Families: The Beating Hearts of Society

“If the families stop, the country’s social motor will stop, the heart of society will stop beating. And if the heart stops beating, after a while brain death will follow. To prevent this drift, we need to dream of a better future today.” These were the words of Msgr. Gualtiero Bassetti, Archbishop of Perugia-Città della Pieve and President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI), in his address to the general assembly of the Forum of Family Associations which met in Rome a few days ago.

The CEI president indicated to the Forum three ways to continue the pastoral, social and synodal activity, according to a basic idea: “The family is a precious and indispensable asset for Italy’s future.” Msgr. Bassetti, then, recalled the importance of “taking note of the profound changes that have occurred in society.” We are experiencing a “period of change,” he added, noting that “Catholics have never had such an enormous responsibility.” In light of the Gospel—he explained—we are “called to be a critical conscience in society.”

Among the troubling facts, the CEI President noted “the condition of poverty of families,” referring to the fact that 1.5 million people are living in total poverty, the high rate of youth unemployment, and the continuous decrease of the birthrate.

The need to “bring Amoris Laetitia and what Pope Francis asks us to live into a society without wars of barricades, but rather weaving the different fabrics that work around the family,” said Fr. Paolo Gentili, head of the CEI Family Ministry Office.

In this historical moment, and in the light of Amoris Laetitia, “the Church—Fr. Gentili continued—is called to prophesy through the family,” also because, he added, in these years “a new relationship has been created, including in the field between the realities of Catholic associations—especially those related to family and life issues—and the offices of pastoral care of the family.” Fr. Gentili also stressed that, in Italy, “we have a tax system but also a way of daily life much more in reference to the individual. We do not really consider the family factor as society’s driving force.”

Gigi De Palo, president of the Forum of Family Associations—which is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2018—made it clear that “families are not asking for alms but justice. They are not asking for help from the State; they simply want the State to put them in conditions that help them. The families—he concluded—are not the sick to be cared for, but they care for the sick.”