“The family founded on faithful marriage between a man and a woman, and open to life, over and above all the cultural developments that have affected it, still imposes itself as the best way to generate and raise children,” said Cardinal Angelo Scola, Archbishop of Milan.

He was speaking ahead of the 7th World Meeting of Families, which will be held in Milan from Wed­nesday to next Sunday.

The cardinal said there is a growing recognition that the family is “an indispensable resource, a ‘social capital’, which requires specific policies – perhaps also as a result of the serious economic crisis we are in”.

Most Italians oppose same-sex marriage

Most Italians are against the legalisation of same-sex marriages and in stronger numbers are against adoption by gay couples, according to a recent survey. Forty-four per cent of respondents said they would support homosexual mar­riage while only 20 per cent thought same-sex couples should be allowed to adopt children.

Secular society needs Catholicism – Pope

Pope Benedict warned US bishops on a visit to Rome of the threats that an increasingly secu­larised society poses to the Catholic Church in America, especially in the areas of religious liberty, sexual morality and the definition of marriage.

The Pope said secular culture was having both demoralising effects on the Church’s members as well as threatening the stability of secular society itself.

He noted what he called an “increased sense of concern on the part of many men and women, whatever their religious or political views” that a “troubling breakdown in the intellectual, cultural and moral foundations of social life” has imperiled the “future of our democratic societies”.

Therefore, he said, “despite attempts to still the Church’s voice in the public square”, Catholics should insist on providing “wisdom, insight and sound guidance” to “people of good will”.

Holy Land Christian ‘haemorrhage’

“The exit of Christians from the Holy Land can be described as a real human haemorrhage”, Archbishop Fouad Twai, the Latin-rite Catholic Patriarch of Jeru­salem, told the Catholic news agency Zenit.

He said the continuing flight of Christians from the Holy Land can be attributed to “the occupation, to the political situation, to the difficult conditions of life, to the lack of work, of trust”.

On the other hand, the archbishop said there was great satisfaction with the opening of the Catholic University of Jordan, as education is a key factor in providing for a brighter future.

Solidarity cannot just be delegated to state

“A sense of responsibility on the part of everyone with regard to everyone” is how Pope Benedict described solidarity to members of Catholic charitable groups. Soli­darity “cannot therefore be merely delegated to the state,” he said. He stressed the need for individual involvement with those in need.

“Your activity must be animated by charity,” he said, adding that Christian solidarity relies on “gra­tuitousness” – the willingness to give when there is no obligation to do so.

“Gratuitousness cannot be bought, or established by law. “Without gratuitousness, there can be no justice,” he said.

(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)

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