Paragraphs 187 through 198 look at “Life in the Wider Family.” A brief introduction to the theme:
187. The nuclear family needs to interact with the wider family made up of parents, aunts and uncles, cousins and even neighbors. This greater family may have members who require assistance, or at least companionship and affection, or consolation amid suffering.(Cf. Relatio Finalis 2015, 11) The individualism so prevalent today can lead to creating small nests of security, where others are perceived as bothersome or a threat. Such isolation, however, cannot offer greater peace or happiness; rather, it straitens the heart of a family and makes its life all the more narrow.
The mobility of people around the world create a challenge. Pope Francis has not lost the theme of looking out for and accompanying the needy. Those who tout the motto, “Family comes first,” are themselves often hard-pressed to evade the isolation imposed by the demands of work, long distances between relations, and even the geographical break-up of nuclear families. People in families separated because of commitments for work or school often do not have available support for their needs.
For your reference, remember that Amoris Laetitia is online here.
Catholic Sensibility 