“All of us are called to keep striving towards something greater than ourselves and our families, and every family must feel this constant impulse. Let us make this journey as families, let us keep walking together.” Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia In his groundbreaking work on modern family life, Amoris Laetitia: On Love in the Family, Pope Francis continues to guide and lead the Church, calling us to be a sign of mercy and encouragement for families of all shapes and sizes. The Our Sunday Visitor edition includes exclusive reflection and discussion questions, to help Catholics grow in our understanding of this call, and act upon it. In Amoris Laetitia: On Love in the Family the Holy Father expands on the topics and considerations of the two Synods on the family, and adds his own considerations to help us provide pastoral guidance to support and strengthen today’s families. On Love in the Family guides us through: Scripture – what we can learn from Biblical families and relationships with God and each other Reality – the experiences and challenges we face in today’s world Tradition – essential aspects of Church teaching on marriage and families Love – what it means for all our relationships Ministry – Pope Francis offers pastoral perspectives for helping build strong families Spirituality – the expression of the Gospel message in our relationships

Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation: The Joy of Love (Amoris Laetitia) brings together the results of the two Synods on the Family convoked by Pope Francis in 2014 and 2015. The Apostolic Exhortation is appreciated as an aid to reflection, dialogue and pastoral practice, and as a help and encouragement to families in their daily commitments and challenges. "Each marriage is a kind of "salvation history," which from fragile beginnings - thanks to God's gift and a creative and generous response on our part - grow over time into something precious and enduring." (221).

Amoris Laetitia (Latin for The Joy of Love) is the post-synodal apostolic exhortation by Pope Francis. Dated 19 March 2016 and released on 8 April 2016. It follows the Synods on the Family held in 2014 and 2015. Its introduction and nine chapters comprise 325 numbered paragraphs. Quotations are drawn from earlier popes, documents of the Second Vatican Council and regional bishops' conferences, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.. It includes what is thought to be the first reference to a film in a papal document, Babette's Feast (1987), along with references to works by Jorge Luis Borges, Octavio Paz, Antonin Sertillanges, Gabriel Marcel, and Mario Benedetti. The Joy of Love has an Introduction and 9 Chapters: INTRODUCTION: Francis begins by noting a division of opinion during the synods: "The debates carried on in the media, in certain publications and even among the Church’s ministers, range from an immoderate desire for total change without sufficient reflection or grounding, to an attitude that would solve everything by applying general rules or deriving undue conclusions from particular theological considerations." He did not propose to resolve those differences by imposing unity: "Unity of teaching and practice is certainly necessary in the Church, but this does not preclude various ways of interpreting some aspects of that teaching or drawing certain consequences from it. This will always be the case as the Spirit guides us towards the entire truth..." (paragraph 3) He warns the reader that the document addresses many issues in many different ways and therefore says: "I do not recommend a rushed reading of the text." He asks the reader to consider the text "patiently and carefully". (paragraph 7) Another called it a rich reflection and a response to criticism of the 2015 synod's report, which opened with sociological concerns rather than Scripture. CHAPTER ONE: In the Light of the Word CHAPTER TWO: The Experiences and Challenges of Families CHAPTER THREE: Looking to Jesus, The Vocation of the Family CHAPTER FOUR: Love in Marriage CHAPTER FIVE: Love Made Fruitful CHAPTER SIX: Some Pastoral Perspectives CHAPTER SEVEN: Towards a Better Education of Children CHAPTER EIGHT: Accompanying, Discerning and Integrating Weakness CHAPTER NINE: The Spirituality of Marriage and the Family

The Joy of Love (Amoris Laetitia) brings together the results of the two Synods on the Family convoked by Pope Francis in 2014 and 2015. Striking for its breadth and detail and firmly grounded in the challenges of family experiences the Joy of Love (Amoris Laetitia) affirms the rich and complex reality of family life with pastoral care, speaking the language of experience and hope. Pope Francis reaches out to married couples, parents, and children in a spirit of accompaniment, asking everyone to read slowly, paying special attention to what applies most to our different needs. The Joy of Love (Amoris Laetitia) is truly remarkable for its practical and concrete suggestions. It also challenges us to be understanding in the face of complex and painful situations. Essential reading for pastors and anyone involved with the family apostolate.

Pope Francis Apostolic Exhortation 'on the family, brings together almost three years of consultations with Catholics in countries around the world. The lengthy document, entitled 'Amoris Laetitia', or the joy of love, affirms the doctrine of the Church that stable families are the building blocks of a healthy society and a place where children learn to love, respect and interact with other at the same time, the text warns against the idealization of the many challenges facing family life, urges Catholics to care, rather than condemn all those whose lives do not reflect the teachings of the Church. In particular, the paper focuses on the need for "personal and pastoral discernment '' for people, recognizing that" neither the Synod, or this Exhortation might be expected to provide a new set of general rules, canonical in nature and applicable to all cases "

"Each marriage is a kind of "salvation history," which from fragile beginnings - thanks to God's gift and a creative and generous response on our part - grow over time into something precious and enduring." (221). Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation: The Joy of Love (Amoris Laetitia) brings together the results of the two Synods on the Family convoked by Pope Francis in 2014 and 2015. The Apostolic Exhortation is appreciated as an aid to reflection, dialogue and pastoral practice, and as a help and encouragement to families in their daily commitments and challenges.