Christian

Family
Functions of the
Family
 Childbearing Function
It provides for the continuity of humankind through
reproduction which is a prerequisite for the survival of
a society.
 Regulation of Sexual
Behavior
It only allows sexual activity if it is within the standard
norms of society usually in the form of marriage. By
then, sex is socially sanctioned.
 Identification of Social
Status
It provides the means by which an individual’s social status
is initially fixed. The family into which one is born has
already acquired a social position in the community based
on the quality of behavior exhibited by its members and the
extent of their participation in community affairs and
activities.
 Mechanism for Social
Control
The family exerts pressure to make members conform
to certain standards or norms of behavior. It regulates
the social contacts and experiences of the young and
keeps its members within bounds in the various
aspects of living to maintain its good name.
 Childrearing Function
The parents look after the children’s physical and
material needs, giving them sustenance,
nourishment and protection.
 Educational Function
The family takes the role of educator when the
socialization process of a preschool age child starts.
The family transmits knowledge, skills, attitudes and
appreciation.
 Socialization Function
The personality of the individual is first developed in
the family. It is t he first group. Which tries to shape
the attitudes, values and practices of the child in
preparation for his/her active participation in the
society.
 RELIGIOUS FUNCTION
The family first introduces the children to religion. The
child acquires the religion of his/her family and gets
the basic moral precepts and norms which guide
behavior in the family.
 Political Function
Certain aspects of the family like the lines of authority,
decision making, the system of giving commands and
demanding obedience, loyalty to members, and the
cooperative spirit are carried over to the political
activity of the larger community.
THE ROLE OF
CHRISTIAN
FAMILY
 Thus, with love as its point of departure and
making constant reference to it, the recent Synod
emphasized four general tasks for the family:

1) forming a community of persons;2)

serving life;3) participating in the
development of society;4) sharing in the life
and mission of the Church.
FORMING A
COMMUNITY
OF PERSONS
The family, which is founded and given life by
love, is a community of persons: of husband
and wife, of parents and children, of relatives.
Its first task is to live with fidelity the
reality of communion in a constant effort
to develop an authentic community of
persons.
 The inner principle of that task, its
permanent power and its final goal is
LOVE: without love the family is
not a community of persons and,
in the same way, without love the
family cannot live, grow and
perfect itself as a community of
persons. 
 Man cannot live without love. He remains a
being that is incomprehensible for himself, his life
is senseless, if love is not revealed to him, if he
does not encounter love, if he does not experience
it and make it his own, if he does not participate
intimately in it.
THE BROADER
COMMUNION
OF THE FAMILY
 Conjugal communion constitutes the
foundation on which is built the broader
communion of the family, of parents and
children, of brothers and sisters with each
other, of relatives and other members of the
household.
This communion is rooted in the natural bonds
of flesh and blood, and grows to its
specifically human perfection with the
establishment and maturing of the still deeper
and richer bonds of the spirit: the love that
animates the interpersonal relationships
of the different members of the family
constitutes the interior strength that
shapes and animates the family
communion and community.
 All members of the family, each according to
his or her own gift, have the grace and
responsibility of building, day by day, the
communion of persons, making the family "a
school of deeper humanity: this happens where
there is care and love for the little ones, the
sick, the aged; where there is mutual service
every day; when there is a sharing of goods, of
joys and of sorrows.
THE ROLE AND
RIGHTS OF
WOMEN
 In this perspective the Synod devoted special
attention to women, to their rights and role
within the family and society. In the same
perspective are also to be considered men as
husbands and fathers, and likewise children and
the elderly.
 Above all it is important to underline the
equal dignity and responsibility of women
with men. This equality is realized in a unique
manner in that reciprocal self-giving by each
one to the other and by both to the children
which is proper to marriage and the family.
What human reason intuitively perceives
and acknowledges is fully revealed by the
word of God: the history of salvation, in
fact, is a continuous and luminous
testimony of the dignity of women.
In creating the human race male
and female, God gives man and
woman an equal personal
dignity, endowing them with the
inalienable rights and
responsibilities proper to the
human person.
 God then manifests the
dignity of women in the
highest form possible, by
assuming human flesh from
the Virgin Mary, whom the
Church honors as the Mother
of God, calling her the new
Eve and presenting her as
the model of redeemed
woman.
The sensitive respect of Jesus towards
the women that He called to His
following and His friendship, His
appearing on Easter morning to a
woman before the other disciples, the
mission entrusted to women to carry
the good news of the Resurrection to
the apostles-these are all signs that
confirm the special esteem of the Lord
Jesus for women. 
 There is no doubt that the equal
dignity and responsibility of men and
women fully justifies women's access
to public functions. On the other hand,
the true advancement of women
requires that clear recognition be given
to the value of their maternal and
family role, by comparison with all
other public roles and all other
professions.
 Furthermore, these roles and
professions should be
harmoniously combined, if we
wish the evolution of society
and culture to be truly and fully
human.
 Therefore, the Church can and
should help modern society by
tirelessly insisting that the work
of women in the home be
recognized and respected by all
in its irreplaceable value.
 With due respect to the different
vocations of men and women, the
Church must in her own life
promote as far as possible their
equality of rights and dignity: and
this for the good of all, the family,
the Church and society.
OFFENSES
AGAINST
WOMEN
 Unfortunately, the Christian
message about the dignity of
women is contradicted by that
persistent mentality which
considers the human being not
as a person but as a thing, as
an object of trade, at the
service of selfish interest and
mere pleasure: the first victims of
this mentality are women.
 This mentality produces very bitter
fruits, such as contempt for men and
for women, slavery, oppression of
the weak, pornography,
prostitution-especially in an
organized form-and all those
various forms of discrimination
that exist in the fields of
education, employment, wages,
etc.
 Besides, many forms of
degrading discrimination still
persist today in a great part of
our society that affect and
seriously harm particular
categories of women, as for
example childless wives, widows,
separated or divorced women,
and unmarried mothers.
 MEN AS
HUSBANDS
AND FATHERS
Within the conjugal and family
communion-community, the
man is called upon to live
his gift and role as
husband and father.
In his wife he sees the fulfillment of God's
intention: It is not good that the man
should be alone, I will make him a
“helper” fit for him, and he makes his
own the cry of Adam, the first husband:
This at last is bone of my bones and flesh
of my flesh. (They become ONE)

