Prof. Annemie Dillen

Sustainable relationships

Catholic social teaching on family life stresses the role families have to play in society and in the church, especially also in serving life, and the role they have as community for each family member (cf. Familiaris Consortio, no. 17). Therefore, a stable basis for the family, found in strong marriages, is especially relevant. The European Union has a role to play in stimulating sustainable relationships, among others by supporting marriages, marital and relational counseling and education in different ways.

From a catholic point of view, we can state that men and women have a double vocation: for family life, as partners and parents, but also as workers in the public world (paid and voluntarily). Policy measures that enable people to work, especially also young adult people, and prevent unemployment, are very important, not only for financial reasons, as they help people to support themselves and their families, but also because work is foundational for the dignity of people. Given that young people in general want to contribute to family life (in light of ‘honoring their parents’), it is essential that they can find a job.

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"The first and fundamental structure for "human ecology" is the family, in which man receives his first formative ideas about truth and goodness (...)". Pope John Paul II (Centesimus annus, 39)

"By virtue of this principle (of subsidiarity), the State cannot and must not take away from families the functions that they can just as well perform on their own or in free associations (...)". Pope John Paul II (Familiaris consortio, 45)

Prof. Annemie Dillen

Dignity of children

From a Catholic perspective, the dignity of children and young people should be respected and taken as a reference point in political decisions. Catholic teaching is well known for its defense of the unborn children, but the dignity of children and young people and their relation to their parents is often neglected and ought to be a central point. In this regard Familiaris Consortio, no. 26, states that “In the family, which is a community of persons, special attention must be devoted to the children by developing a profound esteem for their personal dignity, and a great respect and generous concern for their rights. This is true for every child, but it becomes all the more urgent the smaller the child is and the more it is in need of everything, when it is sick, suffering or handicapped.”

This means that children are not just commodities and that critical positions can be taken to evolutions where children are ‘misused’ for capitalist or commercial reasons. 

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"In the family (...) special attention must be devoted to the children by developing a profound esteem for their personal dignity, and a great respect and generous concern for their rights". Pope John Paul II (Familiaris consortio, 26)

"The right of parents to choose an education in conformity with their religious faith must be absolutely guaranteed". Pope John Paul II (Familiaris consortio, 40)