Pope tells EU Bishops: encourage parish to become a "family of families"

Pope Francis met the Council of European Episcopal Conferences, which has been holding its Plenary Assembly in Rome this week, on the theme: 'Family and the Future of Europe '. He told them that meeting provided “an important opportunity to reflect together on how to value the family as a valuable resource for pastoral renewal.”

The Holy Father went on to stress that pastors and families needed to work together so that parish communities can become a "family of families" in which families, and married couples are supported whether it be those who live a normal married life, or those who experience problems or break ups.

He also underlined the importance of education saying that parents remain the first and foremost educators of their children, so he added, “they have the right to educate them in accordance with their moral and religious convictions."
He said there was a need to outline common and coordinated pastoral directives in order to promote and sustain Catholic schools.

In unscripted remarks to participants the Holy Father spoke of a Europe that was injured, a Europe which is seeing babies aborted, old people cast aside and where young people are struggling to find work. However, despite this pessimistic outlook the Pope said it was not the end for Europe, adding that the continent has resources and its injuries and pain can be healed in the form of Jesus.

Finally, the Holy Father encouraged the Assembly to continue their efforts to foster communion among the different Churches of Europe, in order to facilitate a proper collaboration for fruitful evangelization and he also invited them to be a "prophetic voice" in society, especially, as he put it, “where the process of secularization taking place in the continent of Europe tends to make speaking about God more and more marginal.