Christian
hope not an illusion
Christian hope is not an illusion since in Christ,
life has a firm anchor, says Benedict XVI. The
Pope affirmed this before praying the Regina Caeli
on Sunday with thousands gathered in St. Peter's
Square. 'Today the solemnity of the Ascension
of Christ into heaven is celebrated in Italy and
in various other countries,' the Holy Father recalled.
'After the Ascension the first disciples remain
together in the cenacle around the Mother of Jesus
in fervent expectation of the gift of the Holy
Spirit promised by Jesus. On this first Sunday
of May, the month of Mary, we too relive this
experience, more intensely feeling Mary's spiritual
presence. '
The
Pontiff noted Jesus' insistence on the importance
of his return to the Father: 'Indeed he came into
the world to bring man back to God, not at the
level of ideas -- like a philosopher or a master
of wisdom -- but in reality, like the shepherd
who wants to bring his sheep back into the sheepfold.
' And, Benedict XVI affirmed, Christ's ascension
was also 'completely for us. It was for us that
he came down from heaven and for us that he ascended
into heaven, after having been made like us in
all things, humiliated unto death on a cross,
and after having touched the abyss of the maximal
distance from God,' he said. 'It was precisely
because of this that the Father was pleased with
him and exalted him, returning to him the fullness
of his glory, but now with our humanity. God in
man -- man in God: Now this is not a theoretical
truth but a real truth.
For
this reason, Christian hope, founded in Christ,
is not an illusion but, as the Letter to the Hebrews
says, 'in him we have an anchor of our life,'
an anchor that penetrates heaven, where Christ
has gone before us. ' This anchoring is what man
of every age most needs, the Holy Father said.
And here again, he contended, 'is the stupendous
meaning of Mary's presence among us. Turning our
gaze to her, like the first disciples did, we
are immediately directed to the reality of Jesus:
The Mother points to the Son, who is no longer
among us physically but awaits us in the Father's
house. ' [Zenit] 1446.2
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Grief
over Myanmar
During
yesterday's general audience, Pope Benedict also
expressed his grief over the tragedy in Myanmar,
also know as Burma, where upwards of 100,000 people
are dead and thousands still missing after a devastating
cyclone ripped through the south eastern part
of the country. 'I make my own the cry of pain
and the cry for help of the dear people of Myanmar,
who have seen the sudden destruction of so many
lives by the shattering violence of the cyclone
Nargis, in addition to goods and means of subsistence,'
the Pope said.
'As I have already assured in the message of solidarity
sent to the President of the Episcopal Conference,
I am spiritually close to all those affected.
I also want to repeat to all the invitation to
open your hearts in pity and generosity that,
thanks to the cooperation of those who are able
and wish to provide aid, we can alleviate the
suffering caused by so terrible tragedy.' Caritas
Internationalis President Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez
Maradiaga has also sent a message of solidarity
to those affected by cyclone's devastation. 'People
in Myanmar are facing a terrible humanitarian
crisis. The message of our global network to them
is that they are not alone. Messages of support
have flooded into our offices from around the
world,' the cardinal said.
'The Burmese should know that we are doing everything
we can to ensure international aid efforts get
through. So far we are receiving very positive
messages from the Myanmar government on their
need for international help. We hope this will
allow non-governmental organisations such as ourselves
access into the affected areas,' he added. Cardinal
Rodriguez also explained that Caritas is well
equipped to respond to the humanitarian crisis
due to their past experience.
'We know from past emergencies such as the Asia
tsunami and Cyclone Sidr that getting fresh water,
medical supplies, food and shelter into a disaster
zone quickly can prevent a second wave of deaths
from disease and exposure. Caritas are [sic] ready
to use that experience to help survivors in Myanmar
as quickly as possible.' Caritas is an international
network of 162 Catholic relief, development and
social service organizations working to build
a better world, especially for the poor and oppressed,
in over 200 countries and territories.
During
his general audience, Pope Benedict greeted His
Holiness Catholicos Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch
and Catholicos of All Armenians. In his remarks,
the Pope emphasized that ecumenical dialogue is
fuelled by the Holy Spirit and prayer. 'It is
my great joy today to greet His Holiness Catholicos
Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of
All Armenians, and the distinguished delegation
accompanying him. Your Holiness, I pray that the
light of the Holy Spirit will illumine your pilgrimage
to the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul, the
important meetings you will have here, and particularly
our personal conversations. I ask all who are
present today to pray for God's blessing upon
this visit.'
The
Holy Father also thanked Karekin II for his 'personal
commitment to the growing friendship between the
Armenian Apostolic Church and the Catholic Church.'
