Pope Francis inaugurates the Year “Amoris Laetitia Family” with a message to participants in a webinar on the topic “Our daily love”, in which he urges everyone to support families and accompany them during the trip of life.
By the Vatican News staff writer
Five years after the publication of Pope Francis’ post-synodal apostolic exhortation, The joy, the Vatican inaugurates the “The joy of life” Course. On the occasion of the start of the one-year celebration, Pope Francis sent a message on Friday to participants in a webinar on the subject “Our daily love”.
Pope Francis opened his message by greeting the participants and, in particular, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the laity, the family and life; Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, vicar of the diocese of Rome, and Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, grand chancellor of the Theological Institute of John Paul II for the sciences of marriage and the family, who organized the event.
The Pope recalled the publication of the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation The joy on the beauty and joy of conjugal and family love, and invited everyone to “live a year of rereading the document and reflecting on the subject, until the celebration of the Tenth World Meeting of Families that, if God flight, will take place in Rome on June 26, 2022 “.
World Meeting of Families
According to the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life, 1994 was declared the “International Year of the Family” by the United Nations. Pope John Paul II wanted the Church to celebrate this Year of the Family as well, and therefore the 1st World Meeting of Families (WFTU) was held. It took place in Rome on October 8 and 9, 1994 under the direction of the Pontifical Council for the Family, which organized all subsequent WMFs.
Since then, every three years, in different parts of the world, a World Meeting of Families has been held, along with an International Pastoral-Theological Congress. It usually concludes with a Family Festival in the presence of the Pope and a final Eucharistic celebration.
A new image of the family
Pope Francis noted that “the main intention of the document is to communicate … that today a new look at the family is needed on the part of the Church.” He stressed that it is not enough to reiterate the value of the doctrine. Rather, we need to become “custodians” of the family’s beauty and take care of their frailties and wounds “with compassion”.
Pope Francis went on to say that there are two aspects at the heart of every family ministry: “the frankness of the proclamation of the Gospel and the tenderness of accompaniment.”
He explained that, on the one hand, “we proclaim to couples, spouses and families a Word to help them grasp the true meaning of union and love, the sign and image of Trinitarian love and the covenant between Christ and the Church. ”
On the other hand, the Pope noted that “this proclamation cannot and must not be given either from above or from without.” He explained that the Church is embodied in history, as is its Master. Thus, when he proclaims the Gospel of the family, he does so by immersing himself in real life, knowing first hand the daily struggles of spouses and parents, their problems, their sufferings, all those small and large situations that weigh and sometimes make their journey difficult. “.
“Our daily love”
It is in this context that daily love is lived, the Pope said, referring to the title of the webinar. He noted that the title is a significant choice, as it is “about the love generated by the simplicity and silent work of a couple’s life, by that daily and sometimes tired commitment, carried out by spouses. , mothers, fathers and children “. .
He said that if the Gospel is proposed as a “doctrine of the heights” without entering into the “flesh” of daily life, it runs the risk of remaining only a beautiful theory and even of being experienced as a moral obligation.
“We are called to accompany, listen and bless the journey of families,” the Pope said. Not just to chart the direction, but to make the journey with them; enter the house with discretion and love, say to the couple: the Church is with you; the Lord is near you; we want to help you protect the gift you received.
Finally, the Pope urged: “We support the family! Let’s defend her from anything that compromises her beauty. “
And he invited everyone to “approach this mystery of love with wonder, discretion and tenderness. And we are committed to safeguarding their precious and delicate ties: children, parents, grandparents … We need these bonds to live and live well, to make humanity more fraternal. “