“505 The first seminary, the first formation program, the first college is the Catholic family. No director, however talented or skilled, can replace parents. If this most fundamental unit breaks down, the future of the Church and of human society becomes shaky and risks collapse. On the day he turned fifty, Pope John XXIII wrote in a letter to his parents, “Dear Mom and Dad, today I have reached fifty years of age. God has given me many positions in the Church, I have been to many places, I have studied much, but no school has given me more instruction or has been more beneficial to me than that which I received when I sat on your laps.” FamilyParents Book:The Road of Hope: A Gospel from Prison Source: The Road of Hope: A Gospel from Prison
“644 Every day the press emphasizes sensational events and political upheavals. You should be aware of these events in order to share in humanity’s anxieties. These should have a positive effect. They should urge you to build a new world in which the press will not find such events to report on. You have to build the kingdom of God right now in this world with all the means at your disposal.” SocietyMediaNews Book:The Road of Hope: A Gospel from Prison Source: The Road of Hope: A Gospel from Prison
“41 Don’t be discouraged by our failures. When you seek to do the will of God and meet with failure, that failure may be a success in God’s eyes because the outcome is as God desired. Look at the example of Jesus on the cross.” FailurePerseverance Book:The Road of Hope: A Gospel from Prison Source: The Road of Hope: A Gospel from Prison
“753 You maintain that there must be dialogue, yet refuse to allow anyone to express ideas contrary to your own. Such a dialogue is limited by a fixed agenda, or more correctly, it is two monologues.” Active Listening Book:The Road of Hope: A Gospel from Prison Source: The Road of Hope: A Gospel from Prison