BRUSSELS, Belgium, NOV. 7, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Young couples need more confidence in life so that they have the courage to become parents, the European bishops affirmed. And they proposed steps for the European Union to help bring this about.
The Secretariat of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community presented Monday a working document that aims to contribute for an improved family strategy on the level of the European Union.
The document "Proposal for a Strategy of the European Union for the Support of Couples and Marriage" draws attention to challenges for families in Europe. It suggests political initiatives in areas such as labor law and tax and housing policy, with which European institutions can support families.
"Stable couples and families are sources of mutual trust," a communiqué from the bishops' commission said. "They encourage taking responsibility and openness for the other and thus constitute an important social capital for Europe.
"In view of the current demographic evolution and the increasing rate of divorce, it is necessary to offer also an increased attention to family-related issues on the European level."
Stability
The commission document outlines the areas in which EU institutions can contribute more to stable couples and families.
The document focuses on the various daily difficulties of couples and on the required conditions to allow parents to assume their role better in, for example, the protection of children and youth, integration and the fight against poverty.
"Helping married couples to create a loving and stable relationship and to assume their educational role as parents must be considered as an important and necessary step in enhancing the European Union’s social dimension," the document says. "The European Union can contribute in helping married couples to overcome and prevent crises and assist them in their most challenging task, which is the education of their children.
"Now European policy makers are tasked to take up these issues and develop appropriate and imaginative policies."
Climate of joy
The bishops encouraged policy makers to take into account Benedict XVI's words during his September trip to Austria.
“Encourage young married couple to establish new families and to become mothers and fathers!" the Pope said on that occasion. "You will not only assist them, but you will benefit society as a whole. I also decisively support you in your political efforts to favor conditions enabling young couples to raise children. Yet all this will be pointless, unless we can succeed in creating once again in our countries a climate of joy and confidence in life, a climate in which children are not seen as a burden, but rather as a gift for all.”
The bishops' document continued: "Indeed, many of the difficulties couples face today in maintaining the bond of marriage and in raising their children point to the difficulty of leading a meaningful life in modern society.
"This, of course, is not something that governments can deal with. A government cannot offer a meaningful life; its task is related to justice. Other actors have to stand in. Churches are certainly among them."
E07110703 - 2007-11-07