How are families called to follow Christ in the world today?

Originally published on the solemnity of Christ the King, November 22, 1981, The Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World (Familiaris Consortio) celebrates the gift of family life. It could well be considered the magisterium's most comprehensive explanation of the nature of the family, rooting the essence of that nature in love. The apostolic exhortation offers an approach to the questions of marriage and the family and considers the call to love as the guiding light to those entrusted with their pastoral care. It also summarizes Saint John Paul II's theology of the body which can lead persons to an "ever deeper and more intense communion" (FC 18).

This special Anniversary Edition includes the full text of the original document plus new commentary that will guide you through this important apostolic exhortation.