Recalling the string of visits between John Paul
II and the patriarch, Pope Benedict said that,
'I am sure that this spirit of friendship will
be further deepened during the coming days.' In
an external niche of Saint Peter's Basilica, there
is a fine statue of Saint Gregory the Illuminator,
founder of the Armenian Church. It serves to remind
us of the severe persecutions suffered by Armenian
Christians, especially during the last century.
Armenia's many martyrs are a sign of the power
of the Holy Spirit working in times of darkness,
and a pledge of hope for Christians everywhere.
Your Holiness, dear Bishops and dear friends,
together with you I implore Almighty God, through
the intercession of Saint Gregory the Illuminator,
to help us grow in unity, in one holy bond of
Christian faith, hope and love.'
As
the Church prepares to celebrate Pentecost, Benedict
XVI said that these days should 'renew our hope
in the help of the Holy Spirit to advance along
the path of ecumenism. We have the certainty that
the Lord Jesus never abandons us in our search
for unity, because His Spirit is tirelessly at
work to support the efforts we make to overcome
all forms of division.' 'Since the first moment
of her existence the Church, thanks to the power
of the Holy Spirit, has spoken in all tongues
and lived in all cultures. She destroys nothing
of their history and gifts, but assumes them all
in a great and new unity, which reconciles unity
with the multiplicity of forms. With its power,
the Holy Spirit ... unites divided man in divine
charity and thus creates ... the great community
which is the Church in all the world.' While some
may think of Pentecost as a one-time event in
the life of the Church, the Holy Father said,
'the Church is always, so to say, in a state of
Pentecost. Gathered in the Cenacle, she prays
incessantly to obtain ever new effusions of the
gifts of the Holy Spirit, ... and is not afraid
to announce the Gospel to the furthest confines
of the earth.
This
is why, faced with difficulties and divisions,
Christians cannot resign themselves or give way
to discouragement. 'This is what Christ asks of
Christians: to persevere in prayer in order to
keep alive the flame of faith, hope and charity,
and the longing for full unity', the Pope encouraged.
Referencing his speech to ecumenical leaders at
St. Joseph's Church in New York, Benedict XVI
said that prayer is central to the ecumenical
movement. 'In this period of globalization and,
at the same time, of fragmentation, 'without prayer
ecumenical structures, institutions and programs
would be deprived of their heart and soul',' he
said. At the end of the audience, the Holy Father
greeted pilgrims in several languages.
Among the English speaking pilgrims, he greeted
delegates taking part in the in the Annual Conference
of the Canon Law Society of Great Britain and
Ireland, as well as pilgrims from Our Lady of
the Rosary Church in Qatar. 'Upon all the English-speaking
pilgrims, especially those from England, Scotland,
Australia, India, Indonesia, Korea, Canada, Guam
and the United States, I cordially invoke Almighty
God's abundant blessings of joy and peace.' [CNA]
1446.3
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Faith
in the Trinity
Faith
in the Trinity enlightens the principles of solidarity
and subsidiarity proposed by Catholic social doctrine,
says Benedict XVI. The Pope affirmed this on Saturday
when he addressed participants in the plenary
session of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.
Their meeting is focused on 'Pursuing the Common
Good: How Solidarity and Subsidiarity Can Work
Together. ' It began Friday and continues through
Tuesday. 'How can solidarity and subsidiarity
work together in the pursuit of the common good
in a way that not only respects human dignity,
but allows it to flourish?' the Holy Father asked.
'This is the heart of the matter which concerns
you. ' And though certain elements can help to
understand these concepts, he said, 'the solidarity
that binds the human family, and the subsidiary
levels reinforcing it from within, must however
always be placed within the horizon of the mysterious
life of the Triune God, in whom we perceive an
ineffable love shared by equal, though nonetheless
distinct, Persons. ' He continued: 'My friends,
I invite you to allow this fundamental truth to
permeate your reflections: not only in the sense
that the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity
are undoubtedly enriched by our belief in the
Trinity, but particularly in the sense that these
principles have the potential to place men and
women on the path to discovering their definitive,
supernatural destiny.
