This gathering occurs during a pivotal point in world history. These claims are certainly true. Certainly Pope John Paul II understands the centrality of the family. Fundamental to the social teaching of this pontificate has been the emphasis placed on the family as the basic unit of society and on the primacy of culture as the sphere within which the family impacts and is impacted by the broader society. The family is, therefore, the key to the formation of a culture of life.
Every human person is brought into the world through the loving arms of a family.
Family cements our relations to the rest of the human community and serves as a tangible reminder of the social nature of the person. The last part of the twentieth century has seen the institution of the family threatened. War, social change, economic hardship, and cultural upheaval have all emerged as destabilizing forces on family life. The Church has constantly been a voice in defense of the family and has continually encouraged respect for the family. Respect for the family promotes the goods necessary for the flourishing of persons in community.