Large families deserve support, Pope says
Vatican, Nov. 02 (CWNews.com) - Large families need society's support,
Pope
Benedict XVI told his weekly audience on November 2.
A large family, the Pope remarked, "constitutes a witness of faith,
courage,
and optimism." Moreover, large families provide wealth to society,
"because
without children there is no future!"
The Holy Father called for "adequate social and legislative" measures
to
support large families, repeating that they offer "richness and hope
for the
entire country."
The Pope's remarks were prompted by the presence of an Italian national
family association at the Wednesday audience. He used the occasion to
underline "the centrality of the family, the foundational cell of
society
and the first place where life is welcomed and served." He offered his
special greetings to large families, and made a point, at the end of
his
audience, of meeting with a family that had 9 children.
The Pope also spoke about the significance of the feast of All Souls,
November 2, when Catholics pray for the dead. The liturgy of the day,
Pope
Benedict said, encourages the faithful to "look upon the mystery of
death in
the light of faith, with serenity and hope." The Scriptures, he
continued,
teach that "death is not an end, but a new birth."
Next, commenting on Psalm 111, the Pontiff said that "the happiness of
the
faithful shows in docility to the commandments of God." Those who shun
injustice and immorality, he said, experience a "profound peace of
conscience" and a blessing that extends not only to their own lives but
to
future generations.