Pope condemns efforts to offer abortion pill, urges family protection

Published: 2006-01-12

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In a talk that touched on controversial election-year issues in Italy, Pope Benedict XVI condemned efforts to introduce the abortion pill and urged steps to protect the traditional family based on marriage. The pope made the remarks Jan. 12 in a speech to civil officials of the Rome region. His comments prompted an immediate flurry of reactions across the political spectrum in Italy, where general elections will take place in April. The pope began by thanking the officials and the population of Rome for the strong religious sentiments they showed during the death and funeral of Pope John Paul II last year. That kind of spiritual intensity, he said, should bear fruit in the civil arena, especially on family issues. In particular, he said, young couples and their families need support -- for example, in paying for housing, nursery schools and kindergartens. Such assistance for the traditional family should not be seen as a concession to Catholic morality, but as respect for "elementary truths regarding our common humanity," he said.

Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .