[Unofficial
translation]
Introduction
Part I
Listening: the context and challenges to the family
The socio-cultural context
The relevance of emotional
life
Pastoral challenges
Part II
The gaze on Christ: the Gospel of the Family
The gaze on Jesus and
gradualness in the history of salvation
The family in God’s
salvific plan
The discernment of values
present in wounded families and irregular situations
Truth and beauty of the
family and mercy
Part III
Discussion: pastoral perspectives
Proclaiming the Gospel of
the family today, in various contexts
Guiding couples on the
path in preparation for marriage
Accompanying the first
years of married life
Positive aspects of civil
unions and cohabitation
Caring for wounded
families (separated couples, the divorced who
have not remarried, the
divorced and remarried)
Welcoming homosexual
persons
The transmission of life
and the challenge of declining birthrate
The challenge of education
and the role of the family in evangelization
Conclusion
* * *
Introduction
1.
During the prayer vigil held in St Peter’s Square on 4
October 2014 in preparation for the Synod on the family, Pope Francis
evoked the centrality of the experience of family in all lives, in a
simple and concrete manner: “Evening falls on our assembly. It is the
hour at which one willingly returns home to meet at the same table, in
the depth of affection, of the good that has been done and received, of
the encounters which warm the heart and make it grow, good wine which
hastens the unending feast in the days of man. It is also the
weightiest hour for one who finds himself face to face with his own
loneliness, in the bitter twilight of shattered dreams and broken
plans; how many people trudge through the day in the blind alley of
resignation, of abandonment, even resentment: in how many homes the
wine of joy has been less plentiful, and therefore, also the zest — the
very wisdom — for life […]. Let us make our prayer heard for one
another this evening, a prayer for all”.
2. The
source of joys and trials, of deep affections and relations – at times
wounded – the family is truly a “school of humanity” (“Familia
schola quaedam uberioris humanitatis est”, Vatican Council II,
Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes,
52), of which we are in great need. Despite the many signs of crisis in
the institution of the family in various contexts of the “global
village”, the desire for family remains alive, especially among the
young, and is at the root of the Church’s need to proclaim tirelessly
and with profound conviction the “Gospel of the family” entrusted to
her with the revelation of God’s love in Jesus Christ.
3. The
Bishop of Rome called upon the Synod of Bishops to reflect upon the
situation of the family, decisive and valuable, in its Extraordinary
General Assembly of October 2014, a reflection which will then be
pursued in greater depth in the Ordinary General Assembly scheduled to
take place in October 2015, as well as during the full intervening year
between the two synodal events. “The convenire in unum around
the Bishop of Rome is already an event of grace, in which episcopal
collegiality is made manifest in a path of spiritual and pastoral
discernment”: thus Pope Francis described the synodal experience,
indicating its tasks in the dual process of listening to the signs of
God and the history of mankind and in the resulting dual and unique
fidelity.
4. In
the light of the same discourse we have gathered together the results
of our reflections and our dialogues in the following three parts: listening,
to look at the situation of the family today, in the complexity of its
light and shade; looking, our gaze fixed on Christ, to
re-evaluate with renewed freshness and enthusiasm what the revelation
transmitted in the faith of the Church tells us about the beauty and
dignity of the family; and discussion in the light of the Lord
Jesus to discern the ways in which the Church and society can renew
their commitment to the family.
first part
Listening: the context and challenges to the family
The socio-cultural context
5. Anthropological and
cultural change today influences all aspects of life and requires an
analytic and diversified approach, able to discern the positive forms
of individual freedom. It is necessary to be aware of the growing
danger represented by an exasperated individualism that distorts family
bonds and ends up considering each component of the family as an
isolated unit, leading in some cases to the prevalence of an idea of
the subject formed according to his or her own wishes, which are
assumed as absolute.
6. The most difficult
test for families in our time is often solitude, which destroys and
gives rise to a general sensation of impotence in relation to the
socio-economic situation that often ends up crushing them. This is due
to growing precariousness in the workplace that is often experienced as
a nightmare, or due to heavy taxation that certainly does not encourage
young people to marriage.
