Pontifical Council for the Family
Encyclopedia
The Pontifical Council for the Family is part of the Curia
of the Roman Catholic Church
. It was established by Pope John Paul II
on 9 May 1981 with his motu proprio
Familia a Deo Instituta, replacing the Committee for the Family that Pope Paul VI
had established in 1973. The Council "promotes the pastoral care of families, protects their rights and dignity in the Church and in civil society, so that they may ever be more able to fulfill their duties."
The Council "works for a deeper understanding of the Church’s teaching"; "encourages studies in the spirituality of marriage and the family"; works "to ensure the accurate recognition of the human and social conditions of the family institution everywhere"; and "strives to ensure that the rights of the family be acknowledged and defended even in the social and political realm" and "supports and coordinates initiatives to protect human life from the first moment of conception and to encourage responsible procreation." More particularly, the Council "promotes and coordinates pastoral efforts related to the issue of responsible procreation, and encourages, sustains and coordinates initiatives in defense of human life in all stages of its existence, from conception to natural death."
Among the significant documents issued by the Council are The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality (1995) providing guidelines for education within the family;
Vademecum for Confessors Concerning Some Aspects of the Morality of Conjugal Life (1997) reaffirming the illicit nature of contraceptive acts; and Declaration on the Decrease of Fertility in the World (1998)about declining demographic trends.
The Council's president is Cardinal
Ennio Antonelli and the secretary is Bishop
Jean Laffitte
. In addition to its advisory board of bishops, members of the Council include laypeople, especially married laypeople "from all over the world." The Council has a Presidential Committee with 15 cardinals, 12 archbishops and bishops, 19 married couples, 39 consultors, and a staff of 10. The Council's consultors include laypeople such as moral theologian Janet E. Smith
, Christendom College
President Timothy T. O'Donnell
, Carl A. Anderson
, the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus
; José Luis Mendoza, president of the Catholic University of St Anthony of Murcia, Spain, and father of 14; and Jerry Coniker, co-founder of the Apostolate for Family Consecration
and Catholic Familyland.
The Council publishes the quarterly review Familia et Vita since 1994. It organizes the World Meetings of Families, convened in Rome
in 1994, in Rio de Janeiro
in 1997, Rome again in 2000, Manila
in 2003, Valencia, Spain, in 2006, and Mexico City
in 2009.
The Council is based in Palazzo San Callisto
, Piazza San Callisto, Rome.
On 6 June, 2006, the Council published a document entitled "Family and Human Procreation" noting that "Never before has the natural institution of marriage and the family been the victim of such violent attacks."
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. It was established by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
on 9 May 1981 with his motu proprio
Motu proprio
A motu proprio is a document issued by the Pope on his own initiative and personally signed by him....
Familia a Deo Instituta, replacing the Committee for the Family that Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
had established in 1973. The Council "promotes the pastoral care of families, protects their rights and dignity in the Church and in civil society, so that they may ever be more able to fulfill their duties."
The Council "works for a deeper understanding of the Church’s teaching"; "encourages studies in the spirituality of marriage and the family"; works "to ensure the accurate recognition of the human and social conditions of the family institution everywhere"; and "strives to ensure that the rights of the family be acknowledged and defended even in the social and political realm" and "supports and coordinates initiatives to protect human life from the first moment of conception and to encourage responsible procreation." More particularly, the Council "promotes and coordinates pastoral efforts related to the issue of responsible procreation, and encourages, sustains and coordinates initiatives in defense of human life in all stages of its existence, from conception to natural death."
Among the significant documents issued by the Council are The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality (1995) providing guidelines for education within the family;
Vademecum for Confessors Concerning Some Aspects of the Morality of Conjugal Life (1997) reaffirming the illicit nature of contraceptive acts; and Declaration on the Decrease of Fertility in the World (1998)about declining demographic trends.
The Council's president is Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Ennio Antonelli and the secretary is Bishop
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
Jean Laffitte
Jean Laffitte
Jean Clément Marie Gérard Joseph Françoise Georges Laffitte Jean Clément Marie Gérard Joseph Françoise Georges Laffitte Jean Clément Marie Gérard Joseph Françoise Georges Laffitte (born in Oloron-Sainte-Marie, France, (5 May 1952-) is the current secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Family...
. In addition to its advisory board of bishops, members of the Council include laypeople, especially married laypeople "from all over the world." The Council has a Presidential Committee with 15 cardinals, 12 archbishops and bishops, 19 married couples, 39 consultors, and a staff of 10. The Council's consultors include laypeople such as moral theologian Janet E. Smith
Janet E. Smith
Janet E. Smith is a professor of moral theology and the Fr. Michael J. McGivney Chair of Life Issues at the Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan. She previously taught at the University of Notre Dame, and the University of Dallas...
, Christendom College
Christendom College
Christendom College is a small Catholic liberal arts college in Front Royal, Virginia, United States, which is located in the Shenandoah Valley.-Educational Mission:...
President Timothy T. O'Donnell
Timothy T. O'Donnell
Timothy T. O’Donnell is the current president of Christendom College, located in Front Royal, Virginia. O'Donnell, a well known Catholic theologian, is the first layman to receive a licentiate and a doctorate in Ascetical and Mystical Theology from the Pontifical University of St...
, Carl A. Anderson
Carl A. Anderson
Carl Albert Anderson, KSG is the thirteenth and current Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus. Anderson is vice president of the Washington session of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family....
, the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
; José Luis Mendoza, president of the Catholic University of St Anthony of Murcia, Spain, and father of 14; and Jerry Coniker, co-founder of the Apostolate for Family Consecration
Apostolate for Family Consecration
The Apostolate for Family Consecration is a U.S. Roman Catholic lay movement headquartered in Bloomingdale, Ohio. Founded in 1975 by Jerry and Gwen Coniker, it was given Pontifical Status in 2007....
and Catholic Familyland.
The Council publishes the quarterly review Familia et Vita since 1994. It organizes the World Meetings of Families, convened in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1994, in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
in 1997, Rome again in 2000, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
in 2003, Valencia, Spain, in 2006, and Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
in 2009.
The Council is based in Palazzo San Callisto
Palazzo San Callisto
The Palazzo San Callisto is a small palace in Rome and one of the extraterritorial Properties of the Holy See. The Palazzo is located in the Piazza di San Callisto, one of the areas of the Holy See regulated by the 1929 Lateran Treaty signed with the Kingdom of Italy...
, Piazza San Callisto, Rome.
On 6 June, 2006, the Council published a document entitled "Family and Human Procreation" noting that "Never before has the natural institution of marriage and the family been the victim of such violent attacks."
Presidents
- Committee for the Family:
- Maurice RoyMaurice Roy-External links:***...
11 January 1973 - 16 December 1976 - Opilio RossiOpilio RossiOpilio Rossi was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and was former President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.He was born in New York, United States as the son of Angelo Rossi and Davidina Ciappa...
10 December 1976 - 9 May 1981
- Maurice Roy
- Council for the Family:
- James Cardinal Knox 4 August 1981 - 26 June 1983
- Edouard Cardinal GagnonÉdouard Cardinal GagnonÉdouard Gagnon, OC was a Canadian Roman Catholic cardinal and President of the Pontifical Council for the Family for 16 years, from 1974 to 1990. He became a cardinal on May 25, 1985.-Biography:...
7 July 1983 - 8 November 1990 - Alfonso Cardinal López Trujillo 8 November 1990 - 19 April 2008
- Ennio Cardinal AntonelliEnnio Cardinal AntonelliEnnio Antonelli is an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and President of the Pontifical Council for the Family since 2008.-Early life and ordination:...
7 June 2008 -