VATICAN CITY, JUNE 13, 2003 (Zenit.org).- European countries at times produce legislation that is «not respectful» of human rights and the rights of the family, a cardinal told a gathering of Catholic officials.
Cardinal Alfonso López Trujillo, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, addressed the opening of a four-day meeting of the presidents of episcopal commissions for life and the family. The meeting, convoked by the pontifical council, is addressing the challenges that confront the family.
The meeting seeks to provide «information on the problems and work carried out by various European nations» in the realm of the family, the Vatican council said in a press statement.
Cardinal López Trujillo, in his talk Wednesday, indicated that «the European Continent is the most critical because for a long time secularization has influenced the family, already very fragile due to internal and external problems, in a negative way.»
Though many movements, groups and institutes of bioethics exist to promote the family, «great unity is necessary so that the cause of the family and life may be enriched by cultural contribution and the experience of these research centers,» the cardinal said.
He also addressed «the relationship between family and society, especially in reference to legislation in certain Parliaments, which we can define as ‘iniquitous’ and ‘not respectful’ of human rights and the rights of the family and life, from conception to natural death.»
«Often Parliaments are misinformed and also the language that they use is almost always ambiguous and not consistent with the most advanced scientific research,» he said.
In this light, the Pontifical Council for the Family has published a «Lexicon» of terms which aims to clarify basic scientific information from an anthropological, physiological and sexual point of view.
