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What the Family Is. Family Sunday St. Raphael, Glasgow, MT. Family Become What You Are. Familias Consortio – The Community of the Family Post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, 1981 Christifidelias Laici – The Lay Members of Christ’s Faithful People (1994)
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What the Family Is Family Sunday St. Raphael, Glasgow, MT
Family Become What You Are • FamiliasConsortio – The Community of the Family • Post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, 1981 • ChristifideliasLaici – The Lay Members of Christ’s Faithful People (1994) • God sent a saint to bring His message for today’s world • Because, once again, we are confused
The Family (in FC) • Two Poles around which the document centers • Love • Grace of the Sacrament of Matrimony • Christian Anthropology • Karol Wotylia’s long collaboration with and study of the human dynamic • Particularly young single adults and newly married couples
The Family is • First and Vital Cell of Society • the basis for civilization is ordained by God Himself • A Community of Love • Symbol of Christ’s love for the Church • A Church in Microcosm • The Domestic Church
The Domestic Church • Since the 4th century AD • Homily 20, from St. John Chyrsostrum • Renewed at Vatican II documents on the Church and the laity • School of life and love • Image of the Trinity
The Domestic Church - Practices • Prayers and devotions • Before they ever set foot in RE • Religious Art • Holy Water • Book of Blessings • Children’s names and the saints • Guardian Angel • Simply Live It
The Mission of the Family is • To build the Church • Guard, Reveal and Communicate Love • Advance/develop society • Give Life • Partake in the Mission of the Redeemer • Reform society (§47)
Participation • Define the term • Family as fullest participation in the Trinity • Other forms of family are also good, but lacking some measure of the fullness of the good meant to be there (privation) • “Nuclear” family can be lacking as well if it is not love centered and permeated
Catechism of the Catholic Church • Sacrament of Matrimony (Section 2, Chapter 3, Article 7) • §1601 – 1654: the Sacrament • §1655 – 1666: the Domestic Church • § 2201 – 2233: the Christian Family • Sexual ethics §2344 - 2400
Danger and Threats • Challenges to human dignity • Sense of the faithful as majority opinion • Humanae Vitae fallout • Lack of understanding about what marriage is • Distorted understanding about freedom • Hostility to Christianity • Particularly the state • Society as well
Danger and Threats • Divorce • Abortion • Contraceptive mentality • Pornography • Discrimination against women • Everything warned about in HV
Ripple Effect • Most fundamental and indispensable unit of society – • When family fails everything built on it at least limps • Why society is so dysfunctional and why government seeks to step in to do those things families used to do and • Why that is dangerous
Call to Holiness • Universal • Unique form in Marriage and Family • Unique role in the world • Witness of Life • Love each other into Heaven
Parents as Educators • Original • Primary • Unique • Indispensible • Irreplaceable • Inalienable • Others have a subordinate role
Education of Love • Self-Mastery • Effects of Sin • Aid of Grace • Sacrifice • Proper Ordering of all things
So What is one to do? • Answer is not political activism (not first anyway) but families being what they are meant to be – don’t create the vacuum to be filled • First answer is always prayer (or His promises mean nothing; and if they mean nothing He is not God)
Teacher and Mother • The Church is this by analogy • Because God built it into the family first • Calls for cooperation with others • Church • State • They have obligations to the family