Protecting marriage is protecting children, Pope tells Pontifical Council

February 08, 2010

Pope Benedict XVI met on February 8 with members of the Pontifical Council for the Family, who have gathered for their plenary meeting under the direction of the council's president' Cardinal Ennio Antonelli. The Pope encouraged the group in its studies on the themes: "the family, subject of evangelization" and "the family, resource for society."

The Pontiff devoted some time to a discussion of the Pontifical Council's plans to produce a new document on preparation for marriage. Citing the work of his predecessor John Paul II, Pope Benedict said that there are three essential types of preparation: remote, when children are trained to have a healthy attitude toward marriage and human sexuality; proximate, when engaged couples learn together about the Church's approach to Christian marriage; and immediate, when the couple makes final spiritual preparations to enter a marital union.

Pope Benedict called the group's attention to the UN discussion of the rights of children. "The family founded on marriage between a man and a woman is the greatest help that can be given to children," he said. "Supporting the family and promoting its true good, its rights, its unity and stability is the best way to protect the rights and the real needs of children." The Pope acknowledged with regret in his address that some Catholic priests had failed to respect the rights of children by abusing them. He vowed that the Church "hasn't, and won't ever, stop deploring and condemning" their misdeeds.

 

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Further information:

• Council for Family Preparing Vademecum on Marriage (VIS)
• Pope condemns abuse of children by priests; says children deserve to be loved, respected (AP)
• Pope Says Some Priests ‘Violated’ Rights of Children (Bloomberg)