7. Some cultural and
religious contexts pose particular challenges. In African societies the
practice of polygamy remains, along with, in some traditional contexts,
the custom of “marriage in stages”. In other contexts the practice of
“arranged marriages” persists. In countries in which Catholicism is a
minority religion, there are many mixed marriages with all the
difficulties that these may lead to in terms of legal form, the
education of children and mutual respect from the point of view of
religious freedom, but also with the great potential that derives from
the encounter between the differences in faith that these stories of
family life present. In many contexts, and not only in the West, the
practice of cohabitation before marriage, or indeed cohabitation not
orientated towards assuming the form of an institutional bond, is
increasingly widespread.
8. Many children are
born outside marriage, especially in certain countries, and there are
many who subsequently grow up with just one of their parents or in an
enlarged or reconstituted family context. The number of divorces is
growing and it is not rare to encounter cases in which decisions are
taken solely on the basis of economic factors. The condition of women
still needs to be defended and promoted, as situations of violence
within the family are not rare. Children are frequently the object of
contention between parents, and are the true victims of family
breakdown. Societies riven by violence due to war, terrorism or the
presence of organized crime experience deteriorating family situations.
Furthermore, migration is another sign of the times, to be faced and
understood in terms of the burden of consequences for family life.
The relevance of emotional
life
9. Faced with the social
framework outlined above, a greater need is encountered among
individuals to take care of themselves, to know their inner being, and
to live in greater harmony with their emotions and sentiments, seeking
a relational quality in emotional life. In the same way, it is possible
to encounter a widespread desire for family accompanied by the search
for oneself. But how can this attention to the care for oneself be
cultivated and maintained, alongside this desire for family? This is a
great challenge for the Church too. The danger of individualism and the
risk of living selfishly are significant.
10. Today’s world
appears to promote limitless affectivity, seeking to explore all its
aspects, including the most complex. Indeed, the question of emotional
fragility is very current: a narcissistic, unstable or changeable
affectivity do not always help greater maturity to be reached. In this
context, couples are often uncertain and hesitant, struggling to find
ways to grow. Many tend to remain in the early stages of emotional and
sexual life. The crisis in the couple destabilizes the family and may
lead, through separations and divorce, to serious consequences for
adults, children and society as a whole, weakening the individual and
social bonds. The decline in population not only creates a situation in
which the alternation of generations is no longer assured, but over
time also risks leading to economic impoverishment and a loss of hope
in the future.
Pastoral challenges
11. In this context the
Church is aware of the need to offer a meaningful word of hope. It is
necessary to set out from the conviction that man comes from God and
that, therefore, a reflection able to reframe the great questions on
the meaning of human existence, may find fertile ground in humanity's
most profound expectations. The great values of marriage and the
Christian family correspond to the search that distinguishes human
existence even in a time marked by individualism and hedonism. It is
necessary to accept people in their concrete being, to know how to
support their search, to encourage the wish for God and the will to
feel fully part of the Church, also on the part of those who have
experienced failure or find themselves in the most diverse situations.
This requires that the doctrine of the faith, the basic content of
which should be made increasingly better known, be proposed alongside
with mercy.
PART II
The gaze upon Christ: the Gospel of the Family
The gaze upon Jesus and gradualness in the history of
salvation
12. In order to “walk
among contemporary challenges, the decisive condition is to maintain a
fixed gaze on Jesus Christ, to pause in contemplation and in adoration
of His Face. ... Indeed, every time we return to the source of the
Christian experience, new paths and undreamed of possibilities open up”
(Pope Francis, Address of 4 October 2014). Jesus looked upon the women
and the men he met with love and tenderness, accompanying their steps
with patience and mercy, in proclaiming the demands of the Kingdom of
God.
13. From the moment that
the order of creation is determined by orientation towards Christ, it
becomes necessary to distinguish without separating the various levels
through which God communicates the grace of the covenant to humanity.
