Pope Francis offered encouragement to married couples on the Feast of the Holy Family. Equating the experience of marriage with a boat tossed on the waves, he stressed that we can "never forget, though, that by virtue of the sacrament of matrimony, Jesus is present in that boat; he is concerned for you and he remains at your side amid the tempest."

The message was part of his ongoing "Amoris Laetitia Family Year." You can find more info about this later in this email. Read the whole letter here.

Lucia Luzondo of the Person & Identity Project joins the latest episode of the podcast to chat about the experiences of Hispanic/Latino families. Later in the episode, Kara and Andrew don't let their lack of expertise stop them from talking about Pixar's instant classic Coco, how it portrays Mexican culture, and how it resolves conflicts between individualism and family life.

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The USCCB's newest pastoral framework will assist dioceses as local pastoral planning and implementation continue to take place since the publication of Amoris Laetitia. "Called to the Joy of Love" provides guidelines for the pastoral accompaniment of married couples and families in every phase of life, drawing upon the teachings and recommendations contained in the apostolic exhortation.

Read and download the digital version of the pastoral framework here.

Marking five years since his apostolic exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, on love in the family, Pope Francis has ushered in a "year" of celebration and deepened reflection on the family. From March 19th, 2021 all the way through the 10th World Meeting of Families in Rome on June 26th, 2022, the Vatican's Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life will be especially promoting the Christian message on the family in light of the challenges of our time. The USCCB is likewise celebrating the year with its own events and resources, which you can find here.