"CHILDREN: SPRINGTIME OF THE FAMILY AND OF SOCIETY"

VATICAN CITY, OCT 3, 2000 (VIS) - The Jubilee of Families, which will take place in Rome from October 14 to 15, was presented in the Holy See Press Office this morning.

Taking part in the press conference were Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, Bishop Francisco Gil Hellin and Msgr. Francesco Di Felice, respectively president, secretary and under-secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Family. Also present was Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe, secretary general of the Committee for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000.

Cardinal Lopez Trujillo indicated that the theme of the Third World Meeting of Familes with the Holy Father, the Jubilee of Families, is: "Children, Springtime of the Family and of Society." This is, he said, "an opportunity to transmit a message that concerns the whole human family and not just Catholics; because the family, matrimony and life are great causes and commitments for everyone, believers and non-believers. They are not the exclusive patrimony of the Church but belong to all humanity."

The cardinal suggested that an objection could be raised: "Is it possible," he said, " to speak of 'springtime,' of flowering, of songs, of joy and of hope when the situation of so many children in the world would bring us rather to acknowledge, with shame and with the bitterness of defeat, a long, hard and cruel winter?"

"It is true," he went on, "that in some aspects, winter has not passed and seems to be growing harsher: The winter of outrage for the lack of respect given to nascent human life, for the crime of abortion. ... There is talk of a demographic winter, because there are more graves than cradles; a winter and sickness of the spirit that turns the conceived, the about-to-be born, the human embryo, who is a person, into an instrument of experimentation and makes merchandise of his organs."

The president of the Pontifical Council for the family highlighted that "spring blossoms (in the family) when infants - 'children' loved in the first instance by God - are offered a favorable and human environment in which to grow in God's image. No other institution can substitute the family in its mission to educate children!"

We can speak of springtime, concluded the cardinal, "when peoples, governments and legislators decide to believe in the truth of man, to defend him, respect him; and when iniquitous and deadly laws are substituted by others at the service of children and the family."

Bishop Francisco Gil Hellin, council secretary, said they anticipated 6,000 participants in this Third World Meeting of Families with the Holy Father. This includes delegations from episcopal conferences - bishops, priests and married couples who work at national levels for the pastoral ministry for families - and leaders of pro-family movements, associations and groups, at the local, national and international levels.

He pointed out that scheduled speakers include pastors, professors and professionals who are experts in diverse sciences and who will speak on the central theme of children. He noted that Cardinals Alfonso Lopez Trujillo and Carlo Maria Martini, archbishop of Milan, will address the opening session.

The theme of children will be approached in various ways, said Bishop Gil Hellin,: globally; a biblical vision; philosophical-theological; the rights of children; sexual education; the family, conjugal love and procreation; the involvement of priests in the parent-children relationship.

Several guests will address the theme from a social point of view, including Archbishop Renato Martino, Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations, who will speak on the period following the U.N. Conferences of Cairo (1994) and Beijing (1995).

Msgr. Francesco Di Felice, under-secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Family, outlined the events scheduled for the four-day period of the Jubilee of Families, starting with the October 11-13 International Theological-Pastoral Congress in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall.

At 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 12, the Stations of the Cross will be celebrated for families in St. Peter's Square. At 7 p.m. the following day, the celebrated Pueri Cantores of Vienna, a choir of young boys between the ages of 10 and 14, will perform in the Paul VI Hall. Spanish soprano Monserrat Caballe will perform a Catalan composition.

Two events are scheduled for Saturday, October 14: Masses will be celebrated at 9:30 in the morning for language groups in nine basilicas and churches of Rome in preparation for the 5 p.m. encounter between families and Pope John Paul in St. Peter's Square.

The culminating moment of the Jubilee for Families will be the Eucharistic celebration in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, October 15 at 9:30 in the morning. During Mass the Sacrament of Matrimony will be celebrated.

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