Authentic conjugal love presupposes and

requires that a man have a profound
respect for the equal dignity of his wife.
 "You are not her master," "but her
husband; she was not given to you
to be your slave, but your wife....
Reciprocate her attentiveness to you
and be grateful to her for her love.“

-St. Ambrose of Milan

As for the Christian, he is
called upon to develop a
new attitude of love,
manifesting towards his
wife a charity that is
both gentle and strong
like that which Christ has
for the Church.
 Love for his wife as mother of their
children and love for the children
themselves are for the man the natural
way of understanding and fulfilling his own
fatherhood.
 As experience teaches, the absence of a
father causes psychological and moral
imbalance and notable difficulties in family
relationships, as does, in contrary
circumstances, the oppressive presence of a
father, especially where there still prevails
the phenomenon of "machismo," or a wrong
superiority of male prerogatives which
humiliates women and inhibits the
development of healthy family relationships.
 PARENTAL RESPECT AND
RESPONSIBILITY FOR
CHILDREN
Care and respect for their children as persons in
their own right are enjoined by the Fourth
Commandment.
“Fathers, do not nag your children lest they lose heart” (Col. 3:21).

“Fathers do not anger your children bring them up with the

training and instruction befitting to the Lord” (Eph. 6:4)
DUTIES OF
CHRISTIAN
PARENTS
 Thus, the Church teaches that parents
have the duty to provide so far as the can
for their children’s needs guiding them in
faith and morals and creating for them an
environment for personal growth.
 In infancy and childhood,
parents provide for the physical,
emotional, and spiritual needs
of the children.
As they grow older, the
parents are called to
promote their growing
autonomy and
independence.
 Parents have the primary
responsibility for the education
of their children, both secular
and religious.
The Rights of
Children
Let the children come to
me, and do not hinder
them; for to such
belongs the kingdom of
heaven. (Mt. 19:14)
 Acceptance, love, esteem,
many-sided and united
material, emotional,
educational and spiritual
concern for every child that
comes into this world should
always constitute a distinctive,
essential characteristic of all
Christians, in particular of the
Christian family:
thus children, while they are
able to grow in wisdom and
in stature, and in favor with
God and man, offer their
own precious contribution to
building up the family
community and even to the
sanctification of their
parents.
 FILIAL RESPECT
for parents is demanded of Children and adults by
the Fourth commandment. This is the common
teaching of the Bible.

“Observe, my son, your father’s bidding, and reject not your

mother’s teaching.” (Pr. 6:20)
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for that is what is
expected of you.” (Eph. 6:1).
It is just such an attitude of filial
reverence that Jesus showed
Mary and Joseph in his life
when he went down with them
and came to Nazareth, and was
obedient to them.
But it is important to understand that
obedience here cannot mean the
automatic, unquestioning
submissiveness that some Filipino
parents seem to hold us the Christian
ideal for their children.
 Often such “BLIND
OBEDIENCE” shows more
servile fear that authentic filial
respect. True obedience arises,
rather, from a willingness to listen
to what is being asked and to
respond in a fully personal,
conscientious manner.
 The commandment to “HONOR” means showing
proper gratitude, affection, respect, obedience and care
to parents. This respect is extended to all who have
contributed to one’s care, upbringing and education.
This indicates how closely one’s procreators are linked
with the Creator.
In honoring our parents, we honor God
Himself.
 As long as a child lives at home with his parents, the
child should obey his parents in all that they ask of him
when it is for his good or that of the family. "Children,
obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the
Lord." Children should also obey the reasonable
directions of their teachers and all to whom their
parents have entrusted them. But if a child is
convinced in conscience that it would be morally wrong
to obey a particular order, he must not do so.
Deo Gratias!!!