Let’s Talk Family! Let’s Be Family!
To help couples and small groups to get a better understanding of The Joy of Love (Amoris Laetitia) written by Pope Francis and the Catholic view of family life, a programme called Let’s Talk Family! Let’s Be Family! has been developed. This on-line resource includes six-sessions that explore key messages in The Joy of Love in an accessible and practical way.
Session One: The Reality of family life today
Session Two: The Christian vision for the family
Session Three: God’s dream for love
Session Four: Married love growing to maturity
Session Five: God’s mercy – No one is excluded
Session Six: A Gospel of hope for our families
In each session there are a number of video clips that can be viewed via the internet to help couples, teenagers (some content may not be appropriate for younger children) and singles to reflect on and discuss their experience of family life and their response to Pope Francis’ reflections in The Joy of Love. Detailed descriptions for running the course are available for download from www.amoris.ie/conversations or a short description of each session can be found below.
Using the Online Resources
This six– session programme explores Pope Francis’ document about family life called The Joy of Love. It gives us the opportunity to discuss what Pope Francis has to say in light of our own experiences of being part of a family and to reflect on the reality of family life today. Each session follows a simple structure and format and explores a topic drawn from The Joy of Love. We start by looking at our own experience in relation to that topic. Then, in the light of that experience, we look at what Pope Francis has to say.
SESSION ONE - The Reality of Family Life Today
The first topic is The Reality of Family Life today. We begin by looking at a video clip exploring
different people’s experience of family today and then talk about that in our small group. Then we hear what Pope Francis says about the elements of modern culture that support family life and those that make it difficult.
Video Clip 1: Vox Pop (5 min) In this video you will hear a number of people who have different experiences of family life speak about their experience of the reality of family life today.
Click here to view video Clip 1
Discussion: What did you hear? • What surprised you? • Had you been asked, what would you have said?
Video Clip 2: Input from The Joy of Love on the Challenges Facing People Today (20 mins)
Click here to view video clip 2
Discussion: What did you hear in people’s experience of family life that is similar to what Pope Francis is saying? • If you could speak directly to Pope Francis, what would you want him to hear about family life? • At the end of this session what thoughts are you bringing away with you about the reality of family life in the world today?
Video Clip 3: Closing Reflection (5 min)
Click here to view the closing reflection
SESSION TWO - The Christian Vision for the Family
In this session we look at the Christian vision for family. We start by listening to the experience of a variety of people and then you will be invited to articulate your own experience. People have been asked to reflect on how they see family portrayed in the media, in movies etc, and then on their own ideal for family. Having watched the video, you will be invited to share your own thoughts and then we will hear what Pope Francis proposes in The Joy of Love.
Video Clip 4: Vox Pop (5 min) People talk about their dream for their family.
Click here to view video Clip 4
Discussion: What did you hear in the vox pop? • What is your dream for your own family?
Video Clip 5: God Makes all the Difference (20 mins)
Click here to view video Clip 5
Discussion: How does this vision of marriage compare with the image of family portrayed in modern media? • How is it different? • How does Pope Francis’ reflection on God compare with your image of God? • What have you found reassuring or challenging in this session?
Video Clip 6: Closing Reflection (5 min)
Click here to view video Clip 6
SESSION THREE - God’s Dream for Love
Recap - During the first session we looked at the reality of family life today. Last time we looked at the ideal for family life as expressed in culture and as we experience it ourselves. Then we went on to explore what Pope Francis says about the ideal for family life today.
Video Clip 7: Kaleidoscope (5 min) There is a strong desire in popular culture for love, especially love that endures. This video clip explores the dream of love that is portrayed in modern culture, especially pop culture.
Click here to view video Clip 7
Discussion: What struck you from the video? How do the sentiments portrayed compare with your own understanding of love?
Video Clip 8: St Paul’s Vision of Love (20 min) Pope Francis draws on St Paul’s exploration of love in 1 Corinthians 13: 4–7. Click here to view video Clip 8
Discussion: Which of these characteristics of love do you think you need to cultivate in your own life? In your family? Which do you think might be most difficult? Why?
Where have you seen love in action?
Video Clip 9: Closing Reflection (5 min)
Click here to view video Clip 9
SESSION FOUR - Married Love Growing to Maturity
Recap - So far we have looked at the reality of family life, our ideal for family life, and the practice of love in families. In this session there are two parts to the presentation. In the first part we explore what Pope Francis says about sexual love between a loving couple. We then go on to explore the relationships between parents and their children and we look at what Pope Francis says to parents, grandparents and other significant adults in the lives of children.
Video Clip 10: Children’s Art Gallery Walk (10 min) A selection of drawings by First Communion-class children showing how they have experienced family love.
Click here to view video Clip 10
Discussion: What struck you from the drawings? Did anything surprise you? How do they relate to your own childhood? How do they relate to you now?
Video Clip 11: Input from The Joy of Love (20 min) Conjugal love between a husband and wife is, according to Pope Francis, the greatest form of friendship.
Click here to view video Clip 11
The primary place of encounter with God for most adults, and children, is family life. For Christians, the family is the first experience of Church: It is within family, ‘the domestic Church’, that we first live our Christianity, that we identify what Christian life consists in, that we learn beliefs and values, and grow in prayer.
Discussion: What struck you from this clip? How does it relate to your life?
Video Clip 12: Closing Reflection (5 min)
Click here to view video Clip 12
SESSION FIVE - God’s Mercy – No One Excluded
Recap - So far we have looked at the reality of family life, we have considered the Christian ideal and we have explored the importance of how love is lived out in the family. In this session we look at the gap for all of us between the ideal and the reality in our family experiences. None of us is perfect, however we are all included in God’s love and mercy. We look at the challenge that Pope Francis gives us, to truly reflect that inclusive love and mercy. We also explore what Pope Francis says about the importance of accompanying newly weds and those preparing for marriage.
Video Clip 13: Vox Pop (10 min) A selection of short interviews with people about their different experiences of family life.
Click here to view video Clip 13
Discussion: What do these stories say to you?
Video Clip 14: The Practice of God's Mercy (20 Min)
Click here to view video Clip 14
Discussion: What helped you most as you prepared for marriage? • If you had to deal with difficult times, what did you find helpful? • Do you think you or your parish could help other married couples or those preparing for marriage?
Video Clip 16: Closing Reflection (5 min) - please note there is no clip 15!
Click here to view video Clip 16
SESSION SIX - A Gospel of Hope for our Families
In the final session we seek to finish on a note of hope. We hear how a variety of people have sought to bring love to their families: old people, young people, married people, single people and so on. We explore a spirituality for families and we listen to the advice Pope Francis offers on the practicalities of day-to-day living and loving in families.
Video Clip 17: Vox Pop (5 min) A selection of short interviews with older people on what helped their love and commitment to endure throughout their lives and advice they would offer to the younger generation. Click here to view video Clip 17
Discussion: What did these stories say to you? • What seemed to be important in their lives? • Where did you see signs of hope for your own family?
Video Clip 18: A spirituality of family life
The spirituality of the family is a spirituality of communion. Family life is marked by thousands of small gestures of give and take, of sharing and doing without, and of putting the needs of others before one’s own needs. In the midst of that reality of love, given and shared, God’s love is always present. Click here to view video Clip 18
Discussion: How do you feel about what Pope Francis says here? • What do you find challenging? • What, if anything, will you take with you from this session?
Video Clip 19: Closing Reflection (5 min)
Click here to view video Clip 19