Pope Warns Bishops Failure to Speak-Out Firmly on Defense of Family is "Grave Omission"

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Pope Warns Bishops Failure to Speak-Out Firmly on Defense of Family is "Grave Omission"

VATICAN, June 18, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Using very strong language, Pope John Paul II warned Catholic Bishops that they must speak out in defense of marriage and the family. In speaking to the Bishops of Columbia yesterday, the Pope highlighted the bishops' efforts "to defend and promote the institution of family" and he emphasized the "need to continue to proclaim firmly the truth about marriage and family, established by God, as an authentic service to society."

The Pope added, "Not doing so would be a grave pastoral omission that would induce believers to error, as well as those who have the serious responsibility to make decisions for the common good of the nation."

Concluding the point the Pope noted, "This truth is valid not only for Catholics, but for all men and women without distinction, as marriage and the family constitute an irreplaceable good of society, which cannot remain indifferent in face of its degradation or loss of identity."

See the full address (in Spanish)



-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), June 19, 2004

Answers

bump

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), June 19, 2004.

Look forward to the English translation on this speech. This is a great one.

-- Pat Delaney (pat@patdelaney.net), June 23, 2004.

If it is translated, it will be posted here (under June 17)



-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), June 23, 2004.


These are empty words unless they are enforced with canonical sanctions.

Karl

-- KARL (pARKERKAJWEN@HOTMAIL.COM), June 23, 2004.


Each bishop has jurisdiction over his own diocese...thus the Catholic Church isn't a federation or franchise...the collegiality of bishops really has no analogue in the world, making it hard to grasp.

Naturally the Pope could come down and set up a teaching for the whole Church on this issue...laying down the law from on high, but each individual bishop would still have to enforce it - and each individual pastor would still have to actually implement those teachings...

Without a beefed up Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, or a massive restoration of lay fervor, faith and apostolic zeal (give us time, we're working on it!), this isn't going to happen.

-- Joe (joestong@yahoo.com), June 23, 2004.



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