Cardinal Alfonso López Trujillo emphasized that point at a three-day international congress on “The Family and Life at the Beginning of the New Christian Millennium,” held in the Romanian Patriarchate´s Palace.
The congress, which ended today, was organized jointly by the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, with the patronage of Romanian President Ion IIiescu.
In his address, Cardinal López Trujillo also focused on the evil of abortion. There are now 50 million abortions a year worldwide.
The Colombian cardinal said too much emphasis is placed on the right of women to choose abortion, while little is said about the unborn child´s right to life.
Romanian Orthodox Patriarch Teoctist insisted on the urgency of re-establishing a family atmosphere in a world that frequently rejects the institution.
Baroness Emma Nicholson of Winterbourne, European parliamentary observer for Romania, said the Church must play a vital role with public authorities to deal with the thousands of Romanian children who live in state institutions.
