Acta Francisci Pp. 179

a certain moment of their history, were mature enough to say « no » to all

forms of political colonization, so too in our families we need to be very

wise, very shrewd, very strong, in order to say « no » to all attempts at an

ideological colonization of our families. We need to ask Saint Joseph, the

friend of the angel, to send us the inspiration to know when we can say

« yes » and when we have to say « no ».

The pressures on family life today are many. Here in the Philippines,

countless families are still suffering from the effects of natural disasters.

The economic situation has caused families to be separated by migration

and the search for employment, and financial problems strain many house-

holds. While all too many people live in dire poverty, others are caught up

in materialism and lifestyles which are destructive of family life and the

most basic demands of Christian morality. These are forms of ideological

colonization. The family is also threatened by growing efforts on the part

of some to redefine the very institution of marriage, by relativism, by the

culture of the ephemeral, by a lack of openness to life.

I think of Blessed Paul VI. At a time when the problem of population

growth was being raised, he had the courage to defend openness to life in

families. He knew the difficulties that are there in every family, and so in

his Encyclical he was very merciful towards particular cases, and he asked

confessors to be very merciful and understanding in dealing with partic-

ular cases. But he also had a broader vision: he looked at the peoples of

the earth and he saw this threat of families being destroyed for lack of

children. Paul VI was courageous; he was a good pastor and he warned

his flock of the wolves who were coming. From his place in heaven, may

he bless this evening!

Our world needs good and strong families to overcome these threats!

The Philippines needs holy and loving families to protect the beauty and

truth of the family in God's plan and to be a support and example for

other families. Every threat to the family is a threat to society itself. The

future of humanity, as Saint John Paul II often said, passes through the

family.2 The future passes through the family. So protect your families!

Protect your families! See in them your country's greatest treasure and

nourish them always by prayer and the grace of the sacraments. Families

2 Cf. Familiaris Consortio, 85.