Duc in Altum

Where do we find such exemplary marriages? We begin in Nazareth. In his 1994 Letter, Pope John Paul II wrote: "The Holy Family is the beginning of countless other holy families." Following the example of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph are numerous holy couples and families, many recognized as saints and many more unknown to us. From Priscilla and Aquila, contemporaries of St. Paul, to Isidore and Maria of the 12th Century, to St. Therese’s parents, Louis and Zelie Martin (who are being proposed for beatification)—married couples have found holiness in the ordinary circumstances of their lives together. Every parish has holy couples who witness to the meaning of true love through their sacrifices for one another and their family.

At the heart of every holy marriage and family is Jesus. Since Jesus is the fullest revelation of God, love within a marriage can only continue and grow if Jesus is the heart of every family. Source

We see Pope Benedict XVI’s concern for this ongoing formation in his meetings with Bishops who have come to Rome recently for their "Ad Limina" visit. On September 23 he told a group of Bishops from Mexico:

You must devote your best efforts and energy to your priests. I therefore encourage you always to be close to each one of them and to build a relationship of priestly friendship with them, after the example of the Good Shepherd. … Take an interest in the particular situation of each priest, encouraging him to journey on the path of priestly holiness with joy and hope, offering him the help he needs and fostering brotherly relations among all priests. May no priest lack the means he needs in order to live his sublime vocation and ministry with dignity. Source

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