Pope Francis: The family, Europe's most precious
treasure
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received in audience on
Thursday members of the European
Federation of Catholic Family Associations or (FAFCE).
The federation was meeting the Pope on the occasion of its 20th
Anniversary.
FAFCE represents Catholic family associations from 14
European countries and has participatory status with the Council of Europe.
In his prepared words to those gathered for this
anniversary, Pope Francis said that the family was Europe’s most precious
treasure.
He continued by saying that families were not “museum
pieces, but through them, the gift is made concrete in mutual commitment and
generous openness to children, but also in service to society.”
Families, the Pope added, “are thus a kind of leaven that
helps to make the world more humane and more fraternal, where no one feels
rejected or abandoned.”
Crises in the family
During his speech Pope Francis noted that, “crises of
different types are presently springing up in Europe, not least in the
institution of the family.” But, he said, “crises are incentives to work
harder and better, with trust and hope.”
The Holy Father noted four crises in particular that are
affecting Europe at the present time, highlighting demographics, migration,
employment and education.
He stressed that “these crises might find positive outcomes
precisely in the culture of encounter, if different social, economic and
political actors were to join in shaping policies supportive of
families.”
In conclusion, the Holy Father said that families had much
to learn from the wisdom of their elders.
With this wisdom he underlined, “your service to the
sacredness of life takes concrete form in the covenant between generations and
in service to all, especially those most in need,... 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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