Amoris Laetitia 277: Communion, Fruitfulness, Sensitivity

Thoughts from two of Pope Francis’ 2015 addresses. First, an awareness about consumption, greed, and stewardship:

277. In the family too, we can rethink our habits of consumption and join in caring for the environment as our common home. “The family is the principal agent of an integral ecology, because it is the primary social subject which contains within it the two fundamental principles of human civilization on earth: the principle of communion and the principle of fruitfulness”.(Catechesis (30 September 2015))

Helping children develop sensitivity to human weakness and limitation:

In the same way, times of difficulty and trouble in the lives of family life can teach important lessons. This happens, for example, when illness strikes, since “in the face of illness, even in families, difficulties arise due to human weakness. But in general, times of illness enable family bonds to grow stronger… An education that fails to encourage sensitivity to human illness makes the heart grow cold; it makes young people ‘anesthetized’ to the suffering of others, incapable of facing suffering and of living the experience of limitation”.(Catechesis (10 June 2015))

Remember that Amoris Laetitia is online here.