FC final main section on the Family

E. The last section of Part III considers the family's obligation to share in the life and mission of the Church.
 1. The Christian family is a domestic church called to exercise the priestly, prophetic, and kingly offices of the Lord.
 2. The Christian married couple exercises the prophetic office by receiving the teaching of the Church with faith.
  a. The couple exercises Christ's prophetic office through the celebration of the sacrament of Matrimony.
  b. The ritual of the marriage rite should be a "moment of faith."
  c. The couple should exercise Christ's prophetic office throughout the marriage as they give living witness to the Christian truths.
 3. The couple also exercises Christ's prophetic office by teaching the faith, especially to their children.
  a. This task of evangelization often causes suffering if the children reject the faith.
  b. At such times, parents should keep in mind the suffering of the Apostles when they proclaimed the faith.
 4. Spouses also exercise Christ's priestly office.
  a. The priestly office is activated through the sacrament of Matrimony.
  b. However, it also requires refreshment through the sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and Penance.
 5. Once activated through the sacraments, the priestly office of the spouses is exercised in prayer and through teaching the children to pray.
  a. The prayer of the family should include liturgical prayer.
  b. Family private prayer should include the usual prayers of the Church, and especially the Rosary.
 6. The parents also exercise their priestly office by presenting the children for reception of the sacraments at the appropriate times.
 7. The family also exercises Christ's kingly office.
  a. Spouses must govern themselves (integration) and this occurs through the exercise of the kingship of Christ.
  b. Such self-rule is necessary for true love.
  c. Spouses must also strive to uphold human dignity and this is an exercise of Christ's kingship in its second aspect: the restoration of the created order as God intended "from the beginning."