The family features in the theme of the electoral programmes that both political parties submitted for the local council elections. Both of them are promising that they want to make – albeit in different ways – our localities as family friendly as possible.
Minister Said, the newly appointed Minister for the Family, has just appointed the National Family Commission.
Bishop Mario Grech, another Gozitan like Minister Said, also spoke about the family during the annual award of the Premju Qalb tad-Deheb organised by the Moviment ta' Kana this February.
But does anyone of you know what proposal if any was put forward by the Bishop of Gozo?
Our media are more than ready to pounce on Bishop Grech when he says something which they consider to be controversial. The brouhaha puffed up during the divorce campaign are too fresh to need any memory jolting. However the media do tend to side line or totally forget other positions taken by Bishop Grech which are in no way controversial but could be very beneficial to society at large.
During the above mentioned activity, Bishop Grech proposed the setting up of an association serving as a pro-family lobby. Birds, trees, fauna, flora, old buildings, and all sorts of things have lobbies pushing forward their causes. Is the family less important? Should there not also be a lobby that pushes forward the advancement and protection of our families?
Bishop Grech suggested that we should at least start considering this possibility. Such a Pro-Family Association would have the aim of safeguarding and advancing the rights of the family in education, health, the economy, the work environment, entertainment and politics. Besides rights, this lobby group would enhance its credibility if it pushes forward also duties!
I will translate the relevant parts of the speech given by Bishop Grech.
"To-day we talk about the rights of men, the rights of women and the rights of children. We should also talk about the rights of the family as an entity. Up until now others spoke about the family, It is high time that the family is given an active voice in the socio-political debate. The family should be the protagonist in the process of formulation of family policies. The responsibility for giving a voice to the inalienable rights of the family cannot be shirked any longer. There are associations which justifiably defend the rights of workers, consumers and animals. Should there not also be an association which represents families and at the same time, is on its guard to ascertain that our laws and regulations safeguard the natural rights of this natural society, that is the family? There are pressure groups militating, for example, in favour of the environment or against censorship. So why should we not consider a pro-family lobby group?"
Bishop Grech clearly states that this should not be a confessional association and that the defence of the family is per se a secular value not a religious one.
"This does not mean though that that Christians cannot contribute towards this initiative. The core of the Christian values about marriage and the family are syntonic with human values. All those who believe that the family is based on the union between a man and a woman in marriage should view this proposal as an opportunity to strengthen respect for the institution of the family which is a significant contribution towards the respect of human dignity and the formation of future generations."
What do you think of this proposal?