At an April 29 meeting with members of the Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences, Pope Francis stressed the importance of the family as a “relational asset.”

The family, the Pope explained, should be recognized as an asset to society, not merely because the family supports its individual members, but more importantly because “it is a relational bond of perfection.”

The family, the Pope said, is a model for the acceptance of “frail or disabled members.” He called for support of “family-friendly social, economic, and cultural policies.”