Archbishop Paglia: Church needs to explore Theology of the Family
By Devin Watkins
Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia has called for a renewed proclamation of the Gospel of the family, saying the theological reflection on the subject remains insufficient.
He spoke on Thursday in Changanassery, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, at the opening of a course for family pastoral experts organized by the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family.
âStarting with the magisterium of ĐÓMAP”Œșœ Francis and the great changes marking the present era,â noted Archbishop Paglia, âtheology is confronted with a new challenge, that of addressing the topic of the family in an adequate and renewed manner.â
He pointed out that a comprehensive Theology of the Family, considered as a body of relationships, has not yet been completely explored, even though much study has been done on the husband/wife union and spousal love, along with numerous studies on marriage from a juridical-canonical perspective.
Family: âLocus of matrimonial fruitfulnessâ
The new course seeks to deepen the theology of marriage and restore the significance of the family as the locus of Christian sacramentâs fruitfulness.
Archbishop Paglia said the goal is to explore the family not just as a consequence of marriage but as its development and extension into society.
The President of the Pontifical Academy for Life also criticized the societal trend to âeliminate the difference between man and woman,â calling it a âloss for everyone.â
âThe biblical message is clear: man and woman come from God and are inextricably linked to each other,â he said. âIt is impossible for one to live without the other. The manâwoman creaturely polarity is constitutive according to biblical humanism.â
He also reaffirmed the Church's indissoluble bond with her children, likening it to Christ's bond with the Church, highlighting Godâs unconditional love for sinners.
AI and the Church
Archbishop Paglia's visit to India will continue on Friday as he participates in the plenary assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) in Bangalore.
He is scheduled to speak on the implications of Artificial Intelligence for the Church and humanity.
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