<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>\u201c[T]he family\u2026is the foundation<\/strong> of society.\u201d<\/span> (Gaudium et Spes, 52)<\/a><\/p>\n <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The Synod on Family, called by Pope Francis, reported the \"<\/span>the family<\/strong>, the basic human community, <\/span>is painfully<\/strong> being <\/span><\/strong>weakened<\/strong>\". <\/span>(Synod Report to Pope Francis, 10)<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n A source of this crisis is \"doubt or error in the field of marriage or the family\" which \"involves obscuring to a serious extent the integral truth about the human person\". \u200b(Pope St. John Paul II, 31)<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Despite a growing number of types of \"families\", the truth of the family, founded on marriage between a man and a woman, must remain the foundation of society.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The family is the image of God.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \"Here we mean the family founded on marriage<\/strong>, in which the mutual gift of self by husband and wife creates an environment in which children can be born and develop their potentialities\". (Pope St. John Paul II, 39)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n However, in recent decades the traditional family has been replaced by new \u201ctypes\u201d of families. The culture, and by extension politics, affirm and even celebrate these different types, many of which do not uphold the traditional family as the ideal.<\/span><\/p>\n This is a source of today\u2019s crisis of the family. [See: What is Family?<\/a><\/em>]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Several of these \u201cnew types\u201d of families can be singled out:<\/span><\/p>\n Despite overwhelming evidence of their negative effect on children, single parent families (whether because of divorce, separation, or pre-marital sexual relationships) are presented as quite acceptable. Certainly nothing to criticize or ameliorate.<\/span><\/p>\n Similarly, couples who chose to remain childless (via contraception or the tragedy of abortion) in order to maximize\/prioritize careers are normalized, if not idealized.<\/span><\/p>\n Finally, same sex \u201cfamilies\u201d<\/strong> are now seen as normal. This, more than any other type of \u201cfamily\u201d, rejects God\u2019s plan<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n \"[A]s for proposals to place unions between homosexual persons on the same level as marriage, there are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God\u2019s plan for marriage and family\u2019.\" (Pope Francis, 251)<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n This situation is now becoming completely \u201ctopsy-turvy\u201d. In early 2023 the Catholic couple, Michael and Catherine Burke were found unfit by Massachusetts to be trusted with a child and rejected as adoptive parents. Why? Because, supporting the Church's position they \u201cwould not be affirming to a child who identified as LGBTQIA\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The assault on the family is not only cultural, but political and economic.<\/span><\/p>\n Rather than redefine or neglect the family, \u201cStates are called to enact policies promoting the centrality and the integrity of the family<\/strong> founded on marriage between a man and a woman, the primary vital cell of society\u201d.\u00a0(Pope Benedict XVI, 44)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n \u201c[P]ublic authorities must do everything possible to ensure that families have all those aids \u2013 economic, social, educational, political and cultural assistance-that they need in order to face all their responsibilities in a human way.\u201d\u00a0(Pope St. John Paul II, 45)<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe family [is] older than the state\u2026No human law can abolish the natural and original right of marriage<\/strong>, nor in any way limit the chief and principal purpose of marriage ordained by God\u2019s authority from the beginning: \u2018Increase and multiply\u2019.\u201d (Pope Leo XIII, 12)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \"Whoever wants to build the civic and social edifice on <\/span>strong and stable foundations must base it on a conception of marriage and the family\". (Pope Pius XII)<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c[T]he role of the family in\u00a0building a\u00a0culture of life\u00a0is decisive and irreplaceable.\u201d\u00a0(Pope St. John Paul II, 92)<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt is necessary to go back to seeing the family as sacred<\/strong> \u2013 \u2018the heart of the culture of life\u2019\u201d. (Pope St. John Paul II, 39)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n What is Family?<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Top Magisterial Quotes about Family<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n What is Marriage?<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The Top Marriage Quotes from the Church<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Why is Family Important?<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Healthy Families are the Future<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Consumption and Family Life<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Is Family Life Today Under Attack?<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n What Does the Bible Say About Divorce?<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Rediscovering the Power of Fatherhood<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The Importance of Motherhood<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Learning from the Holy Family<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n An Old Fashioned Christmas<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div> Catholic social teaching is built on three foundational principles -\u00a0<\/strong>Human Dignity<\/strong>,\u00a0Solidarity\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Subsidiarity.\u00a0<\/strong>Human Dignity, embodied in a correct understanding of the human person, is the greatest. The others flow from it. Good governments and good economic systems find ways of fostering the three principles.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t This means a correct understanding of the human person and of each person\u2019s unique value. All Catholic social teaching flows from this: the inherent dignity of every person that comes from being made in God\u2019s image.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t Solidarity is not \u201ca feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of others. It is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good\u201d. (Pope St. John Paul II, 38)<\/a> Love of God and love of neighbor are, in fact, linked and form one, single commandment.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\tNew Types of Families: A Threat to Society?<\/span><\/h1>\n
by CAPP-USA<\/span><\/span><\/h5>\n
The Family Crisis<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Though](\"https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/kabita-darlami-NeCIvmmZa60-unsplash.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhat is Family?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
New Family \u201cTypes\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
From Bad to Worse<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
No Families...No Future<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
The Family is Irreplaceable<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Three](\"https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Three-Principles.png\")
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThree Key Principles<\/a><\/h2>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Human-Dignity.png\")
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHuman Dignity<\/a><\/h2>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Solidarity.png\")
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSolidarity<\/a><\/h2>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Subsidiarity.png\")
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t