'The
natural human inclination to live in community
is confirmed and transformed by the 'oneness of
Spirit,' which God has bestowed upon his adopted
sons and daughters. 'Consequently, the responsibility
of Christians to work for peace and justice, their
irrevocable commitment to build up the common
good, is inseparable from their mission to proclaim
the gift of eternal life to which God has called
every man and woman. ' Benedict XVI explained
that with faith, it is possible to see that 'the
heavenly and earthly cities interpenetrate and
are intrinsically ordered to one another, inasmuch
as they both belong to God the Father. At the
same time,' he continued, 'faith places into sharper
focus the due autonomy of earthly affairs, insofar
as they are 'endowed with their own stability,
truth, goodness, proper laws and order. ''
The
Pope affirmed to the pontifical academy that 'you
can be assured that your discussions will be of
service to all people of good will, while simultaneously
inspiring Christians to embrace more readily their
obligation to enhance solidarity with and among
their fellow citizens, and to act upon the principle
of subsidiarity by promoting family life, voluntary
associations, private initiative, and a public
order that facilitates the healthy functioning
of society's most basic communities. ' The Holy
Father further noted that the principles of solidarity
and subsidiarity are not simply 'horizontal. '
'They both have an essentially vertical dimension,'
he said. '[T]rue solidarity -- though it begins
with an acknowledgment of the equal worth of the
other -- comes to fulfillment only when I willingly
place my life at the service of the other. Herein
lies the 'vertical' dimension of solidarity: I
am moved to make myself less than the other so
as to minister to his or her needs.
Similarly,
subsidiarity,' the Pontiff continued, 'insofar
as it encourages men and women to enter freely
into life-giving relationships with those to whom
they are most closely connected and upon whom
they most immediately depend, and demands of higher
authorities respect for these relationships --
manifests a 'vertical' dimension pointing toward
the Creator of the social order. When those responsible
for the public good attune themselves to the natural
human desire for self-governance based on subsidiarity,'
he added, 'they leave space for individual responsibility
and initiative, but most importantly, they leave
space for love, which always remains 'the most
excellent way. As you strive to articulate the
ways in which men and women can best promote the
common good, I encourage you to survey both the
'vertical' and 'horizontal' dimensions of solidarity
and subsidiarity,' the Pope concluded. 'In this
way, you will be able to propose more effective
ways of resolving the manifold problems besetting
mankind at the threshold of the third millennium,
while also bearing witness to the primacy of love,
which transcends and fulfills justice as it draws
mankind into the very life of God. ' [Zenit] 1446.4
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The
Charismatic Renewal
Benedict
XVI is encouraging and praising the work of the
Charismatic Renewal in its commitment to promote
communion. The Pope affirmed this in a letter
sent through his secretary of state, Cardinal
Tarcisio Bertone, to the members of the Catholic
Charismatic Renewal (Rinnovamento nello Spirito).
The movement members are gathered near Rimini,
Italy, for their 31st meeting. The annual celebration
began last Thursday, focusing on the theme 'Regenerated
by the Word of God' (1 Peter 1:23). More than
20,000 people are participating in the meeting.
In Italy alone, the Charismatic Renewal has more
than 200,000 members, among 1,900 groups and communities.
The
papal letter stated that 'His Holiness praises
and encourages the commitment with which the Charismatic
Renewal makes its own and carries forward the
effort to promote communion and collaboration
among the diverse realities that the same Spirit
has brought about in the Church. ' The letter
emphasized that the Holy Father 'always follows
the journey of the ecclesial movements with special
pastoral solicitude' and that he exhorts the members
of the Charismatic Renewal always to 'unite with
prayer their effective attention to the world's
needs and the good of men. ' In another message,
Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical
Council for the Laity, hoped that 'the themes
of the meeting and the days that you will spend
together will be a leaven for your renewed presence
in families, society and human history. '
The president of the Italian bishops' conference,
Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, and the conference secretary,
Monsignor Giuseppe Bertori, also sent a letter
in which they recall the 'horizon of joyous hope'
in which the Charismatic Renewal's 'precious work
of evangelization' moves. The national president
of the Charismatic Renewal in Italy, Salvatore
Martinez, told the Avvenire newspaper that the
prophetic word that will inspire the meeting at
Rimini 'is St. Paul's confession of praise --
St. Paul, a man surrendered to Christ, reborn
in him, who lived a new life to make the beauty
and the power of the name of Christ known. '
The
national meeting, Martinez said, will in fact
focus on the binomial 'word-life' as a 'meaningful
answer to the great Christian challenge of every
century: breaking down the division between faith
and life, between that which we say we believe
and that which we let the world 'see' and 'feel'
of Christ. Word and life reciprocally answer,
condition and complete each other,' he said. 'Without
the word, life is emptied out; without a life
-- ours -- in which the Word can take flesh, Jesus
remains a mere history lesson or a hero to be
commemorated. ' On Thursday, Cardinal Angelo Scola,
patriarch of Venice, presiding at the Eucharist,
invited those present to be 'witnesses of the
power and the regenerative force that the Spirit
of the risen Jesus never fails to make present
in history. ' Friday included 'lectio divina'
about the mercy of God, led by Archbishop Bruno
Forte of Chieti-Vasto. On Friday afternoon there
was a commemoration of the 10th anniversary of
Pope John Paul II's 1998 meeting with the ecclesial
movements and communities. In this context, talks
were given by representatives of the Community
of Sant'Egidio, the Focolare Movement, and Communion
and Liberation on the theme 'The Church Counts
on Each One of You. ' [Zenit] 1446.5
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Hunger
and lack of will
It
is not a lack of capacity to produce food, but
a lack of will that is causing an increase in
hunger after a rise in food prices, says a Vatican
spokesman. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director
of the Vatican press office, analyzed the ethical
causes and consequences of the 'spirling increase
in grain prices,' on the most recent episode of
the weekly Vatican Television program 'Octava
Dies. ' Father Lombardi recalled that in 2000
'the biggest summit of heads of state in history
solemnly proclaimed the 'Millennium Declaration'
that spelled out the most urgent goals for humanity
to be achieved by 2015. The first was to reduce
poverty and hunger by half within this period,'
he observed. 'Almost eight years have passed,
and in recent months a very grave food crisis
is developing in many countries because of the
vertiginous increase in grain prices.