Through the law of gradualness (cf. Familiaris Consortio, 34),
typical of divine pedagogy, this means interpreting the nuptial
covenant in terms of continuity and novelty, in the order of creation
and in that of redemption.
14. Jesus Himself,
referring to the primordial plan for the human couple, reaffirms the
indissoluble union between man and woman, while understanding that
“Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were
hard. But it was not this way from the beginning” (Mt 19,8). In
this way, He shows how divine condescension always accompanies the path
of humanity, directing it towards its new beginning, not without
passing through the cross.
The family in God’s salvific plan
15. Since, by their
commitment to mutual acceptance and with the grace of Christ couples
promise fidelity to one another and openness to life, they acknowledge
as constitutive elements of marriage the gifts God offers them, taking
their mutual responsability seriously, in His name and before the
Church. Now, in faith it is possible to assume the goods of marriage as
commitments best maintained with the help of the grace of the
sacrament. God consecrates love between spouses and confirms its
indissolubility, offering them help in living in fidelity and openness
to life. Therefore, the gaze of the Church turns not only to the
couple, but to the family.
16. We are able to
distinguish three fundamental phases in the divine plan for the family:
the family of origins, when God the creator instituted the primordial
marriage between Adam and Eve, as a solid foundation for the family: he
created them male and female (cg. Gn 1,24-31; 2,4b); the
historic family, wounded by sin (cf. Gn 3) and the family
redeemed by Christ (cf. Eph 5,21-32), in the image of the Holy
Trinity, the mystery from which every true love springs. The sponsal
covenant, inaugurated in creation and revealed in the history of God
and Israel, reaches its fullest expression with Christ in the Church.
The discernment of values present in wounded families
and in irregular situations
17. In considering the
principle of gradualness in the divine salvific plan, one asks what
possibilities are given to married couples who experience the failure
of their marriage, or rather how it is possible to offer them Christ’s
help through the ministry of the Church. In this respect, a significant
hermeneutic key comes from the teaching of Vatican Council II, which,
while it affirms that “although many elements of sanctification and of
truth are found outside of its visible structure ... these elements, as
gifts belonging to the Church of Christ, are forces impelling toward
Catholic unity” (Lumen Gentium, 8).
18. In this light, the
value and consistency of natural marriage must first be emphasized.
Some ask whether the sacramental fullness of marriage does not exclude
the possibility of recognizing positive elements even the imperfect
forms that may be found outside this nuptial situation, which are in
any case ordered in relation to it. The doctrine of levels of
communion, formulated by Vatican Council II, confirms the vision of a
structured way of participating in the Mysterium Ecclesiae by
baptized persons.
19. In the same,
perspective, that we may consider inclusive, the Council opens up the
horizon for appreciating the positive elements present in other
religions (cf. Nostra Aetate, 2) and cultures, despite their
limits and their insufficiencies (cf. Redemptoris Missio, 55).
Indeed, looking at the human wisdom present in these, the Church learns
how the family is universally considered as the necessary and fruitful
form of human cohabitation. In this sense, the order of creation, in
which the Christian vision of the family is rooted, unfolds
historically, in different cultural and geographical expressions.
20. Realizing the need,
therefore, for spiritual discernment with regard to cohabitation, civil
marriages and divorced and remarried persons, it is the task of the
Church to recognize those seeds of the Word that have spread beyond its
visible and sacramental boundaries. Following the expansive gaze of
Christ, whose light illuminates every man (cf. Jn 1,9; cf. Gaudium
et Spes, 22), the Church turns respectfully to those who
participate in her life in an incomplete and imperfect way,
appreciating the positive values they contain rather than their
limitations and shortcomings.
Truth and beauty of the family and mercy
21. The Gospel of the
family, while it shines in the witness of many families who live
coherently their fidelity to the sacrament, with their mature fruits of
authentic daily sanctity must also nurture those seeds that are yet to
mature, and must care for those trees that have dried up and wish not
to be neglected.
