POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION
AMORIS LÆTITIA
OF
THE HOLY FATHER
FRANCIS
TO BISHOPS, PRIESTS AND DEACONS
CONSECRATED PERSONS
CHRISTIAN MARRIED COUPLES AND ALL
THE LAY FAITHFUL
ON
LOVE IN THE FAMILY
1.
|
he Joy of Love experienced by families
is also the joy of the Church. As the
Synod Fathers noted, for all the
many signs of crisis in the institution of marriage, “the desire to marry and
form a family remains vibrant,
especially among young people, and this is an inspiration to the Church”.1 As a response to that desire, “the Christian
proclamation on the family is good news indeed”.2
2.
The Synod process
allowed for an exam- ination of the situation of families in today’s world, and thus for a broader
vision and a re- newed awareness of the importance of marriage and the family. The complexity of the
issues that arose revealed the need for continued open discussion of a
number of doctrinal, moral, spiritual, and pastoral questions. The thinking of pastors and theologians, if faithful to
the Church, honest, realistic and
creative, will help us to achieve greater clarity.
The debates carried on in the media, in certain publications and even among the
Church’s ministers, range from an
1 Third exTraordinary GeneraL assembLy of The
synod of bishops, Relatio Synodi (18 October 2014), 2.
2 fourTeenTh
ordinary GeneraL assembLy of The
synod of bishops, Relatio Finalis (24 October 2015), 3.
immoderate desire for total change
without suf- ficient reflection or grounding, to an attitude
that would solve everything by applying general rules or deriving undue
conclusions from particular theological considerations.
3.
Since
“time is greater than space”,
I would make it
clear that not all discussions
of doctrinal, moral or pastoral issues need to be settled by
interventions of the magisterium. Unity of teaching and practice is certainly necessary in the Church, but
this does not preclude various ways of interpreting some aspects of that
teaching or drawing certain consequences from it. This will always be the case as the Spirit guides
us towards the entire truth
(cf. Jn 16:13), until he leads us
fully into the mystery of Christ and enables us to see all things as he does. Each country or region, moreover, can seek solutions
better suited to its culture and sensitive to its traditions and local needs. For
“cultures are in fact quite diverse and every
general principle… needs
to be inculturated, if it is to be respected and applied”.3
3 Concluding Address
of the Fourteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (24 October 2015):
L’Osservatore Romano, 26-27
October 2015, p. 13; cf. ponTificaL bibLicaL commission, Fede e cultura alla luce della Bibbia. Atti della
sessione plenaria 1979 della Pontificia Commissione Biblica, Turin, 1981; second vaTican ecumenicaL counciL, Pastoral
Constitution on the Church
in the Modern World Gaudium et Spes, 44; John pauL II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris
Missio (7 December 1990), 52: AAS 83 (1991),
300; Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (24
November 2013), 69,
117: AAS 105
(2013), 1049, 1068-69.
4.
I must also say that
the Synod process proved both impressive and illuminating. I am grateful for
the many contributions that helped me to appreciate more fully the problems
faced by families throughout the world. The various interventions of the Synod Fathers, to which I paid close heed, made up, as it were, a multifacet-
ed gem reflecting many legitimate concerns and honest questions. For this reason, I thought it appropriate
to prepare a post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation to gather the contributions of
the two recent Synods on the family, while adding other considerations
as an aid to reflection, di- alogue and pastoral practice, and as a help and
encouragement to families in their daily commit-
ments and challenges.
5.
This Exhortation is
especially timely in this Jubilee Year of Mercy. First,
because it represents an invitation to Christian
families to value the gifts of
marriage and the family, and
to persevere in a love strengthened
by the virtues of generosity, commitment, fidelity and
patience. Second, be- cause it seeks to encourage everyone to be a sign of mercy and closeness wherever
family life re- mains imperfect or lacks peace and joy.
6.
I will begin with an opening
chapter inspired by the Scriptures, to set a proper tone.
I will then examine the actual situation of families, in order to keep
firmly grounded in reality. I will go on to recall some essential aspects of
the Church’s teaching on marriage and
the family, thus paving
the way for two central
chapters dedicated to love. I
will then highlight some pastoral approaches that can guide us in building sound and fruitful homes in accordance with God’s plan, with a full chap- ter devoted
to the raising of children. Finally, I
will offer an invitation to mercy and the pastoral discernment of those
situations that fall short of what the Lord demands of us, and conclude
with a brief discussion of family spirituality.
7.
Given the rich fruits
of the two-year Synod process, this Exhortation will treat, in different ways, a wide variety of questions. This
explains its inevitable length. Consequently,
I do not recommend a rushed reading of the text. The greatest benefit,
for families themselves and for those engaged in the family apostolate, will come
if each part is read patiently and carefully, or if at- tention is paid to the parts dealing with their spe- cific needs. It is likely, for example, that married couples
will be more concerned with Chapters Four and Five, and pastoral
ministers with Chap- ter Six, while everyone should feel
challenged by Chapter Eight. It is my hope that, in reading this text, all will
feel called to love and cherish
family life, for “families are not a problem; they are first and foremost an opportunity”.4
4 Address
at the Meeting of Families in Santiago de Cuba (22 September
2015): L’Osservatore Romano, 24
September 2015, p. 7.
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