The
number of starving and malnourished people is
once again beginning to increase rapidly and is
threatening to reach 1 billion -- and this does
not seem to be a passing crisis. ' Citing recent
studies, Father Lombardi sees three principal
causes of this phenomenon: 'the distorted market
caused by the agricultural subsidies in rich countries;
the new production of biofuels brought on by environmental
concerns; the increased consumption of meat in
big countries like China and India, in which a
large part of agricultural production is no longer
directly dedicated to grains for human consumption.
' According to Father Lombardi, 'Food is not physically
lacking in the world, nor is the capacity to produce
it. Rather, what is lacking is the will to, first
of all, resolve the most grave problem, namely,
providing the poor with enough to eat. Other things,
other concerns take its place.
Military expenses, for example, continue to grow.
Other interests control the game in our world
despite the Millennium Summit's having correctly
singled out and proclaimed the primary objective,'
the Vatican aide added. 'But a declaration is
one thing, and the hard reality is another,' he
concluded. 'We now look to a new summit of the
FAO [Food and Agriculture Organization] in June
to deal with the food problem. This is another
opportunity that we must not let get away because
in the meantime too many of the poor are dying.
'[Zenit] 1446.6
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The Rosary
On
Saturday evening Benedict XVI presided at the
praying of the Rosary in the Roman basilica of
St. Mary Major, 'Marian temple par excellence'
in which, as the Holy Father recalled, the image
of Mary 'Salus Populi Romani' is venerated. 'In
the experience of my generation', he said, 'May
evenings evoke pleasant memories of vespertine
appointments to pay homage to the Virgin Mary.
. . . Today we together confirm that the holy
Rosary is not some pious practice relegated to
the past, a prayer of distant times to be thought
of nostalgically. Indeed, the Rosary is experiencing
what is almost a new springtime'.
'In
the modern world which is so dispersive, this
prayer helps us to place Christ at the centre,
as did the Virgin who meditated upon everything
that was said about her Son and upon what He Himself
did and said. When we recite the Rosary we relive
important monuments of the history of salvation,
we again go over the various stages of Christ's
mission. With Mary we turn our hearts to the mystery
of Jesus'. 'May Mary help us to welcome within
ourselves the grace that emanates from these mysteries,
so that through us this grace can 'irrigate' society,
starting with our everyday relationships, purifying
it from many negative forces and opening it to
the novelty of God. 'The Rosary', the Pope added,
'when it is prayed in an authentic manner - not
mechanically and superficially, but profoundly
- brings peace and reconciliation. It contains
the healing power of the Most Holy Name of Jesus,
invoked with faith and love at the heart of each
Hail Mary'. Benedict XVI then called on those
present to ensure they remained united to Mary
during these days leading up to Pentecost, 'invoking
a renewed effusion of the Holy Spirit for the
Church'. He also entrusted them with 'the most
urgent intentions' of his ministry: 'the needs
of the Church, the great problems of humanity,
peace in the world, the unity of Christians, and
dialogue between cultures', as well as the pastoral
objectives of the diocese of Rome, and the 'solidary
development' of Italy [Vatican Information Service]
1446.7
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Mormon
're-baptism'
The Vatican has instructed diocesan officials
not to provide information from parish records
for to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints-- popularly known as the Mormon faith--
the Catholic News Service reports. The Vatican
directive, contained in a letter that was released
on April 5, reflects concerns that Mormons will
use the parish records as the basis for 'posthumous
rebaptisms' of Catholics. The Catholic Church
objects to the Mormon practice of 'rebaptism'
for two reasons: first because baptism is permanent,
and cannot be repeated; second because the 'baptism'
practiced by Mormons is invalid, since the faithful
are not baptized 'in the name of the Father, and
the Son, and the Holy Spirit. ' The Vatican ruling
could create tensions between Catholic and Mormon
officials. Mormon leaders take pride in the fact
that they allow free use of their enormous data-base
of genealogical research to members of all faiths.
