462. Are family bonds an absolute good?Family ties are important but not absolute, because the first vocation of a Christian is to follow Jesus and love him: "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me" (
Matthew 10:37). Parents must support with joy their children's choice to follow Jesus in whatever state of life, even in the consecrated life or the priestly ministry.
Further reading: CCC 2232-2233463. How should authority be exercised in the various spheres of civil society?
Authority should always be exercised as a service, respecting fundamental human rights, a just hierarchy of values, laws, distributive justice, and the principle of subsidiarity. All those who exercise authority should seek the interests of the community before their own interest and allow their decisions to be inspired by the truth about God, about man and about the world.
Further reading: CCC 2234-2237, 2254