3 Papal documents that every Catholic couple should read

Many of the various political and social revolutions that took place in the 1960s were not directly opposed to the institution of the family, but they did challenge Christian morality and the Church's teachings on sexuality and family values.

Since then, popes have sought to give concrete answers to Catholic families about their vocation and mission in the Church and in the world. Pope Francis alone convened two synods on this subject, one in 2014 and another the following year.

Beyond the many letters, general audience catechesis, pronouncements, and homilies of recent pontiffs on the value of the family, three magisterial documents stand out.

The contraceptive pill had just been released when the sexual revolution hit, bringing with it various social consequences, especially in the area of sexuality. The Church was then faced with a dilemma: should artificial contraception be welcomed as a possibility, or rejected outright by Catholic doctrine?

In 1963, Pope John XXIII created a commission to study the issue in depth. But it wasn’t until 1968, under Pope Paul VI — after five years of study and after listening to bishops and experts from around the world — that the Pope decided to write an encyclical to answer the question.

Instead of reducing the topic to sexuality, Paul VI offers a powerful reflection on the value of human life and conjugal love. In addition, the Pope denounces the possible problems arising from artificial contraception, such as the loss of awareness of the dignity of the human person and moral degradation.

It is in this encyclical that Paul VI develops the concept of “responsible parenthood.”

Humanae Vitae is considered the great inspirational basis for John Paul II to present the Theology of the Body, a series of catechesis delivered between 1979 and 1984.

In 1980, Pope John Paul II, known for his theological and pastoral closeness to family life from his time as a priest and bishop, convened the first Synod of the Church on the family. The theme was “The mission of the family in the contemporary world.”

The following year, as a result of the Synod that had just taken place, the pontiff published the apostolic exhortation Familiaris Consortio.

In it, John Paul II describes the family as a community of love and a place of welcome, called to be a witness that true happiness lies in the gift of oneself to others. The Pope defends the indissolubility of the marriage bond and points to the sacrament as a great source of grace for all members of the family.

In addition, he addresses issues such as divorce, birth control, spiritual life in the family, the education of children, and family ministry.

After convening two synods on family life, Pope Francis published the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia, on love in the family.

Francis addresses in depth the challenges that families face today and offers several pastoral reflections on the weaknesses and difficulties present in Christian homes, particularly with an in-depth meditation on St. Paul's famous Hymn to Charity (love is patient, love is kind, etc ...).

The Pope outlines a path for family spirituality and exhorts families to build their relationships on “a love strengthened by the virtues of generosity, commitment, fidelity, and patience.”

He explains that despite the institution of the family undergoing various crises in today's world, the “desire to marry and form a family” remains alive, and that the Christian proclamation regarding the family is truly “good news.”