[CWNews] 1446.8
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Europe
Spain's
secularist agenda
A
prominent lay Catholic in Spain who was recently
named to the Pontifical Council for the Laity,
Lola Velarde, said this week that Spain's President
Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's secularist agenda
is the launching pad for efforts to promote secularism
in Europe and Latin America.
Velarde
told the Spanish weekly Alba that Spain has become
'in part' a trial ground, because 'if this secularist
agenda can be implemented in a traditionally Catholic
country, it will be much easier to 'export' it
to other countries like those of Latin America.'
Velarde,
who is also president of the European Network
of the Institute for Family Policy, said she wasn't
inferring there was a 'worldwide conspiracy' or
a 'worldwide secularist agenda with headquarters
in Spain,' but rather that there exists a 'secularist,
relativist, gender ideology-based current that
has many protagonists and in which Spain plays
a key role.'
She
said her work as member of the Pontifical Council
for the Laity would be to unveil this agenda,
provide analysis and point to 'solutions and avenues'
to combat it, as well as 'to be a voice for the
laity of the Church, especially the laity that
work in public life.'
Velarde
thanked Pope Benedict XVI for naming her to the
new post and said that as president of the European
Network of the Institute for Family Policy, she
hoped to offer solutions and analysis about the
problems families face in Spain and the European
Union. [CNA] 1446.9
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Abortion demands
Carlos
Beltramo, a PRI correspondent, European Union,
writes : 'A resolution approved by the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe is demanding
that its 47 member states 'legalize abortion if
they have not done so.' Although legally non-binding,
the resolution not only effectively endorses the
'right' to kill the unborn, it puts pressure on
nations to lift any and all restrictions on abortion
throughout the whole continent.
The
resolution, named 'Access to Safe and Legal Abortion
in Europe,' was approved by a vote of 102-69,
with 69 abstentions. (See here)
The full text of the resolution is available at
the official website of the Council of Europe
here.
The
first section of the resolution states: 'The Parliamentary
Assembly reaffirms that abortion can in no circumstances
be regarded as a family planning method.' (Resolution,
n. 1). While this statement sounds pro-life, in
fact it has the opposite intent. What the Council
of Europe is actually demanding is that the countries
in which abortion is permitted, but carefully
restricted, make the procedure readily available
to all women who ask for it. Abortion on demand,
in other words.
Although
the Parliamentary Assembly's decision is non-binding
on member states, it puts pressure on the Council
of Europe to make abortion an unconditional 'right.'
Even without a formal and binding decision from
the Council of Europe, the resolution has a certain
moral force, and can be used to intimidate countries
such as Poland into establishing a 'right to abortion.'
Gisela
Wurm, an Austrian Socialist parliamentarian, was
the chief promoter of the resolution. She was
at pains to explain that the resolution is intended
to ensure that 'society can protect women who
don't want to continue with their pregnancies.'
She made no mention of particular countries. In
fact, however, the resolution is clearly targeted
at three countries which forbid all abortions:
Ireland, Poland, and Malta.
Much
of the resolution simply details the current European
status quo. It reads: 'In most of the Council
of Europe member states the law permits abortion
in order to save the woman's life for a number
of reasons including to preserve physical and
mental health, rape and incest, fetal impairment,
economic and social reasons and in some countries
on request.'. The only three European countries
that do not conform to this standard are, once
again, Ireland, Poland, and Malta.
The
seventh paragraph of the resolution--although
it doesn't name names--is clearly directed at
these holdouts. It states, 'The Assembly invites
the member states of the Council of Europe to
... decriminalize abortion within reasonable gestational
limits, if they have not already done so.'
Abortion in Ireland has been illegal since the
founding of the Republic. The operant law, the
'Offences Against the Person Act,' was inherited
from the United Kingdom. Under this Act, procuring
or performing an abortion is an 'unlawful' act,
with both the person performing the abortion and
the pregnant woman subject to imprisonment. While
Great Britain later changed its laws to allow
abortion up to 20 weeks gestation, Ireland moved
in the opposite direction. The 1983 abortion referendum
added even stronger anti-abortion language to
the Irish Constitution. A 1992 decision by the
Supreme Court of Ireland weakened the Offences
Against the Person Act by ruling that an abortion
could be lawfully performed if the continuation
of the pregnancy would cause substantial risk
to the woman's life. This decision aside, Ireland
today has one of the most restrictive abortion
laws in Europe.
