AMERICA/GUATEMALA - The Bishops: safeguarding and defending the family is the responsibility of civil authorities, but also of each family

Wednesday, 19 May 2021 family   pope francis   episcopal conferences   social situation   laws   human rights   coronavirus  

Guatemala City (Agenzia Fides) - The Bishops of Guatemala have sent a message, "as a greeting of appreciation, a call to hope and an exhortation to the commitment of all families to continue being, with God's blessing, the foundation of Guatemalan society" as established in the Constitution of the Republic. On the occasion of the Year of the Family 2021-2022 announced by Pope Francis on the fifth anniversary of the publication of his Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia, the Bishops recall that "in the family, communion can be experienced when it is a house of prayer, when the affections are serious, deep, pure, when forgiveness prevails over discord, when the daily harshness of living is softened by mutual tenderness and by serene adherence to God's will". Addressing Catholic families, all Guatemalan families, men and women of good will in society, the Bishops first of all thank the families who have persevered in good and in love during the hard period of the pandemic. "Despite the loss of fathers, mothers, children and siblings, they have persevered in unity, in communication, in solidarity with other families most affected by this global evil" and they urge them "not to tire of doing good", to continue to be "Domestic Churches", places of proclamation and experience in faith, places of prayer, of encounter, of sharing. In addition, the message denounces the aggression against families, through child malnutrition, the migratory drama that divides and is often deadly for the whole family, even for migrant children, the rates of criminal and even family violence, the gradual destruction natural environments ...To these evils is added the negative influence of the media, which promote individualism, sexual debauchery, unnatural models of sexuality, the definition of marriage and the family itself, as well as the crime of abortion "in the name of a false freedom and fulfillment of women". The Bishops therefore invite families to experience human and Christian values, in the face of the numerous cases of domestic violence, the abundance of pregnancies of girls and adolescents. The defense of the family is the responsibility of the civil authorities, the bishops continue, but also of each family "to safeguard and defend the family, following the model of St. Joseph". "The laws of a country must be formulated and applied taking into account the family institution and its working, health, ecological and human environments in general, so that the family can develop not only materially but integrally".
In the conclusion, the Church's commitment to offer a path of reflection that deepens the richness of the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia, especially in this year, is reaffirmed, making available to all useful tools to strengthen ecclesial movements, small communities, the means of communication… to help future spouses and all families in the formation of their children, as well as those who find themselves in irregular situations of disintegration, and any experience that affects marriage and the family. (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 19/5/2021)


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