“After restoring your family,” she continued, “the next step is to restore your community, tribe, and nation… With such families, the symptoms of our decaying society will vanish… Based upon this foundation, we can realize a world of true happiness, freedom, and peace.”

Rev. and Dr. Moon dedicated their lives to uplifting and educating humanity about our inherent position as sons and daughters of God, our Heavenly Parent. They shared that a filial child “considers what he can do for his parents and courageously follows through;” and, by centering on true love, we restore the parent-child relationship.

“A filial child has the spirit of serving and is welcomed everywhere,” wrote Dr. Moon in her memoir. “Such a child always fulfills God’s hopes… it seeks to serve others and not oneself.” 

As we honor and celebrate the many incredible parents out there raising families, we also recognize and applaud the 2021 National Parents of the Year winners listed below. Thank you all for the tremendous work you do!

National Parents of the Year

Vincent and Marion Ford (Cheverly, MD)

Clergy Parents of the Year

Pastor William and First Lady Belinda Martin (Chicago, IL)

Rev. Dr. Amos and Jane Brown (San Francisco, CA)

Parents of the Year for Outstanding Sacrifice

William and Emma Guzman (San Leandro, CA)

Ferdinand and Meg Ibebuchi (Bowie, MD)

Antonio and Maria-Lourdes Gabriel (Renton, WA)

Faith Community Parents of the Year

Hillary Abplanalp and Michael Fulton (Florence, AZ)

Luly (Obdulia) and Osmin Ortega (Tucson, AZ)

Bishop Jesse and First Lady Darlene Wilson (Waianae, HI)

Community Service Parents of the Year

Nathaniel and Allison Reichman (Delmar, NY)

Samia Frito and Chery-Geffrard Geffrard (Maplewood, NJ)

Karla and Jeffrey Bartholomew (Sunland, CA)

Civic Leadership Parents of the Year

Mr. Frank and Mayor Shirley Washington (Pine Bluff, AR)

Ray and Fern Musser (Upland, CA)

Single Parent of the Year

Tiffany Payne (Austin, TX)

Watch the full Parents’ Day Awards Ceremony 2021 here.

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