The
legal situation in Malta is even more straightforward,
and thus poses even more of an irritant to the
pro-abortion lobby. The Criminal Code of Malta
simply prohibits abortion under all circumstances.
Moreover, when Malta joined the Council of Europe,
it insisted on the following condition: It would
not change its laws concerning human life.
The resolution passed by the Parliamentary Assembly
essentially targets three pro-life nations: Ireland,
Malta, and Poland.
Abortion resolution or no, Malta is not about
to back down. In the words of Maltese lawmaker
Leo Brincat: 'It is impossible to legalize abortion'
in Malta. Even the country's socialists oppose
the practice.
In
Poland, abortion is illegal except for certain
narrow exceptions. Moreover, it is as a practical
matter, almost impossible to obtain. The Population
Policy Data Bank of the U.N. Population Division
notes that 'the pregnant [Polish] woman would
be required to undergo counseling, give written
consent to the operation, and wait three days
after the counseling until the abortion took place.
. . At the same time, growing numbers of physicians
and hospitals refused to perform abortions, as
they were allowed to do under a conscience clause
contained in the law. In some cities, there were
no public institutions willing to perform abortions,
leaving private clinics with much higher fees
as the only resort for women seeking abortions.
Some estimates were that almost half of all public
hospitals in Poland had adopted this approach
to the issue.'
The
resolution itself recounts in detail the various
roadblocks that the country of Pope John Paul
II has placed in the way of abortion: 'The Assembly
also notes that, in member states where abortion
is permitted for a number of reasons, conditions
are not always such as to guarantee women effective
access to this right: the lack of local health
care facilities, the lack of doctors willing to
carry out abortions, the repeated medical consultations
required, the time allowed for changing one's
mind and the waiting time for the abortion all
have the potential to make access to safe, affordable,
acceptable and appropriate abortion services more
difficult, or even impossible in practice.'
Pope
John Paul II would be proud of his nation, as
well as of the other two. They constitute three
small holdouts of Christian decency against a
continent that has accepted the barbarism of abortion.
The
Council of Europe is not happy with this deviation
from the prevailing cultural line. It is attempting
to use its diplomatic clout to bludgeon these
three countries into line. Let us hope that it
does not succeed. [PRI] 1446.10
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Institute
for Family Policy (IPF) report
On
Wednesday morning, in the European Parliament,
the Institute for Family Policy (IPF) presented
its Report on 'The Evolution of the Family in
Europe 2008' (the full report with all charts
and tables can be consulted here
This
study has been carried out by a multi-disciplinary
team of experts in different fields such as demography,
psychology, sociology, and successful reconciliation
of work and family life, and coordinated by Lola
Velarde, President of the IPF European Network.
Although
there is growing concern of the European Union
by the family and its problems, as evidenced by
the recent adopted documents such as the Opinion
of the European Economic and Social Committee
about 'The family and the demographic evolution',
and the Communication of the European Commision:
'The demographic future of Europe: from challenge
to opportunity', it is also true that this
action is still clearly inadequate and that as
a result of this, family problems have continued
to get worse, says Lola Velarde.
Indeed,
indicators of population, birth, marriage, family
breakdowns and households have got worse in these
27 years. Data from the report on 'Evolution
of the Family in Europe 2008' are eloquents
and conclusives. Europe is undergoing a demographic
winter and now, Europe is an elderly continent
-old people over 65 exceed by more than 6 million
young people under 14 years. Besides, the problem
of birth has become critical as fewer children
are born
(almost one million fewer births than in 1980)
and there are one million abortions, that makes
it -with cance r-the leading cause of mortality
in Europe. Finally, there is a collapse of marriages,
with fewer marriages and more marital breakdowns-1
million divorces a year- andwith empty households
(2 out of 3 European households have no children).
'
Some
of the Report's conclusions are as follows:
I.
European Demographic Winter
1.
Slow growth of the European population (EU27)is
basically due to immigration, that is 84% of EU27
population growth between 2000-2007.
Between
2000 and 2007, of the 14.2 million increase in
population, 12 million (84% of this increase)
was the result of immigration. and which has continued
in 2007, with an increase of 80%. The immigrant
population is already over 27 million, representing
5.5% of the population of Europe
Although
Germany (7.2 million) and Spain (4.6 million)
are the EU countries with the highest number of
immigrants, and these two countries alone represent
42% of the total, it is Spain the country which
has grown the most over the last 10 years with
a growth of 701%, going from barely 500,000 in
1996 to over 4.6 million in 2006
2.
Europe is an elderly continent: one out of every
five inhabitants is over 65 and, besides, there
are 6 million more over-65s than under-14s.
