The Seventh World Congress of Families is being held in Sydney, Australia, from 15 to 18 May, with the «ambitious and urgent task —say the promoters— of speaking together about strategic areas for strengthening the family on a planetary scale».

The participants are specialists of different disciplines and geographical origin, from the fields of academia and business, who work in politics, law, the media, health, education, culture and entertainment.
 

The World Congress of Families was established in 1997, by Dr. Allan Carlson of the Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society, in Illinois, in the United States of America, for the defense of the natural family.
 

The President of the Pontifical Council for the Family gives his talk to the participants, in the context of the Session on: “Strengthening Marriage and Family Life: The Solution to Social and Economic Changes”. «The family based on marriage is the foundation of society and the first school for all social life and its tasks», says Msgr. Paglia in the intervention. The need for the stability of the natural family, composed of a father, a mother and children, is not a religious belief —says the Archbishop—, a Christian institution or imposed by the Church, but «a fact of life that can’t be removed from the depth of the human heart and soul».

«Scientific studies show that marriage constitutes an added value for people and for society, in marriage the quality of the couple relationship is realized, with significant positive effects (biological, psychological, economic and social), for children and adults» and «on the ways of living together», continues Msgr. Paglia. In fact, «the negative impact of the failure of families» on society is increasing, even economically. Alexis de Tocqueville, the father of democracy, already supported it: «Modern democracy needs a strong and stable family. Without the “social genome”, the fundamental cell of society, which is the first instrument of man’s humanization and of social life, the very existence of the society is seriously endangered». So, Msgr. Paglia concludes: «We are concerned because the family is attacked on several fronts, and, from time to time, even its extinction is prophesied. But, because the family is inscribed in the hearts of human beings, it will continue to exhibit its vigor and resistance, which are far superior to the passing trends that oppose it».