Making a family

After the Angelus of Santo Stefano, Pope Francis addresses spouses from all over the world. «Today, on the feast of the Holy Family, a Letter is published that I wrote thinking of you. It wants to be my Christmas gift for you spouses: a sign of closeness and also an opportunity for meditation ».
For the Pontiff it is important to reflect and “experience the goodness and tenderness of God who with a fatherly hand guides the steps of the spouses on the path of good. May the Lord give all the spouses the strength and the joy to continue the journey undertaken ". Jorge Mario Bergoglio also wishes "to remind you that we are approaching the World Meeting of Families: I invite you to prepare yourselves for this event, especially with prayer, and to live it in your dioceses, together with other families".

And speaking of the family, «I am worried, a real concern, at least here in Italy: the demographic winter. It seems that many have lost the aspiration to move forward with children and many couples prefer to remain without or with only one child.
Think about this, it's a tragedy. We are all doing our best to regain a conscience, to win this demographic winter that goes against our families against our homeland, even against our future ».

Pope Francis sent the letter on the Feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth to spouses from all over the world on the occasion of the Year of the Amoris Laetitia which opened last March 19 and which will end on June 26, 2022 with the X World Meeting of Families in Rome.
Bergoglio writes: «I have always kept families in mind in my prayers, but even more so during the pandemic, which put everyone to the test, especially the most vulnerable. The moment we are going through leads me to approach each person, each married couple and each family with humility, affection and hospitality in the situations that each one is experiencing ".

The Pope wants to take this opportunity to «reflect on some difficulties and opportunities that families have experienced in this time of pandemic». For example, the time for being together has increased, and this has been a unique opportunity to cultivate dialogue in the family. Certainly - he observes - this requires a special exercise of patience; it is not easy to be together all day when you have to work, study, relax and rest in the same house. Do not let yourselves be overcome by tiredness », the Pope encourages; may the power of love make you capable of looking more at others - at your spouse, at your children - than at your own fatigue ". In this way, “being together will not be a penance but a refuge in the midst of storms. May the family be a place of welcome and understanding ", is the wish of the bishop of Rome.


Domenico Agasso
NP January 2022