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The Purpose of Amoris Laetitia Family
The Year Amoris Laetitia Family is an opportunity to reflect deeply on and share the message of Amoris Laetitia on its fifth anniversary. This celebration is timely; the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life, which will coordinate initiatives for the year highlighted that “the pandemic experience has highlighted the central role of the family as the domestic Church and has shown the importance of community ties between families, which make the Church an authentic ‘family of families.’” The year’s objectives are found in this apostolic exhortation, and include cultivating missionary vocation in families, highlighting the sacrament of marriage, supporting the education of children, and accompanying all members of diverse Catholic families.
Lighting the Darkness
Amoris Laetitia says, “A family that discovers and experiences both the joy of having a gift, and of being a gift for the Church and society, ‘can become a light in the darkness of the world’ (AL,66).” An objective for this year is supporting missionary vocation in families by creating opportunities for formation in evangelization and missionary initiatives.
Valuing the Sacrament of Marriage
Another objective is highlighting the value of the sacrament of marriage exemplified by married couples and families who daily live out the grace of this sacrament.
Educating Children
Special attention to the education of young children is a priority in this celebration, as is a focus on family issues and themes for youth ministry initiatives.
Accompanying Unique Families
Yet another objective is to expand pastoral of families to be more inclusive to diverse family members—including married couples, children, young people, and the elderly—offering ministry to those families and members who are struggling with difficult situations.
Reciprocity between Families and the Church
The Dicastery states that “it will be important to make the reciprocity between the 'family-domestic Church' and the Church (AL, 200), so that each may mutually discover and value each other as an irreplaceable gift.”
In Summary
The Year Amoris Laetitia Family is an invitation for all Catholics to be a witness to family love through the objectives and initiatives of the celebration. You can bless, revere, celebrate, and support Catholic family life and love through prayer and faith-building activities throughout The Year Amoris Laetitia Family and always!
