In an annual meeting with local political leaders, Pope Benedict XVI
made a strong plea for public support of family life, “founded on
marriage between a man and a woman.”
Speaking to Mayor Gianni Alemanno of Rome and the presidents of the Rome
and Lazio regions (Nicola Zingaretti and Renata Polverini,
respectively), the Pope said:
The approval of forms of union which pervert the essence and goal of the family ends up penalizing those people who, not without effort, seek to maintain stable emotional ties which are juridically guaranteed and publicly recognized.
Promotion of strong family life should include “concrete support to
maternity” and programs to help young families struggling with the
economic consequences of unemployment, the Pope said.
The Pope also prodded the political leaders to promote reverence for
human life, noting that “the large number of abortions that take place
in our region cannot leave us indifferent.”
He pointed to the efforts by
Christian groups to provide pregnancy-help centers and homes for unwed
mothers, and encouraged similar public initiatives.
He said that public
policies should also provide support for the elderly, and encourage “a
culture of respect for life until its natural end.”
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