Mixed marriages between Catholics and Orthodox; the globalized economy, which has neither care nor concern for the poor nor for young people, and often forces the people to seek work in other regions of the world; marriage preparation carried out in a logical ministry of welcoming, and pastoral care of closeness and personal contact for the family: these, and other pastoral challenges, were discussed by the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences of South-East Europe during the meeting for assessment and dialogue on the family, which was held in Bucharest from 17 to 21 April. The gathering, one of the activities of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE), resumed a tradition that continued for more than ten years, until 2012.
"The similarity of the pastoral challenges and the situation of the Catholic Church in these countries is the reason behind the meetings. There are two aims: to strengthen relationships of ecclesial communion by sharing the common pastoral challenges and to examine in depth some of the issues surrounding the theme of the family with a view to the next Ordinary Synod of Bishops (October 2015) and in the light of the 2014 Extraordinary Synod."
Speaking about mixed marriages, the Bishops evoked "challenges and problems due to the different ways in which marriage and its sacramentality are perceived," stressing the need to "accompany couples in a journey of faith, so that the differences do not lead to relativism and religious indifference." As for migration, it is "a major challenge for the family, which requires special attention from the Church. It is hoped that there will be closer pastoral collaboration between the countries of origin and those to which they emigrate" and "the Catholic communities in the countries that welcome the migrants–the Bishops hope–should guarantee preparation and then accompany the young couples who come to get married in their native countries."
Marriage preparation must take into account "the challenges represented by a digital culture which, while giving access to a vast array of information, is not always integrated in a mature personality capable of taking definitive decisions and assuming responsibility for a family." A "reason for hope," on the other hand, comes from "the presence of groups of families and those movements that have a special charism devoted to the family and are a fundamental resource for family ministry," the bishops wrote, recalling Pope Francis' words in his Message for the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops: "the Christian family is established, grows and develops with the 'Sunday Eucharist' when the family and the whole Church sits at table with the Lord, where He gives himself to all of us, pilgrims through history towards the goal of the final encounter when 'Christ is all and in all' (Col 3:11)."
