The document discusses the importance of family. It makes 3 key points: 1) The family is the "domestic church" where we first learn life's values like respecting human life. It has the primary role of developing Christian virtues in children. 2) A family is a covenant relationship of love that enables its members to support each other, especially in crises, and experience God's love. 3) The family is the foundation of civil society. Through procreation and education, the family grounds and nourishes the existence of society itself. The protection and formation of families should be a top concern for both the state and Church.

2. Becoming Procreators
“Our lives, everything we are and
have, are due ultimately to our
birth, upbringing and support of our
families. It is from our families that
we first learn respect for human
life”. (CFC, 998)
 Commandment number 4

3. The Seedbed of Life
 The family – where we first learn and
imbibe the values and virtues to
ourselves
- Where we first learn about life, its value
and significance, sanctity and mystery
- Has the primary responsibility to develop
Christian values and virtues in us as
children and raise us with love and fear
of God
- Special role of educating us the value of

4. Nature of the
Family
A foundation
A covenant A domestic for civil
relationship church society

5. A covenant relationship
 Simply means to bring the truth:
there is more to the daily
acts, talk, and events in family life
than first meets the eye
 It is the covenant of love because it
creates and sustains the basic
community we need to become and
survive as a person
CFC, 1013

6.  Itis the love in, for and by our
families that enables us to stay
together more especially during
crises
 Through our families we
experience God‟s love and
faithfulness to us

7. Domestic Church
„For the family not only where „new
citizens of human society are
born, (but) by the grace of the
Holy Spirit received in Baptism,
these are made children of God,
thus perpetuating the People of
God through the centuries. Thus,
the family is, so to speak, the
domestic Church‟. (LG 11)

8.  The Church in the home
 The basic unit of Christian life
 The first school of discipleship
 Where we learn to love others, share
what we have, care for the needy,
understand human weaknesses and
frailties, forgive those who wronged
us, thank for the blessings we
received and respect other‟s life and
dignity

9.  It is primarily the duty of the
parents to educate their children.
“Education means training, that is,
instruction by word and example,
by suggestion and direction, by
encouragement and repression,
by reward and punishment”.

10. Education
 A progressive
and well-ordered
development of man‟ three-fold
powers
◦ Physical
◦ Intellectual
◦ Moral
 The
proper formation of the whole
man – body, mind and will

11. Foundation for Civil
Society
 First and vital cell of society
 Through its service to life by birth and
the education of its youth in social
virtues, the family grounds and
continually nourishes the existence
and development of society itself
 The smallest unit of society
 The family makes the society and the
society reflects the family

12. „Therefore, the restoration of
human society as a whole
constantly begins with the
renewal of the family. Its
protection, formation and
furtherance must be the foremost
concern of the state and the
Church‟.
(GS, 2)

13. Social Role of the
Family
 Procreation
 Education
 Social service activities
◦ especially in favor of the poor, or
at any rate for the benefit of all
people and situations that cannot
be reached by the public
authorities‟ welfare organization
(Familiaris Consortio, 44)

14. As Member of the Family
What are our obligations towards
our parents?
To respect and love them

15. According to St. Thomas
Aquinas
 The children‟s obligation of love
and reverence is based on the
fact that the parents are, after
God, the second source of life,
growth and education

16. Honor your father and your
mother.
 Stresses our duty to respect and
honor our parents
 Respect for parents is based on the
fact that they share and cooperate
with God‟s creative power – the
power that keeps us alive and in
existence
 Based on the role and responsibility
they play for us as their children

17. Are we bound to obey our
parents if we conscientiously
know that what they want us to
do is evil?
 We should follow our parents given that their
commands are good and just
 But if their commands are not in accordance
to the values taught by Christ, interpreted by
the Church, we are not obliged to follow
them

18. How can you show your gratitude
to them?
 Study very well
 Uphold their reputation
 Love the members of your family
 Be patient and understanding to
them
 Take care of your parents especially
in their old age