22. In this respect, a
new dimension of today’s family pastoral consists of accepting the
reality of civil marriage and also cohabitation, taking into account
the due differences. Indeed, when a union reaches a notable level of
stability through a public bond, is characterized by deep affection,
responsibility with regard to offspring, and capacity to withstand
tests, it may be seen as a germ to be accompanied in development
towards the sacrament of marriage. Very often, however, cohabitation is
established not with a view to a possible future marriage, but rather
without any intention of establishing an institutionally-recognized
relationship.
23. Imitating Jesus’
merciful gaze, the Church must accompany her most fragile sons and
daughters, marked by wounded and lost love, with attention and care,
restoring trust and hope to them like the light of a beacon in a port,
or a torch carried among the people to light the way for those who are
lost or find themselves in the midst of the storm.
Part III
The discussion: pastoral perspectives
Proclaiming the Gospel of the family today, in
various contexts
24. The Synod dialog has
allowed an agreement on some of the more urgent pastoral needs to be
entrusted to being made concrete in the individual local Churches, in
communion cum Petro et sub Petro.
25. The announcement of
the Gospel of the family is an urgent issue for the new evangelization.
The Church has to carry this out with the tenderness of a mother and
the clarity of a teacher (cf. Eph 4,15), in fidelity to the
merciful kenosi of Christ. The truth is incarnated in human
fragility not to condemn it, but to cure it.
26. Evangelizing is the
shared responsibility of all God’s people, each according to his or her
own ministry and charism. Without the joyous testimony of spouses and
families, the announcement, even if correct, risks being misunderstood
or submerged by the ocean of words that is a characteristic of our
society (cf. Novo Millennio Ineunte, 50). On various occasions
the Synodal Fathers underlined that Catholic families are called upon
themselves to be the active subjects of all the pastoral of the
family.
27. It will be decisive
to highlight the primacy of grace, and therefore of the possibilities
that the Spirit gives in the sacrament. This is about letting it be
known that the Gospel of the family is a joy that «fills the hearts and
lives», because in Christ we are «set free from sin, sorrow, inner
emptiness, and loneliness» (Evangelii Gaudium, 1). In the light
of the parable of the sower (cf. Mt 13,3), our task is to
cooperate in the sowing: the rest is God’s work. We must not forget
that the Church that preaches about the family is a sign of
contradiction.
28. For this reason,
what is required is a missionary conversion: it is necessary
not to stop at an announcement that is merely theoretical and has
nothing to do with people’s real problems. It must not be forgotten
that the crisis of faith has led to a crisis in matrimony and the
family and, as a result, the transmission of faith from parents to
children has often been interrupted. Confronted by a strong faith, the
imposition of certain cultural perspectives that weaken the family is
of no importance.
29. Conversion has,
above all, to be that of language so that this might prove to be
effectively meaningful. The announcement is about letting it be
experienced that the Gospel of the family is the response to the
deepest expectations of a person: to his or her dignity and its full
realization in reciprocity and communion. This is not merely about
presenting a set of regulations but about putting forward values,
responding to the need of those who find themselves today even in the
most secularized countries.
30. The indispensable
biblical-theological study is to be accompanied by dialog, at all
levels. Many insisted on a more positive approach to the riches
contained in diverse religious experiences, while not being blind to
the difficulties. In the diverse cultural realities the possibilities
should first be grasped and in the light of them the limits and
radicalizations should be rejected.
31. Christian marriage
cannot only be considered as a cultural tradition or social obligation,
but has to be a vocational decision taken with the proper preparation
in an itinerary of faith, with mature discernment. This is not about
creating difficulties and complicating the cycles of formation, but of
going deeply into the issue and not being content with theoretical
meetings or general orientations.
32. The need was jointly
referred to for a conversion of all pastoral practices from the
perspective of the family, overcoming the individualistic points of
view that still characterize it. This is why there was a repeated
insistence on renewing in this light the training of presbyters and
other pastoral operators, through a greater involvement of the families
themselves.
