On the solemnity of Saint Joseph (March 19), during the year dedicated to the Patron of the universal Church, the year dedicated to the “Amoris laetitia Family” began (five years after the publication of the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation of the same name) and will conclude on June 26, 2022, on the occasion of the 10th World Meeting of Families in Rome with the Holy Father.
When Pope Francis announced the opening of this year, he presented it as an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the document’s content and then stated: «These reflections will be made available to ecclesial communities and families, to accompany them on their journey. From now on, I invite everyone to take part in the initiatives that will be promoted during the Year and coordinated by the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life».

The Year of Saint Joseph and the Year of the Family are two important commemorations that intertwine in a surprising, meaningful and wonderful way.
After all, the bond between Saint Joseph and the family is one of tenderness that Pope Francis describes very well in Patris corde: Saint Joseph is portrayed there as a beloved and welcoming father, a father of creative courage who knew how to support and protect his family in many ways.

It is therefore natural to think that he may lovingly watch over all families, and in particular wounded families and those experiencing difficulties, which the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia addresses in a powerful and relevant way.

In his message to the participants of the online conference “our daily love,” held for the opening of the Year of the “Amoris laetitia Family,” Pope Francis wrote: «In this time of pandemic, amid so many psychological, as well as economic and health-related, difficulties, all this has become evident: family bonds have been and continue to be severely tested, but at the same time they remain the firmest point of reference, the strongest support, and the irreplaceable safeguard for the stability of the entire human and social community.
Let us therefore support the family! Let us defend it from whatever compromises its beauty. Let us approach this mystery of love with wonder, discretion and tenderness. And let us commit ourselves to safeguarding its precious and delicate bonds: children, parents, grandparents… These bonds are needed to live and to live well, to make humanity more fraternal».

Through the spiritual, pastoral and cultural initiatives planned during the “Amoris Laetitia Family” Year, Pope Francis intends to address all ecclesial communities throughout the world, urging each person to be a witness to family love. In parishes, dioceses, universities, ecclesial movements and family associations, resources for family spirituality, formation and pastoral action will be made available on marriage preparation, young people’s education in affectivity, and the holiness of spouses and families who live out the grace of the sacrament in their lives.
International academic symposia will also be organized to explore the content and implications of the Apostolic Exhortation in relation to highly topical issues affecting families throughout the world.
Among the various initiatives being launched are a Day for Grandparents and the Elderly and the release of 10 videos in which the Pope, together with families, will illustrate the different chapters of the Apostolic Exhortation.

Let us live this Year to the full, discovering that «the Christian proclamation concerning the family is truly good news» (Amoris Laetitia, 1).

Prayer to the Holy Family

Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
in you we contemplate the splendor of true love,
to you, trustingfully, we entrust ourselves.
Holy Family of Nazareth,
make our families too places of communion
and cenacles of prayer,
authentic schools of the Gospel and little domestic Churches.
Holy Family of Nazareth,
may there never again be episodes of violence
of exclusion and division in families;
may anyone who has been hurt or scandalized
be promptly comforted and healed.
Holy Family of Nazareth,
grant that we may all become aware
of the sacred and inviolable nature of the family,
of its beauty in God’s plan.