The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) Day 285: The Nature of the Family (2025)
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Oct 12, 2025 Explore the essence of family as defined by the Catechism, centered on the union of a man and woman with their children. Discover how this definition transcends cultural debates and emphasizes the family's fundamental role in society. Fr. Mike highlights the significance of friendship within families in spreading the Good News. He also delves into the family's dignity, its role as a 'domestic church,' and how daily prayer and sacrifices embody Christian living. Ultimately, he posits that it is through familial bonds that the Gospel truly flourishes.
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Teaching Precedes Culture
- The Church's teaching on family predates modern cultural debates and directs society rather than reacts to it.
- Fr. Mike emphasizes the catechism as a clear, ancient definition of marriage and family that guides culture.
Family As Fundamental Reference
- The Catechism defines family as a man and woman united in marriage together with their children as the fundamental reference point.
- It says family exists prior to public authority and should be used to evaluate other family forms.
Consent Is The Foundation
- Conjugal community is established by the spouses' mutual consent, not by external authority or feelings alone.
- Marriage is ordered to the good of spouses and to procreation and education of children, regardless of ability to bear children.