33. In the same way, the
necessity was underlined for an evangelization that denounces clearly
the cultural, social and economic factors, for example, the excessive
room given to market logic, that prevents an authentic family life,
leading to discrimination, poverty, exclusion, and violence. For this
reason a dialog and cooperation has to be developed with the social
structures, and lay people who are involved in cultural and
socio-political fields should be encouraged.
Guiding couples on the path in preparation for
marriage
34. The complex social
reality and the changes that the family is called on today to deal with
require a greater undertaking from the whole Christian community for
the preparation of those who are about to be married. As regards this
necessity the Synodal Fathers agreed to underline the need for a
greater involvement of the entire community privileging the testimony
of the families themselves, as well as a rooting of the preparation for
marriage in the path of Christian initiation, underlining the
connection between marriage and the other sacraments. In the same way,
the necessity was highlighted for specific programs for preparation for
marriage that are a true experience of participation in the ecclesial
life and that study closely the diverse aspects of family life.
Accompanying the early years of married life
35. The early years of
marriage are a vital and delicate period during which couples grow in
the awareness of the challenges and meaning of matrimony. Thus the need
for a pastoral accompaniment that goes beyond the celebration of the
sacrament. Of great importance in this pastoral is the presence of
experienced couples. The parish is considered the ideal place for
expert couples to place themselves at the disposal of younger ones.
Couples need to be encouraged towards a fundamental welcome of the
great gift of children. The importance of family spirituality and
prayer needs to be underlined, encouraging couples to meet regularly to
promote the growth of the spiritual life and solidarity in the concrete
demands of life. Meaningful liturgies, devotional practices and the
Eucharist celebrated for families, were mentioned as vital in favoring
evangelization through the family.
Positive aspects of civil unions and cohabitation
36. A new sensitivity in
today’s pastoral consists in grasping the positive reality of civil
weddings and, having pointed out our differences, of cohabitation. It
is necessary that in the ecclesial proposal, while clearly presenting
the ideal, we also indicate the constructive elements in those
situations that do not yet or no longer correspond to that ideal.
37. It was also noted
that in many countries an “an increasing number live together ad
experimentum, in unions which have not been religiously or civilly
recognized” (Instrumentum Laboris, 81). In Africa this occurs
especially in traditional marriages, agreed between families and often
celebrated in different stages. Faced by these situations, the Church
is called on to be “the house of the Father, with doors always wide
open […] where there is a place for everyone, with all their problems” (Evangelii
Gaudium, 47) and to move towards those who feel the need to take up
again their path of faith, even if it is not possible to celebrate a
religious marriage.
38. In the West as well
there is an increasingly large number of those who, having lived
together for a long period of time, ask to be married in the Church.
Simple cohabitation is often a choice inspired by a general attitude,
which is opposed to institutions and definitive undertakings, but also
while waiting for a secure existence (a steady job and income). In
other countries common-law marriages are very numerous, not because of
a rejection of Christian values as regards the family and matrimony,
but, above all, because getting married is a luxury, so that material
poverty encourages people to live in common-law marriages. Furthermore
in such unions it is possible to grasp authentic family values or at
least the wish for them. Pastoral accompaniment should always start
from these positive aspects.
39. All these situations
have to be dealt with in a constructive manner, seeking to transform
them into opportunities to walk towards the fullness of marriage and
the family in the light of the Gospel. They need to be welcomed and
accompanied with patience and delicacy. With a view to this, the
attractive testimony of authentic Christian families is important, as
subjects for the evangelization of the family.
Caring for wounded families (the separated, the
divorced who have not remarried, the divorced who have remarried)
40. What rang out
clearly in the Synod was the necessity for courageous pastoral choices.
Reconfirming forcefully the fidelity to the Gospel of the family, the
Synodal Fathers, felt the urgent need for new pastoral paths, that
begin with the effective reality of familial fragilities, recognizing
that they, more often than not, are more “endured” than freely chosen.
