In his remarks, Cardinal O’Malley stressed the call to be missionary disciples.
The fundamental decision to love is born from an encounter with the living God, who first loved us, he said. In this encounter, we can see the world through God’s eyes and recognize what is truly beautiful and important in life.
Our response to that encounter is how we live out discipleship, the cardinal said.
“Pope Francis makes it clear that our call to discipleship is a call to be missionary disciples. We’re faithful to our mission as Christ’s family only by inviting others to be a part of that mission, by helping families to become what they are.”
Family is critical to achieving this goal, Cardinal O’Malley said. “In God’s plan, the family is the school of love where we learn to make a gift of ourselves.”
(Story continues below)
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
At Catholic News Agency, our team is committed to reporting the truth with courage, integrity, and fidelity to our faith. We provide news about the Church and the world, as seen through the teachings of the Catholic Church. When you subscribe to the CNA UPDATE, we'll send you a daily email with links to the news you need and, occasionally, breaking news.
As part of this free service you may receive occasional offers from us at EWTN News and EWTN. We won't rent or sell your information, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
He emphasized that “marriage in God’s plan is the sanctuary of love” and “families are missionaries - they pass on the faith to new generations.”
“The parents not only communicate the Gospel to their children, but from their children they can receive the same Gospel, deeply lived by them. Such a family becomes an evangelizer of many families.”
Those families that live out this mission “change the course of history,” Cardinal O’Malley said. “They open the door that allows God’s light to enter the world and their witness helps us to be open to life.”
