Pope urges French bishops to help hurting, broken families

Published: 2004-01-30

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Catholic Church cannot stand by silently as families break down, hurting the couples involved and giving future generations a negative view of marriage and family life, Pope John Paul II said. "The family is not just one model of relationship among many others, but is a type of relationship indispensable for the future of society," the pope said in a Jan. 30 address to a group of French bishops. The bishops were at the Vatican for their "ad limina" visits, which the heads of dioceses make every five years. Pope John Paul's speech to the group focused on the need to support lay Catholics in living their faith and on increasing their knowledge of church teaching. The pope praised French Catholic programs aimed at helping young married people grow in their commitment to each other, their understanding of marriage as a sacrament and their openness to having children.

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