These are situations that are diverse because of personal as well as
cultural and socio-economic factors. It is not wise to think of unique
solutions or those inspired by a logic of “all or nothing”. The dialog
and meeting that took place in the Synod will have to continue in the
local Churches, involving their various components, in such a way that
the perspectives that have been drawn up might find their full
maturation in the work of the next Ordinary General Assembly. The
guidance of the Spirit, constantly invoked, will allow all God’s people
to live the fidelity to the Gospel of the family as a merciful caring
for all situations of fragility.
41. Each damaged family
first of all should be listened to with respect and love, becoming
companions on the journey as Christ did with the disciples of the road
to Emmaus. In a particular way the words of Pope Francis apply in these
situations: «The Church will have to initiate everyone – priests,
religious and laity – into this “art of accompaniment”, which teaches
us to remove our sandals before the sacred ground of the other (cf. Es
3,5). The pace of this accompaniment must be steady and
reassuring, reflecting our closeness and our compassionate gaze
which also heals, liberates and encourages growth in the Christian
life» (Evangelii Gaudium, 169).
42. Such discernment is
indispensable for the separated and divorced. What needs to be
respected above all is the suffering of those who have endured
separation and divorce unjustly. The forgiveness for the injustice
endured is not easy, but it is a journey that grace makes possible. In
the same way it needs to be always underlined that it is indispensable
to assume in a faithful and constructive way the consequences of
separation or divorce on the children: they must not become an “object”
to be fought over and the most suitable means need to be sought so that
they can get over the trauma of the family break-up and grow up in the
most serene way possible.
43. Various Fathers
underlined the necessity to make the recognition of cases of nullity
more accessible and flexible. Among the propositions were the
abandonment of the need for the double conforming sentence; the
possibility of establishing an administrative means under the
responsibility of the diocesan bishop; a summary process to be used in
cases of clear nullity. According to authoritative propositions, the
possibility should then be considered of giving weight to the faith of
those about to be married in terms of the validity of the sacrament of
marriage. It needs to emphasized that in all these cases it is about
the ascertaining of the truth over the validity of the obstacle.
44. As regards
matrimonial suits, the speeding-up of the procedure, requested by many,
as well as the preparation of a sufficient number of operators, clerics
and lay people, dedicating themselves to this, requires an increase in
the responsibilities of the diocesan bishop, who in his diocese might
charge a specially trained priest who would be able to offer the
parties advice on the validity of their marriage.
45. Divorced people who
have not remarried should be invited to find in the Eucharist the
nourishment they need to sustain them in their state. The local
community and pastors have to accompany these people with solicitude,
particularly when there are children involved or they find themselves
in a serious situation of poverty.
46. In the same way the
situation of the divorced who have remarried demands a careful
discernment and an accompaniment full of respect, avoiding any language
or behavior that might make them feel discriminated against. For the
Christian community looking after them is not a weakening of its faith
and its testimony to the indissolubility of marriage, but rather it
expresses precisely its charity in its caring.
47. As regards the
possibility of partaking of the sacraments of Penance and the
Eucharist, some argued in favor of the present regulations because of
their theological foundation, others were in favor of a greater opening
on very precise conditions when dealing with situations that cannot be
resolved without creating new injustices and suffering. For some,
partaking of the sacraments might occur were it preceded by a
penitential path – under the responsibility of the diocesan bishop –,
and with a clear undertaking in favor of the children. This would not
be a general possibility, but the fruit of a discernment applied on a
case-by-case basis, according to a law of gradualness, that takes into
consideration the distinction between state of sin, state of grace and
the attenuating circumstances.
48. Suggesting limiting
themselves to only “spiritual communion” was questioned by more than a
few Synodal Fathers: if spiritual communion is possible, why not allow
them to partake in the sacrament? As a result a greater theological
study was requested starting with the links between the sacrament of
marriage and the Eucharist in relation to the Church-sacrament. In the
same way, the moral dimension of the problem requires further
consideration, listening to and illuminating the consciences of spouses.
49. The problems
relative to mixed marriages were frequently raised in the interventions
of the Synodal Fathers. The differences in the matrimonial regulations
of the Orthodox Churches creates serious problems in certain contexts
to which have to be found suitable responses in communion with the
Pope. The same applies to inter-religious marriages.