There
are already 6 million more elderly individuals
than young people. Whilst in 1980 there were 36
million more children than elderly individuals,
by 2007 there were 6 million (5,966,400) more
over-65s than under-14s.
One
out of every five inhabitants is over 65. The
under-14 population in the EU25 has decreased
from 94 million in 1980 to only 74 million in
2007, which represents a decrease of 20 million
young people. By contrast, the over-65 population
in the EU25 has increased from 57 million in 1980
to 80 million in 2007, which represents an increase
of almost 23 million elderly people.
Bulgaria
and Germany are the EU27 countries with the fewest
young people. In these countries, only 1 out of
every 8 inhabitants is under 14.Besides, Italy
and Germany are the countries with the largest
elderly populations, significantly higher than
the European mean figure. One out of every 5 inhabitants
is over 65.
II.
Critical Birthrate
3.
There are almost a million fewer babies born annually
than in 1980. In 2007, almost one million (920,089)
fewer babies were born in the EU27 than in 1982,
which represents a decrease of 15%. Over this
period (1982-2007) the population has increased
by almost 37 million.
With
birth rate in some countries at a critical level.
Slovakia (1.24), Poland (1.27), Romania (1.31)
and Germany (1.32), etc. barely reach a birth
rate of 1.3.
4.
And with 1.200.000 abortions a year, one abortion
each 27 seconds...In Europe (EU-27) there is one
abortion every 27 seconds, equal to almost one
million two hundred thousand abortions annually
(1,167,775) (2006), which means that abortion
is the main cause of death in Europe. Spain is
the country with the highest increase in number
of abortions over the last 10 years (1996-2006)
with an increase of 99%.
One
of every five pregnancies (18.5%) is ended by
abortion.Of the 6,390,014 pregnancies in 2006
in the EU27, 1,167,683 were ended by abortion,
equal to 18.5% of pregnancies.
Each
year in Europe, abortion figures are the equivalent
of the populations of Luxembourg and Malta combined,
or the entire population of Slovenia or Cyprus.
France
(206,311), United Kingdom (194,353), Romania (150,246),
Italy (129,272), Germany (119,710) and Spain (101,592)
are the EU27 countries with the highest abortion
rates, and accounted for 77% of all abortions.
Spain
is the country with the highest increase in number
of abortions over the last 10 years (1996-2006)
with an increase of 99%.
5.
People start families later in life, at almost
30 years (EU25).
Average
age at maternity has increased by 2.6 years. Age
at maternity has increased by 2.6 years in the
EU25 in recent years, going from 27.1 in 1980
to almost 30 (29.7) in 2006. Spanish women (30.88
years old) are, along with Italian women (30.8)
and Dutch women (30.58), the EU27 females who
have their first child latest.
III.
Dramatic fall in marriage rate in Europe
6.
Dramatic fall in marriage rate in Europe. 737,752
fewer marriages than in 1980. Over 26 years (1980-2006),
the number of marriages in the EU27 has decreased
by more than 737,000, equivalent to 23.9%. In
spite of a population increase of 36 million (1980-2006).
The marriage rate has dropped from 6.75 in 1980
to 4.85 in 2006. In countries such as Bulgaria,
Slovenia or Hungary, the fall in marriage rate
has been around 50%, i.e. For every 2 marriages
that took place in 1980, now there is only 1.
7.
People are starting families later. Women at an
average age of around 29, men over 31. In the
space of barely 25 years, Europeans have delayed
by more than 5 years the age at which they start
a family (5.5 years for women and 5.2 years for
men), men being over 31 and women approaching
29.
8.
One out of every 3 children (33.9 %) is born outside
marriage in the EU27. This affects more than 1.7
million children each year. Of the 5,209,942 births
in the EU27 in 2006, 1,766,733 were born to unmarried
parents. This represents 33.9% of births. Estonia
(58.24%), Sweden (55.47%), Bulgaria (50.79%) and
France (50.49%) are the countries where there
are more births outside marriage than within it.
France,
with 419,192 births, is the country with the highest
number of births outside marriage, followed by
the United Kingdom with 326,792. These two countries
alone account for 42% of the total.
9.
There are over one million divorces and 365,000
more divorces than in 1980. Marital breakdown
has increased by 369,365 in 26 years (1980-2006),
an increase of 55%. Spain, with an increase of
290%, is the EU country with the highest increase
in marital breakdown over the last 10 years (1996-2006).
Belgium,
Luxembourg and Spain are the EU27 countries with
the highest rate of marital breakdown. For every
three marriages entered into, two end in divorce.
Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Spain
are the EU27 countries with the highestnumber
of divorces. The number of divorces in these countries
is over 605,000 and accountfor 58% of the total.
