This is how Pope Francis defined the family at the beginning of the month. But then came a summer storm. In fact, a real hurricane. It was the devastating report on sexual abuse issued by a grand jury in Pennsylvania (United States) that - according to jurist Rafael Domingo - caused vomiting in some of its passages. Then the Pope wrote a letter addressed to all Catholics: he asked for prayer and penance as well as to prevent it from happening again in the future.

The beginning is eminently negative. And this is also one of the priorities of Francis' trip to Ireland, one of the countries most affected by abuse and misconduct management by the hierarchy. Already Pope Benedict wrote to his bishops in 2010, and now Pope Francis will meet with victims in a hitherto unknown location. Perhaps there will be some message to the Church and the world. Operation Clean Sweep, begun by previous popes, continues with special determination. To the rhythm of tango.

The meeting World Families Day in Dublin will also offer a unique opportunity to reflect on one of the most important documents of Francis' pontificate: the encyclical Amoris Laetitia. So far, only controversial issues have been addressed without going to the heart of the matter: the beauty and future of the family. This beautiful text remains unknown to a large part of families. Saturday night's vigil will be the highlight and on Sunday the Pope will announce the location of the next world meeting .

During the trip Francis will make a peculiar stop to pray before the relics of a former alcoholic, Matt Talbot, who is not a simple 'holy drinker', but a sawmill worker who managed to overcome a deep-rooted addiction to drink. He was able to get rid of it. Quite an achievement of divine mercy, and a very Francis-era saint. After his conversion shortly before the age of thirty, his life changed radically: he became one of the "saints next door" that Francis described in his latest papal document, the apostolic exhortation Gaudete et exultate, on holiness in today's world.

Francis wants to remind us that even in the family, a high-risk profession in our days, it is possible to be a saint. It is an inexhaustible source of life, joy and hope. Through it (and not in spite of it) one can be a saint.