“The family is the fundamental locus of the covenant between the Church and God’s creation, with that creation which God blessed on the last day with a family. Without the family, not even the Church would exist.” (Pope Francis, Meeting with Bishops Taking Part in the World Meeting of Families, 2015).

The family is the basic cell of society. Below are a range of resources for families, as well as links to relevant Church documents on family life.

Resources

• Family, Food, Faith (Archdiocese of Melbourne)
  Family, Food, Faith is a resource that focusses on the spiritual significance of family meals as well as the very practical physical, social and emotional benefits of eating together.
• Walking with Families – Pope Francis and the Art of Accompaniment (Archdiocese of Melbourne)
  Focusing on the idea of “accompaniment” as presented in Pope Francis’ Amoris Laetitia, this resource provides practical advice for putting accompaniment into action, particularly in the context of the family.
• Living Icons – Mothers, Fathers and the Gospel of the Family (Archdiocese of Melbourne)
  This resource looks at the unique, yet complementary, gifts of motherhood and fatherhood and the powerful role parents play in raising and forming their children.
• World Meeting of Families 2022 – Australian Content
  In preparation for the 2022 World Meeting of Families, the Life, Marriage and Family Network produced a series of video presentations exploring the catechesis themes from the event.
• Australian Catholic Mums
  An online space of encouragement and inspiration, specifically for mothers and wives. The site includes recipes, craft activities, faith resources, and reflections on family life.
• CathFamily
  Supported by the Marriage Resource Centre, CathFamily is a website dedicated to assisting families in making the home the living heart of the Church.
• Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life
  The Dicastery’s website contains a wealth of resources relevant to family life, including materials from the 2022 World Meeting of Families event.
• Tools for Building a Domestic Church (USCCB)
  A range of practical suggestions on how to build your “domestic church” through a life of prayer that can help all the members of your family.

The Family and Evangelisation

• Marriage and Family: Home of the New Evangelisation (USCCB, 2013)
  This short resource was developed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and outlines the importance of evangelisation within the family. It also provides some concrete practices that families can use to foster the New Evangelisation.
• Faith in the Family (St Anthony Communications, UK)
  A 15-part video series covering various aspects of the Catholic faith and featuring interviews with parents describing how the Catholic faith is lived out in their family. The series is designed for use in the parish and the home.

Relevant Church Documents

• Gaudium et Spes (Joy and Hope, 1965)
  One of the 16 documents composed at the Second Vatican Council, the Council fathers devote an entire section to marriage and the family: nos. 47-52.
• Familiaris Consortio (The Christian Family in the Modern World, 1981)
  In this Apostolic Exhortation, Pope John Paul II provides an extended treatment of the role of the Christian family both in the Church and in the modern world.
• Humanae Vitae (On Human Life, 1968)
  Pope Paul VI’s encyclical provides clear teaching about God’s plan for married love and the transmission of life.
• The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and the Contemporary World – Instrumentum Laboris (2015).
  Presented as part of the XIV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, the Instrumentum Laboris provides a thorough exploration of the challenges and mission of the family in the modern world.
• Charter of the Rights of the Family (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1983).
  Addressed to governments, the document contains a list of inalienable, fundamental rights which are inherent to the family, which society is called to safeguard and defend.
• Lumen Fidei (The Light of Faith, 2013)
  Chapter four of the encyclical discusses faith and the family, defining the family as the “stable union of man and woman in marriage”.