On the Family

COMPENDIUM

The Church teaches that the family is, by nature, a primary society. The individual is born into the family, and only becomes a subject of the State through the family. The family precedes the State in idea as well as in fact. Thus, its rights and duties precede those of the State. She also teaches that the family is a necessary society for mankind, as the family is absolutely necessary for the propagation of the race and for the proper rearing of children. Furthermore, the Church teaches that the family has essential rights and duties proper to itself. Every human being has his individual rights and duties, but has further responsibilities from his or her position as a member of a family, and the relationship which nature itself sets up with other members of that society.

Human beings, as individuals, have spiritual equality; but, as members of the family, they have unequal positions and unequal rights and duties, both by Natural Law and Divine Law. The father is the head; the wife, as wife, is subject to her husband; children are subject to their parents. This is the order which nature itself dictates and which the Divine Law approves and sanctions (cf. the Fourth Commandment).

The family is maintained by parental authority, i.e. the moral right and power to direct the conduct of those under it. Parental authority comes from God: "There is no power but from God." (Rom. 13:1) It resides in the father as head of the family; but it is not despotic, and must only be exercised in conformity with the Natural and Divine Law.

The end or purpose of the family as a society is identified with the purpose for which marriage exists, as instituted by God and sanctified by Jesus Christ.

From the fact that the family is the primary and essential society, with God-given authority and its own responsibilities, it follows that all undue interference with parental authority or with the responsibilities, rights, and duties of parents is immoral and condemned by Natural Law. Furthermore, all social reforms must be approved or rejected according as they promote or injure the well-being of the family. The State may interfere when parents fail in their duty; but the State may not unduly interfere with family responsibilities nor rob parents of their rights. Although the State has the right and duty to assist families, and does so in many ways (e.g., clinics, educational grants, public assistance, etc.), such help or assistance does not give any power to assume parent's responsibilities nor any right to set aside parental authority.

The principal duties of the family embrace, first, the mutual duties of husband and wife, namely, mutual love and help and conjugal fidelity. Since by Marriage they are made one, and since by Christian Marriage their union is an image of the union of Christ and His Church (Eph. 5:25; Col. 3:18; 1 Tim. 2:15), there should be perfect spiritual and temporal union between husband and wife. The duties of the family embrace, second, the duties of parents to children, namely love and care for their corporal and spiritual education. Third, the duties of the family embrace the duties of children to parents, namely love, reverence, and obedience. This is because (1) children owe their existence, after God, to their parents, (2) because of the dignity of parents, and (3) because parents wield God's authority.

The Church teaches that a home, in the true sense of the word, is essential to the family for the normal growth and development of family life. A home is not merely the place where the family eats and sleeps, but it is the place in which the mother gladly stays and to which the father and family gladly return. No house is a proper home unless it is suited to the Christian development of family life and the growth of domestic virtues.

The family dwelling must be such that it can be made a home; that is, it must afford privacy for the family as a whole and for its individual members, so that purity and modesty may be preserved. It must also be sanitary, spacious enough to afford opportunity for recreation and hobbies, and have reasonable conveniences so that not too much time and labor is spent on drudgery.

The duty of providing a suitable home falls on the father, as the head of the family. The father must provide for his family not merely shelter from wind and rain, but a home with moderate comforts. Hence, it is wrong for a father to spend on his own amusement or indulgence what should be devoted to maintaining a decent standard of home life. If the father is unable, through absence of a living wage, to provide such a home, then the community itself is responsible, and must use its resources to provide every family with a decent house at a moderate rent.

The principal evils which threaten the family at present are: (1) divorce, (2) exclusion of religion from the school and the home, (3) a lack of parental discipline, (4) disobedience and disrespect for parents, and (5) undue State interference with parental authority. Divorce breaks up the family itself and deprives children of a parent's help and guidance. The exclusion of religion affects the removal of the basis of morality. The lack of parental discipline results in children developing habits of sloth, pleasure-seeking, and extravagance. Parents are often guilty in the matter of vigilance over their children and display an increasing indifference as to what their children witness, what they read, and the company they keep. State interference in parental authority is a hallmark of true Socialism, which aims to claim all children as wards of the State.

The ideal of the Christian family is as a society wherein father and mother, with mutual goodwill and self-sacrifice, founded on natural love, elevated and strengthened by grace, work and pray together that they may save their own souls and rear their children to be dutiful and virtuous Christians and worthy citizens.

Catholics have a model and exemplar of perfect family life in the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. From St. Joseph, every father may learn his duty of love and service, and contentment with labor and hardship. Every mother may see love and devotion consecrated and supernaturalized in her who is "full of grace". In the Holy Child, every child may see the lesson of obedience in that, being the Eternal Son of God, He submitted Himself to the will of creatures.

CATECHISM

208. What is the position of the family as a society?

The Church teaches that the family is by nature a primary and necessary society for mankind, with essential rights and duties proper to itself.

209. What are the relative positions of the members of the family?

Human beings, as individuals, have spiritual equality; but, as members of the family, they have unequal positions and unequal rights and duties, both by Natural Law and Divine Law.

210. By what means is the society of the family united?

The family is maintained by parental authority, which comes from God, and resides in the father as head of the family.

211. What is the end of the family as a society?

The end or purpose of the family as a society is identified with the purpose for which marriage exists, as instituted by God and sanctified by Jesus Christ.

212. What follows from the fact that the family is the primary and essential society, with God-given authority and its own responsibilities?

It follows that all undue interference with parental authority or with the responsibilities, rights, and duties of parents is immoral and condemned by Natural Law.

213. What are the principal duties of the family?

The principal duties of the family embrace: the mutual duties of husband and wife, namely, mutual love and help and conjugal fidelity; the duties of parents to children, namely love and care for their corporal and spiritual education; and the duties of children to parents, namely love, reverence, and obedience.

214. Is a proper home essential for the well-being of the family?

The Church teaches that a home, in the true sense of the word, is essential to the family for the normal growth and development of family life.

215. What is required of the material dwelling in order that it may be a proper home?

The family dwelling must be such that it can be made a home; that is, it must afford privacy for the family as a whole and for its individual members; it must also be sanitary, spacious, and have reasonable conveniences.

216. On whom falls the duty of providing a home for the family?

The duty of providing a suitable home falls on the father, as the head of the family. In his absence or inability, the duty fall to the community.

217. What are the principal evils which threaten the family at present?

The principal evils which threaten the family at present are divorce, exclusion of religion from the school and the home, a lack of parental discipline, disobedience and disrespect for parents, and undue State interference with parental authority.

218. What, briefly, is the ideal of the Christian family?

The ideal of the Christian family is as a society wherein father and mother, with mutual goodwill and self-sacrifice, founded on natural love, elevated and strengthened by grace, work and pray together that they may save their own souls and rear their children to be dutiful and virtuous Christians and worthy citizens.

219. Have Catholics a model or example of family life which they should imitate?

Yes. Catholics have a model and exemplar of perfect family life in the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.