Monday, December 31, 2007 at 2:02am
Mass pro-family rally held in Spain
Nearly 2 million Spaniards gathered in Madrid's Plaza de Colon Sunday for a massive demonstration in support of marriage and family life. The huge demonstration, organized by pro-family groups with strong support from the Catholic hierarchy, was designed to send a positive message of support for family life.
It was also a clear criticism of policies undertaken by the country's Socialist government, including the legal recognition of same-sex marriage and the relaxation of restrictions on abortion, Catholic World News reported Monday.
Pope Benedict XVI drew hearty applause from the enormous crowd when he addressed the group by a video link from the Vatican, where he was holding his regular Sunday audience in St. Peter's Square. Speaking in Spanish, he said the family, based on "an indissoluble union between a man and a woman, is the privileged place in which human life is welcomed and protected." He added that parents have "the right and fundamental obligation" to educate their children, particularly on matters of morality.
Bishop Ricardo Blazquez Perez of Bilbao, president of the bishops' conference, said the family based upon marriage is "founded upon human nature" and does not change with political circumstances.
It was also a clear criticism of policies undertaken by the country's Socialist government, including the legal recognition of same-sex marriage and the relaxation of restrictions on abortion, Catholic World News reported Monday.
Pope Benedict XVI drew hearty applause from the enormous crowd when he addressed the group by a video link from the Vatican, where he was holding his regular Sunday audience in St. Peter's Square. Speaking in Spanish, he said the family, based on "an indissoluble union between a man and a woman, is the privileged place in which human life is welcomed and protected." He added that parents have "the right and fundamental obligation" to educate their children, particularly on matters of morality.
Bishop Ricardo Blazquez Perez of Bilbao, president of the bishops' conference, said the family based upon marriage is "founded upon human nature" and does not change with political circumstances.