The Issue of Family and Christian Marriage in the Light of the Catechesis Given by the Holy Father Francis in 2014/2015

Abstract

The author of this paper dwells on the picture of Pope Francis's pastoral concern and theological and moral interpretation of issues related to family and Christian marriage in the modern world from the perspective of over two years of the Pope's pontificate. The paper was prepared based on the analysis of religious instructions given by Pope Francis in the years 2014-2015. The reflection consists of two parts. The first part – the shorter one – is of historiographic nature and presents a contribution of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church to the development of a theological and moral doctrine related to marriage and family, with a particular emphasis put on the role of Francis's predecessors – popes: Paul VI, Saint John Paul II and Benedict XVI. The second, most essential ,part of this paper refers to the teachings of the present Bishop of Rome and is based on the analysis of selected words uttered by the Pope in the course of the Wednesday Catechesis in the years 2014-2015, which include a quite clear theological and moral interpretation of the modern family. Francis's deliberations were mainly focused on the role and function of women and men (mother and father), children and the elderly in the family. Many words were devoted to the concept of the Christian marriage and problems to be faced by the family in the modern world.