Welcoming homosexual persons
50. Homosexuals have
gifts and qualities to offer to the Christian community: are we capable
of welcoming these people, guaranteeing to them a fraternal space in
our communities? Often they wish to encounter a Church that offers them
a welcoming home. Are our communities capable of providing that,
accepting and valuing their sexual orientation, without compromising
Catholic doctrine on the family and matrimony?
51. The question of
homosexuality leads to a serious reflection on how to elaborate
realistic paths of affective growth and human and evangelical maturity
integrating the sexual dimension: it appears therefore as an important
educative challenge. The Church furthermore affirms that unions between
people of the same sex cannot be considered on the same footing as
matrimony between man and woman. Nor is it acceptable that pressure be
brought to bear on pastors or that international bodies make financial
aid dependent on the introduction of regulations inspired by gender
ideology.
52. Without denying the
moral problems connected to homosexual unions it has to be noted that
there are cases in which mutual aid to the point of sacrifice
constitutes a precious support in the life of the partners.
Furthermore, the Church pays special attention to the children who live
with couples of the same sex, emphasizing that the needs and rights of
the little ones must always be given priority.
The transmission of life and the challenge of the
declining birthrate
53. It is not difficult
to notice the spread of a mentality that reduces the generation of life
to a variable of an individual’s or a couple’s plans. Economic factors
sometimes have enough weight to contribute to the sharp drop in the
birthrate which weakens the social fabric, compromising the
relationship between generations and rendering the view of the future
less certain. Being open to life is an intrinsic requirement of married
love.
54. Probably here as
well what is required is a realistic language that is able to start
from listening to people and acknowledging the beauty and truth of an
unconditional opening to life as that which human life requires to be
lived to its fullest. It is on this base that we can rest an
appropriate teaching regarding natural methods, which allow the living
in a harmonious and aware way of the communication between spouses, in
all its dimensions, along with generative responsibility. In this
light, we should go back to the message of the Encyclical Humanae
Vitae of Paul VI, which underlines the need to respect the dignity
of the person in the moral evaluation of the methods of birth control.
55. So help is required
to live affectivity, in marriage as well, as a path of maturation, in
the evermore profound welcoming of the other and in an ever-fuller
giving. It has to be emphasized in this sense the need to offer
formative paths that nourish married life and the importance of a laity
that provides an accompaniment consisting of living testimony. It is
undoubtedly of great help the example of a faithful and profound love
made up of tenderness, of respect, capable of growing in time and which
in its concrete opening to the generation of life allows us to
experience a mystery that transcends us.
The challenge of education and the role of the family
in evangelization
56. The fundamental
challenge facing families today is undoubtedly that of education,
rendered more difficult and complex by today’s cultural reality. What
have to be considered are the needs and expectations of families
capable of testifying in daily life, places of growth, of concrete and
essential transmission of the virtues that provide form for existence.
57. In this Church can
carry out a precious role in supporting families, starting from
Christian initiation, through welcoming communities. What is asked of
these, today even more than yesterday, in complex as well as mundane
situations, is to support parents in their educative undertaking,
accompanying children and young people in their growth through
personalized paths capable of introducing them to the full meaning of
life and encouraging choices and responsibilities, lived in the light
of the Gospel.
Conclusion
58. The reflections put
forward, the fruit of the Synodal dialog that took place in great
freedom and a spirit of reciprocal listening, are intended to raise
questions and indicate perspectives that will have to be matured and
made clearer by the reflection of the local Churches in the year that
separates us from the Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of bishops
planned for October 2015. These are not decisions that have been made
nor simply points of view. All the same the collegial path of the
bishops and the involvement of all God’s people under the guidance of
the Holy Spirit will lead us to find roads of truth and mercy for all.
This is the wish that from the beginning of our work Pope Francis has
extended to us, inviting us to the courage of the faith and the humble
and honest welcome of the truth in charity.
[03037-01.01] [Testo originale: Italiano] [Unofficial
translation]
[B0751-XX.03]