Over
10.1 million marital breakdowns in 10 years (1996-2006)
in the EU27 that have affected over 15 million
children.
10.
Marriages last an average of 13 years before breaking
down. Italy, 16.8 years, is the EU-27 country
where marriages last longest before breaking down.
It is followed by Spain (13.9 years) and Slovenia
(13.7 years). By contrast, Austria with 10.6 years
is the EU-27 country where marriage lasts the
least before breaking down.
IV.
Empty households
11.
The size of European households is decreasing.
Only 2.4 members per household. In barely 25 years
(1980-2005), the average size of households has
decreased by 'losing' 1.5 persons. It has gone
from almost 3 persons (2.82) to 2.4 members per
household. Malta (3.2), Cyprus (3.1), Romania
(2.9) and Spain (2.9) are the countries with the
highest number of members per household. By contrast,
Germany (2.1), Denmark (2.1), Finland
(2.1), and Sweden (2.2) are the countries with
the lowest number of members perhousehold.
12.
European households are becoming more solitary.
1 out of every 4 households in Europe has a single
dweller…27.7% of European households have
only 1 person. And now more than 54 million Europeans
live alone.
V.
Insufficient family policies
13.
Although there is growing awareness of the problems
faced by families in the European Union, there
is no organisation which is in charge of Family
Policy, nor does it have a Family Observatory,
or a Green Paper on the Family. Although there
are 5 Vice-presidencies and 21 Committees within
the European Commission, none of them covers the
Family, being dealt with by the Committee on Employment,
Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.
The
Observatory on Family Policies was created in
1989 and closed in 2004, when it was replaced
by the Observatory on Demography and the Social
Situation. Besides, of the 95 Green Papers written
since 1984, none has been on the Family.
14.
European countries start to have family organizations
at first level....While European countries like
Germany, Fance, Ireland, Norway, Hungary, Luxemburg,
Slovenia, Belgium, Slovaquia, etc, have Ministeries
of Family...
15.
But with little budget: Of every 13 euros Europe
sets aside for Social Expenditure, only 1 euro
is set aside for the Family …Europe sets
aside, on average, on Social Expenditure is 28%
of GDP, with significant differences between countries:
Sweden sets aside 32% of GDP, (more than two and
a half times Estonia and Latvia, which set aside
only around 12.5% of GDP for Social Expenditure).
Since
1996, the average set aside by Europe for the
Family has remained static at 2.2%, which represents
only 7.7% of Social Expenditure.
16.
With significant differences between countries..Whilst
some countries target families as a priority for
assistance, providing levels far higher than the
European average.
Denmark,
Luxembourg, Germany, Sweden, Finland and Austria
set aside above 3% of GDP for the Family, 40%
more than the European average (2.1% of GDP).
Denmark (3.8% GDP) and Luxembourg (3.6% GDP) are
the EU27 countries that offer most assistance
to families Other countries do not prioritise
families for assistance. Poland,
Malta, Spain, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Italy, and
Portugal set aside less than 1.2% of GDP for the
Family, which is far below the European average
(2.1% of GDP).
17.
Leading to significant differences for families
in each country...A family with two children,
without income-related restrictions, would receive
471€/month in Luxembourg, in Germany 308€/month,
in Ireland 300€/month and in Belgium 274€/month
etc. By contrast, the same family in Poland would
receive 32 €/month (and with strict incomerelated
restrictions), 25 €/month in Latvia and 23
€/month in Bulgaria (and with strict incomerelated
restrictions).
In
2007, countries such as Poland, Latvia and Lithuania
made efforts to increase benefits per child by
more than 25%, whilst the average increase considered
was 2.6% for 1st and 2nd child.
18.
There is a clear correlation between direct assistance
to families and the number of children: Countries
which offer higher family benefit levels have
higher birth rates France, Ireland and Luxembourg
give significant child benefits and have a high
number of chilfren. By contrast, Spain, Poland
and Italy have few children and very low levels
of child benefits.
VI.
IPF proposals
What
is required is the instigation in Europe of the
development of 'family-oriented' government policies
and the implementation of genuine, effective,
comprehensive and universal Family Policies.
Built
around the following axis:
o
Giving the Family status as a policy priority
o
Making the 'Family-oriented' approach an integral
part of all measures put in place bythe European
Union
o
Recognise and promote family rights in all areas,
particularly the priority of child care and education.
o
Promoting convergence between national family
policies to avoid differences between countries
o
Pushing for equality of opportunity for all European
families, to avoid discrimination based on number
of children, income levels, income distribution,
etc.
And
doing so by means of…
o
Appropriate bodies
o
Budgetary provision
o
Plans, measures and legislation
Following
action plans that…
o
Promote the Family as an institution,
