VATICAN CITY, FEB 4, 2007 (VIS) - The Day for Life, an initiative promoted by the Italian Episcopal Conference which is celebrated in Italy today, provided the theme for Benedict XVI's remarks before praying the Angelus with thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square. The theme of this year's Day is: "Love and desire life."
The Pope echoed the Italian bishops' call "for men and women of good will ... to welcome the great and mysterious gift of life. Life, which is the work of God, must not be denied to anyone, not even to the small and defenseless unborn, and especially so when the baby has grave disabilities.
"At the same time," he added, "I invite everyone not to fall into the trap of thinking they can dispose of human life at will, to the point of legitimizing ... euthanasia, perhaps even masking it under a veil of human pity."
The Week for Life and the Family being celebrated in the diocese of Rome, he continued, represents "an important occasion to pray and reflect upon the family, which is the 'cradle' of life and of all vocations." The Pope recalled that the family founded upon marriage "is the natural environment for the birth and education of children and, therefore, for ensuring the future of the entire human family."
However, the family is suffering "a profound crisis and today has to face many challenges. Hence it must be defended, helped, protected and cherished in its unrepeatable uniqueness. Although this is, in the first place, the responsibility of husband and wife, the Church and all public institutions also have a priority duty to support the family through pastoral and political initiatives that take account of the real needs of the couple, of the elderly and of the new generations."
The Holy Father concluded his reflections by calling, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, "for more respect for the sacred nature of life, greater awareness of the true needs of the family, and an increase in the number of people who contribute to creating a civilization of love in the world."
ANG/DAY FOR LIFE/... VIS 20070205 (370)
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