After mentioning John Paul II’s care for the family, the Pope stated that "the union of life and love, based on the marriage of man and woman which is the family, is an irreplaceable asset for society as a whole, which should not be confused with or equated to any other kind of union". Then, he commented that "many families, that live in a state of worrying uncertainty, are sending out a cry, sometimes even unwillingly, a cry for help which is directed to the public authorities, the ecclesial communities and the different educational agencies. Therefore, it becomes more and more urgent to join forces to support the families with every possible means, from a social, economic, legal and spiritual point of view. From this perspective, I would like to highlight and encourage some initiatives and proposals that have emerged from your Meeting". Benedict XVI spoke of the "praiseworthy work for urging the citizens to support the initiative called ‘Un fisco a misura di famiglia’ (family-sized taxes), so that the Governments will promote a family policy that will actually enable parents to have children and raise them within the family". Then, he concluded by recalling that "for believers, the family, the core of communion as the foundation of society, is a sort of ‘small household church’, called to reveal God’s love to the world".
