August 10th.  Siblings.  Martin and Angela decided to focus on sibling relationships too.  “Think of your own families for a moment and the relationships between you as brothers or as sisters and brothers. Is there rivalry between you or jealousy, or resentment or possibly serious conflict for one or other reason?   The intimacy within family units is unique among all other human relationships and should be cherished rather than abused.   Are there other sibling relationships that you know of that need some special care?  I personally admire the young people who manage their own child-headed homes but I also know that they do need more help then they get.  It is not fair on teenage boys and girls to be responsible for younger siblings when they themselves have hardly developed their own personal identity.  Often there are other relatives close by but these little units are very vulnerable on many fronts, including sexual abuse or prostitution to get money.”

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his faults between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.  But if he does not listen take one or two others along with you that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses.    Matthew 18: 15-16    Pope Francis:  Having a brother or sister who loves you is a profound, precious and unique experience.  Children do need to be patiently taught to treat one another as brothers and sisters.  AL 195. St Francis’ response to the world around him was so much more than intellectual appreciation or economic calculus, for to him each and every creature was a sister united to him by bonds of affection.  LS 11