John Paul II – the Pope of the Family

Abstract

Karol Wojtyła, from the very beginning of his episcopal ministry, expressed the conviction that marriage and family are among the most valuable assets of mankind. No wonder that the issues of these two institutions (closely related to each other) remained at the center of his attention as pope. His pastoral concern for marriage and family, as well as his great contribution to promoting them, earned him the title of “Pope of the Family.” This was confirmed by Pope Francis on April 27, 2014 during the canonization of John Paul II. The activity of the Polish Pope in the service of marriage and family covered a wide spectrum: legislation, education and the organizational and administrative sphere. This commitment of the great Legislator, Teacher and Shepherd, lasting nearly 27 years, significantly enriched the existing treasury of the Church in such a socially important field. The testimony of the tireless successor of St. Peter, who recognized that “the family is the cradle of life and love, where man is born and grows” and that “the mainstream of the civilization of love flows through the family.”