The family's commitment to follow Jesus, a new alliance to be established between the family and the parish, and the prophecy of the family as a communion of people in a world of growing solitude: these are the issues that the President of the Pontifical Council for the Family, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, focused on in his speech at the second general meeting of Catholic Action, held from 31 July to 2 August in Madrid, in the house of spirituality San José a San Lorenzo del Escorial. The family's situation is "paradoxical:" on the one hand―he explained―"it is at the top of everyone's wish, but on the other hand it has also lost the appeal in the general mentality." So, "one thing is certain: the family, composed of a mother, a father, children, grandparents and grandchildren, with all the changes that this structure has gone through in history, is no longer at the center of culture, politics and the economy. The Catholic Church, through the Synod―said Monsignor Paglia―, wants to revive the centrality of the family, both in pastoral ministry and in the life of the society. She knows well that dealing with the family implies facing not only an ecclesial issue, but also a human and social one, for the good of all humanity." "The family―he said, addressing the children, young people and adults of the parishes―is an irreplaceable blessing for the earth, which is our common home, the home of all people of yesterday, today and tomorrow. If we have faith, the families of the peoples of the earth will look towards the Christian families and parish communities already living this broad solidarity and recognize themselves in this blessing." Finally, Msgr. Paglia invited the parishes to "restore the alliance that gives to life evangelical love as the miracle that saves everything, that endures all, and surrounds everything with tenderness and mercy."