Pope: burdened with many crises Europe has in the family its "most precious treasure"
In his meeting with European Federation of Catholic Family Association, Francis spoke about the Old Continent’s four crises: demographics, migration, employment and education. On the basis of the inviolable dignity of the person, especially of the weakest, Europe can really be a family of peoples.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Pope Francis received in audience today members of the European Federation of Catholic Family Associations (FAFCE) on the occasion of its 20th Anniversary. The organisation represents Catholic family associations from 14 European countries.
The pontiff told the group that Europe faces four crises at present: demographics, migration, employment and education. Yet, it should “continue to consider the family its most precious treasure” as well as the “fundamental cell of society” and the “leaven that helps to make the world more humane and more fraternal, where no one feels rejected or abandoned.”
Praising the Federation for its work "in the integral service to the family," he cited his own remarks before the authorities of the European Union on the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome as well as passages from his Apostolic Exhortation Amoris laetitia, in which he says we “can make the gift concrete through the beauty and the joy of mutual love."
For Francis, "there is no better ally for the integral progress of society than to favour the presence of families in the social fabric." The unity of “all the members of the family” with society can contribute to “the common good and [. . .] peace, also in Europe.”
The family is a "communion of persons" in which we can experience and find a place in the great "human family" whose challenge is the "culture of the encounter".
"The way of ‘being family’ that you want to spread is not subject to any contingent ideology, but grounded in the inviolable dignity of the person. On the basis of that dignity, Europe will be able to be truly one family of peoples."
The Old Continent currently faces four crises: " demographics, migration, employment and education." In order to meet these challenges, even that of the "demographic winter", the family is a model of action, bearing witness to “unity in diversity" and "dialogue".
For the pope, we must not conceal our "Christian identity”. Indeed, it is important for families to go out of their way to "encounter others". For him, the bond between generations is central for it holds memories, the present and the future.
“[Y]our service to the sacredness of life takes concrete form in the covenant between generations and in service to all, especially those most in need, the disabled and orphans. It takes concrete form in solidarity with migrants, in the patient art of education that views each young person as a subject worthy of all the family’s love, in defending the right to life of the unborn who have no voice, and in ensuring dignified living conditions for the elderly.”
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