The Family, Cradle of the Announcement of God’s Love

The Churches in Asia “reaffirm the mission of pastoral care of families. To fulfill this mission, the family needs a formation that empowers it, so that everyone feels called to love family life.” Wendy Louis, a Catholic laywoman, executive secretary of the Women’s Desk of the Office for Laity and Family of the Federation of Asian Episcopal Conferences (FABC), spoke about “Love and the Family” on the basis of on the “Amoris Laetitia” at a study seminar held recently in Singapore.

This seminar, which brought together delegates from nine Asian countries, reflected on the Catholic family in Asia as “a domestic Church on a mission of mercy.”

The Asian Bishops identified three salient points: Pastoral care for the family requires basic training that includes listening without judging, empathy, and respect for those to whom it is addressed. Those engaged in family pastoral care must understand the theology of marriage and present the practical ways in which couples can live the matrimonial sacrament, with love and self-giving. Family pastoral care must be attentive to the real concerns of families and collaborate with other agencies to provide comprehensive assistance.