“The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament.”  [Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), No. 1601]

“A man and a woman united in marriage, together with their children, form a family. This institution is prior to any recognition by public authority, which has an obligation to recognize it. It should be considered the normal reference point by which the different forms of family relationship are to be evaluated.”
(CCC, No. 2202)

MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY

Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Sacrament of Matrimony, # 1601-1666
Nature of the Family, # 2201-2213
The Love of Husband and Wife, # 2360-2379

Papal Letters

Caritas in veritate (2009)
Encyclical by Pope Benedict XVI
See # 15, 44

Letter to Women (1995)
Letter by Pope John Paul II, See # 7-8

Mulieris dignitatem(1988)
Apostolic Letter by Pope John Paul II, See # 6-7

Familiaris consortio (1981)
Apostolic Exhortation by Pope John Paul II, See # 3, 45-46, 81

Letter on the Collaboration of Men and Women in the Church and in the World (2004)
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Prefect of the CDF

Sacred Congregation Documents

Family, Marriage and De Facto Unions (2000)
Pontifical Council for the Family

Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (2004)
Published by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace

The Equal Dignity of All People and the Equality in Difference between Man and Woman
#144-148

The Family.
The Vital Cell of Society, # 209-254
Importance of the family for the person, # 212
Importance of the family for society, # 213-214
Marriage as the foundation of the family, # 215-218
Sexual identity, difference, and complementarity# 224
Homosexual unions, # 228-229