United States Catholic Catechism for Adults

Chapter 28. Fourth Commandment: Strengthen Your Family • 379

and education. Since the family is the domestic church, it is fitting that parents always encourage their children to make life decisions with seri ous consideration about the best ways to live out their faith. Parents, by their own faith and commitment to the Church, create an environ ment in their homes that is conducive to helping children begin to think about a religious vocation. They should not hesitate to invite a son or daughter to consider becoming a priest or a vowed religious. In particu lar, parents should always encourage and support a child who is discern ing such a call.

THE FAMILY AND SOCIETY Authority, stability, and a life of relationships within the family constitute the foundations for freedom, security, and fraternity within society. The family is the community in which, from childhood, one can learn moral values, begin to honor God, and make good use of freedom. Family life is an initiation into life in society.

—CCC, no. 2207

The family and society need to work together to defend the good of each human being. The state should encourage responsible initiatives for fam ilies and should provide them with all the economic, educational, politi cal, and cultural assistance they need to exercise their responsibilities. Civic authorities should defend and protect the family as created by God and based on the permanent and exclusive union of a man and woman in marriage. The first obligation of civil authorities is to estab lish laws that reflect and protect proper moral order. If the governing authority attempts to impose a law contrary to the moral order, then the citizens have a moral obligation to seek to try to change the law. If that fails, they should refuse to obey such a law. The Church, too, has the mission and obligation to critique and challenge any civil laws, societal organizations, or political structures that infringe upon or deny the fundamental rights of human persons and