Role of Religion in the Family A Reflection on How Families find their Identity and Strength in Religion by Rev. Fr. Religion enables us to make family commitments which are humanly impossible. Religion enables us to give ourselves away.
Religion enables the family to transcend itself.
In briefly commenting on these points, I will also make reference to some of the concrete programs offered by the Catholic Church and by our Pontifical Council for the Family. In knowing God the Creator, the family comes to a better understanding of its own identity. When I was stationed in a large parish in New York city, I had the pleasure of assisting the programs of marriage preparation offered by the Archdiocese of New York. These programs bring engaged couples together during the time between their engagement and their wedding, and offer them the Christian teachings about marriage and family, while also giving them a chance to reflect and talk with each other about their relationship with each other and with God. In the talks I gave to the couples, I always began by asking why I, a priest who was neither married nor planning on being married, was speaking about marriage.