The Fourth Commandment Strengthen Your Family

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The Fourth CommandmentStrengthen Your Family

• USCCA Chapter 28
• Tuesday, May 17, 2016

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May 17, 2016

1. The Fourth Commandment, honoring our father and
   mother, supports the family as the domestic (or
   home) church.

1. A family is a man and a woman united in
   marriage, together with their children (USCCA p.
   376).
2. Families are called to be schools of virtue, of
   love and an icon of the Trinity.

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May 17, 2016

1. The Fourth Commandment, honoring our father and
   mother, supports the family as the domestic (or
   home) church.

1. Families are the first place where the love of
   God is announced to children.
2. The family is the first and vital cell of
   society (FC 42).

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May 17, 2016

1. Children are called to have a grateful heart to
   their parents, who gave us life.

1. Childrens love for their parents is shown
   through obedience.
2. God offers grace to each family member to help
   the family grow as the domestic church.

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May 17, 2016

1. Children are called to have a grateful heart to
   their parents, who gave us life.

1. Adult children are called to care for their
   elderly parents.

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May 17, 2016
3. Parents are called to care for the physical,
spiritual, intellectual, emotional and moral
needs of their children.

• Parents are to give a proper example to their
  children, especially in the area of virtue.
• As primary educators, parents should pray with
  and for their children from the earliest age
  possible.

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May 17, 2016

1. Parents are called to care for the physical,
   spiritual, intellectual, emotional and moral
   needs of their children.

1. Parents are to assist in guiding, not forcing,
   their children into the right vocation, including
   discerning a vocation to the priesthood or
   religious life.

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May 17, 2016
4. Civil authorities are called to defend the
family.

1. They are to safeguard the family as the permanent
   and exclusive union of a man and a woman.
2. They are to establish laws that reflect and
   protect proper moral order.

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May 17, 2016
4. Civil authorities are called to defend the
family.

1. Citizens should refuse to obey laws that go
   against the moral order.
2. The Church and every lay Catholic has the duty to
   shape public life in light of Catholic teaching.

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For Discussion

1. See the section Witness Fidelity in Marriage
   beginning on page 381-382 of the USCCA. What is
   the next step for your family to take to grow in
   its identity as the domestic church?
2. How can you better support the Churchs
   definition of family in the public forum?
3. Reflecting on the Meditation by Pope Paul VI on
   p. 383 of the USCCA, what lessons can we learn
   about family life from the Holy Family, even
   though little is recorded about their daily
   activities?